Updates!

September is a genius and saw this in the SkyMall catalogue. It's called a DreamSack and it's basically a really thin sleeping bag/linens. Since a normal sleeping bag would be too bulky to carry around with me, this DreamSack would be just like sleeping on sheets at night but it folds up to weigh less than half a pound! I have to get one.

Toilet paper is not always provided in restrooms in China - especially in rural China where we'll be spending most of our time. If it is provided, it costs. So, I have to bring a bunch of these little Charmin To Go. Good thing September gets them in her Christmas stocking every year! We always knew they'd come in handy some day.

Interesting fact: We are strongly encouraged to bring American face wash because while face wash and soaps can be purchased in China, they have bleach in them to help bleach the skin and make the skin 'whiter.' Whoa...  It's so interesting to me that in America, it's the exact opposite. For once in my life, it'll be good to be pale!! 

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Ni hao! 

I haven't posted in quite some time because I have been bombarded with school work, exams, projects, papers... the typical UM busywork. Only 4 more weeks of school and only 64 DAYS UNITL CHINA! 

There's much to update on: 

First, the past 2 weeks or so, we have had some delegates from China in to visit our team here at Michigan. Dr. Lu Sr. is here with his wife, there are some staff and volunteers from GCI and they have been shadowing us around campus. My friend Ellen (the girl who I am traveling with after our program) and I have taken 2 of the GCI staff around campus to get smoothies, play monopoly, etc. They are very sweet, funny and offer great insight on our project and Chinese views of Americans. They are leaving next week but we will be meeting up with them again when we arrive in China in June. 

Secondly, we have started to put together our teaching modules for the kids. I'm not sure if I wrote this in a previous entry, but we are no longer going to work with elementary schools. Only high schools. I am extremely disappointed about this but high schoolers will still be fun. We are teaching at boarding schools in rural China outside of Beijing and staying on campus in the dorms with the kids (only 20 minutes from the Great Wall!). Each of the teaching teams have great ideas for projects to do with the students. The arts & crafts team are doing things like gingerbread houses, friendship bracelets, popsicle stick picture frames, and magazine collages. The singing team is going to teach the kids the 'Hokie Pokie' and 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' as well as some Disney songs. The theatre/games team is going to show the kids how to make musical instruments, play charades, improv theatre, and skits. And my dance team is going to focus on hip hop and dance team dances to do with the kids. I am going to incorporate some games I used at Coit (the elementary school I taught at the last 2 years), exercises from Interlochen (with regards to improvisation and movement), dance team routines and YouTube videos. We all presented a 10-minute synopsis of our teaching modules to Dr. Lu Sr. and the Chinese delegates and they seem very impressed with our ideas for the kids. Now, we're all even more excited for the trip than we were a week ago! 

Next, we got Chinese names! Dr. Lu assigned us special Chinese names that we are going to use overseas this summer. They're so awesome! My name is Mo Chou and I guess it means 'no worries.' There are two characters but I will have to practice writing it because it seems very complicated. At our meeting next week, Dr. Lu Jr. is going to explain in further detail what the names mean to the Chinese and why they were chosen specifically for us. I love that my name starts with 'Mo'... that's what people used to call me in Philadelphia, so it's cool that it's reintroduced now for this trip to China. 

Lastly, I am putting together a list of things I need to take overseas this summer. I am basically going to be living out of a backpack for 6 weeks because that will be the easiest way for me to transport my things from site to site. If anyone has any advice on what to bring, what not to bring, how to backpack, stories (good and bad), etc. I am all ears. What the delegates said on Tuesday was LESS IS MORE. Space is limited, accessibility to things like running water is limited, everything... so we have to pack very light but very intelligently (as if we are only staying 1 weeks -not 6). So, any of you with camping experience, you're input is much appreciated! 

One last thing, if anyone has ideas on small gifts to bring over that are particularly American, let me know! We might be staying in some of the children's homes for a few nights and we are encouraged to bring some sort of thank you gift/compensation to our hosts. What would be something cool and thoughtful to bring? 

Hope everyone is enjoying Spring! More updates to come. 

Zai jian! 

Mo Chou