Day 4 from Beijing

Hello Cushman! We are finally back in the world of electronic communication having been hiking through the mysterious and beautiful (and exceedingly rainy) mountains of western Hunan Province. We know you must be wondering what we have been up to for the past few days so here is a brief recap.

Day 4 Temple of Heaven: Today we had the most perfect weather imaginable, about 75 degrees fahrenheit and a rare blue Beijing Sky. It was only fitting, therefore, that we visited one of the most beautiful buildings in the whole of China; The Temple of Heaven, where the emperors used to go and pray to the gods twice a year. The temple is set in extensive, tranquil grounds filled with Beijing residents enjoying the beautiful holiday weather.

In the afternoon we flew to Changsha, a three hour plane ride. The welcome awaiting us was overwhelming! The host families had made every type of banner imaginable, flowers were presented to the adults and everything was caught on film by several local TV crews. Our children were very excited to finally spend time with their Chinese families. As this is a very important national holiday here, (October 1st being the Chinese equivalent to July 4th) many of the host families had planned spectacular trips for Cushman students. Many of us went to different corners of the province and had many exciting adventures to share when we met up again several days later. While most people involved with the exchange were out and about in Hunan Province, those who had remained behind met up on Friday for a Cushman style bowling party with both Chinese and American students taking part. Doctor Lutton has decided that our students need to practice their bowling skills though!