China Trips 2012: Chengdu

One of the fondest memories I have from growing up in Oregon was my 6th grade Outdoor School trip to Camp Yamhill. It was a simple 4 day trip to a humble campground in the forests of Western Oregon. We stayed in log cabins that had no heat and maybe a touch of electricity for a small light bulb at night. The rain poured for the majority of our time as we donned goofy rain slicks and clunky rubber boots all week. We went on mucky hikes, fished in the marshy pond, learned about the wonders of nature, and licked slugs. The campfire time was my absolute favorite as we stared up at the stars and sang songs ranging from sweet lullabies to zany, goofy sing-alongs. It was a week of pure, unadulterated childhood Zen.

During my 6 years of international teaching I’ve been fortunate to be a part of some fantastic trips with my students. In Dubai, I accompanied the 5th graders on several cultural trips to the dry, rocky mountain landscape of Hatta… which straddles the border of the United Arab Emirates and Oman. As well, I was asked to supervise a trip to Greece with 6th grade students. We trekked the Peloponnese while learning about Ancient Greek history and culture as we soaked in its rich, glorious landscape. Now with our latest school in Shanghai, the program offers a similar experience for its students. We refer to it as “China Trips”, and students from grades 6-12 go on trips around China to places such as Hainan, Inner Mongolia, and Guangzhou. This year, I accompanied the 8th grade class to Chengdu, which is in Central China. It is a location well-known for its pandas, but I left most intrigued by its beautiful landscape, clean and organized city center, and endearing culture. The students were provided a jam-packed schedule as they volunteered at the panda refuge, hiked the sacred trails of Mt. Emu, cooked and chowed down on Sichuan cuisine, and even learned some Kung-Fu. Quite different from my experience in the woodlands of Oregon, but the spirit was very much the same.

We started the week off with some Sichuan style cooking. Most definitely, this was the best Chinese food I’ve had so far during my time in the Far East…

 

The expressive faces of SCIS students…

 

Next stop was the Chinese opera in downtown Chengdu. Though I don’t prefer the sounds which accompany the show… visually, it is a stunning display. 

 

The drive outside of the city and in to the mountains of Central China the next day brought to mind the lush landscapes of our native Northwest USA. We spent the night at the ancient town of Shangli, a quaint and quiet village embedded in the rolling hills. It was an absolute delight to experience this side of China’s landscape, architecture, and culture as it provided a welcoming contrast to the flat, factory-covered cityscape of Shanghai.

 

Nearby was a K-12 school. Our students got a chance to work on a small community project and take part in a Chinese calligraphy class. Of course, the most important part of the experience for them was hanging out and playing with kiddos. 

 

The main attraction of the trip was the panda experience. The facilities weren’t great, but they weren’t horrible either. The pandas had some room to roam and nice features to climb and play. They are fed well and seem to be well taken care of by the staff. I suppose the most disappointing thing from this experience was that I wasn’t able to get too many photos of these cute, snuggly creatures. Seriously, they always look ready for a cuddle session. Students were brought in to clean the panda’s pens and prepare and deliver their food. 

 

The most inspiring portion of the trip was our hike to the Buddhist temple on Mt. Emu. As funny as this sounds, I was really fortunate to come up with a minor injury to my calf muscle on a run earlier in the week. Reason being, I was able to supervise the slow group and move at a pace which allowed me to take in the scenery and capture some great photos. Had I gone with the faster moving students, I would have missed out on some incredibly stunning photo opportunities.

 

The final feature of our trip was a Kung-Fu demonstration by a local martial arts school. The kids were small, but packed an incredible punch. I couldn’t believe the way they were able to twist, bend, and spin with such amazing force. I wouldn’t want to run in to any of them in a dark alley! At the end of the demo they took our students through a little crash course in basic Kung-Fu techniques. And yes, everyone was Kung-Fu fighting!

 

This was the first time where I felt that traveler’s connection with China. It’s a difficult thing to explain, but when you explore a new land and are blessed with an opportunity to experience the richness of its culture and landscape, you leave with this freshly inspired sense of awe and adventure that heightens your physical and spiritual connection with the world. As I think back to my time at Outdoor School in Oregon, that was also one of those connections.

-isaac