Day 6 Mon Oct 10 Afternoon

After we left the school we went back for lunch at the hotel so the students who played sport could shower.  After lunch and a refreshing stop we were taken to the South Gate of the wall that surrounds the inner city of Xian.  The wall with a moat kept the marauding invaders out during the ancient times.  The wall was 14km long and each side had a gate for entry.  We started at the South Gate.  As we walked up to the top of the Gate it was still very smoggy.  We could not see the end of the wall in either direction.  We had free time and spent two hours looking around.  Some of us decided to walk the wall.  In the time we might just make it.  Unfortunately we didn’t and had to turn around.  Many of the others hired bicycles and rode the wall.  They had a great experience making it around in no time.  Some of the bikes broke down and a few had greasy hands fixing them.  A lot of fun was had by all and just what we needed to unwind after all the travelling.  We were also getting prepared for the train trip to Beijing.

We had a great time climbing over the wall of Xian and were treated to a show at the South gate before we left.  We headed for dinner then went to the train station.

At this time the weather had packed in and it was drizzling-enough to get wet.  Unfortunately we had a 150m walk from where the train dropped us off to the train station.  We never anticipated the busy time at the train station and the wet weather.  We trawled our way to the station.  This spread the 66 over a bit of a distance and this was amongst the locals and others trying to get to the train station.  It was bedlam!  We all made it then had to go through security.  All the bags were wet and went through the machines.  We congregated around the entry to the train lounge and we managed to get through into an already packed lounge.  Sardines in a can – smelt the same.  We didn’t have to wait long before we were allowed to go to the platform and board the train.  We were split into two groups.  One went to carriage 1.  This was filled with our group.  The rest went to carriage 5 & 6.  We boarded our sleepers.  Each soft sleeper contained 4 beds.  It was cramp but comfortable.  Everyone settled in and enjoyed the ride to Beijing.  The carriages between 1 and 5 were triple sleepers where six beds were in each cabin.  The locals used these.  The toilet facilities were OK but by the end of the trip were not very clean. 

The various cabins socialised through the trip and many slept most of the way.  It was a different mode of transport and an enjoyable experience.  Some were pretty tired when we reached Beijing but the soldiered on. 

Day 6 Mon Oct 10 Northwest Middle School

Up bright and early to miss the traffic so we can get to Northwest Middle school on time.  Have to be there by 8.30am on the dot.  The traffic very busy because it was the first day back for the workers of Xian after their one week national holiday – hence the early start.  This was to be a highlight of the trip and it was! 

We arrived with a banner across the entrance saying welcome to our school.  We were met by the vice principal, Zang Wei.  He was in charge of our visit.  We went to their auditorium.  A very nice plush centre.  Here were given an introduction to the school.  A nice school and one of the top ten in Xian.  This is quite a prestigious for the school.  Everything came down to results and nothing more.  They could select which students went there.  All families paid about Y30000 a year to send their students there.  They paid the students had to perform.  The curriculum was the basics English, Chinese, Arts, Math etc.  All students did  them all.  School went from 7.30am to 7.00pm at night including Saturday for study.  The competition is fierce and ruthless.  You do not make the grade you are gone to a lesser technical school where you learn to become a waiter etc  Class size – how about this.  Average class size is 60-amazing.  They are all crammed into a small classroom. 

In the auditorium their students arrived and this is when the day got better.  Very proud of our students.  They interacted and had conversations with the Chinese students.  After this Mr Betty made a small speech and we presented gifts to the students and our taonga to the school.  We then went outside and we did the haka and sang waiata to them.   They were impressed and so was I.  The Tuakau students did themselves extremely proud.  They sang with volume and meaning.  The haka was extremely scary for the Chinese who were impressed.  One of our group exclaimed that it sent tingles down his spine –just like it is suppose to.  It was great! And all of us stood tall as the performance showed us who we were.    The Chinese reciprocated and sang some songs to us.  The students handed out their gifts.  The T-shirts and their trinkets.  Well received. 

We then went out to the front steps and had a group photo.  We met the Principal and she shock Mr Betty’s hand and we had a photo.  She then left so we had a 2 minute presentation with her – a very busy lady.

After this all the students joined into a Ti Chi session with a class.  This was great.  Then basketball and Mr Fogarty played table tennis.  This was great!  The boys team and a girls team.  Although we came out as the losers the spirit it was played in was fabulous.

We then completed a tour of the school visiting many classrooms and areas.  Once noticeable thing was the smell of the toilets.  The reeked of urine and other smells.  It was pointed out that the water is turned off and they are washed once a day.  The used toilet paper is stored in bins next to the toilets.

After the rour we all got back on the bus .  It was a great tour and all the students enjoyed the change from museums but the interactions with Chinese teenagers was invaluable.