In China

August 19th, 2006 Knoxville Airport
My family and I left for Knoxville at around lunchtime Saturday. We needed to make a few stops to search for some things which might come in handy on the trip. We then headed for the airport. I checked my two suitcases, leaving only my green backpack. I then hugged my family goodbye and went through security.
The alarm went off and one of the guards started going through my bag. I thought perhaps the nail clippers might have set it off, but then realized they were in my toiletries bag, which was in one of my checked suitcases. Then the guard pulled a very large knife from the bottom of my bag. It’s one of those knifes that folds out with fifteen blades and scissors and pliers and everything needed to pull of a plane heist. I took that same backpack to Israel earlier this summer, and it wasn’t in there at that time (believe me, they would’ve found it). I don’t know how my entire family, who have traveled so much and to places such as Israel, missed something so……….sharp. The guard was very kind, however, and gave the knife to my family, who were standing just outside security.
I went to my gate and sat down, awaiting the departure of my plane. I looked out the big window at Gate 3. Across the expanse of the airport I saw my family, frantically waving their arms at me. I waved back after awhile, but I’m not sure they noticed, because the wasn’t exactly as expressive as their gestures. I was wearing my yellow “Harding University in Australia” (HUA) rugby shirt, and if I had waved like they did, we could’ve had an airplane flying through our little window. That’s not covered in my insurance.

August 20th, 2006 LAX, onboard Air China Flight 984
My flight to LA from Atlanta was changed to a different gate once I arrived, so I found my way to the shuttles. I met Julie and a boy name Ashley, both from Georgia and both going on the HUA trip. Four and a half hours later, I saw the expanse of lights which was Los Angeles. The three of us walked outside our terminal and stood by the street, waiting for transportation to Terminal 2 (from which our Air China flight would depart). After ten or fifteen minutes, nothing came, so I asked a security guard standing nearby; the reason a bus hadn’t come to take us to Terminal 2 was because Terminal 2 was that big building right across the street and down the sidewalk.
The ticket counter line was extremely long. I think we stood there for two hours. A Chinese holiday must be coming up, because it seemed like everybody was going home the same night we were leaving. I met most of the group there. Rich Little (a good friend of the family’s and one of the professors) and two of his kids, Annie and William, were there. His wife Heather, who is pregnant, flew on to Australia with Shelby, their middle child. Dr. Gary Byram (the other professor, and also a good friend of the McRays’) and his wife Wendy and their fourteen-year-old daughter Jennifer soon arrived also. After the long wait in line (which really wasn’t too bad compared to Israel), we went through security (I was afraid they’d find a gun this time) and finally sat down. However, William Little would not let me rest. He’s four years old and likes to cut off my arms with his pencils. We’re really good buds, though. He’s awesome, and so his sister, Annie (and Shelby, but she wasn’t around at this point). William wants to buy rubber bands so we can have a war. That’s my kind of guy.
I was put on the back of this plane…..again. They always stick the tall kid in the back, and they always board the back last. I do have the whole middle aisle to myself expect for an elderly man from Iran who is sitting on the far end.

August 21, 2006 Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
Sixteen hours on a plane isn’t too bad, especially when you sleep almost twelve hours of the flight. It was hard to get comfortable, but I did sleep for quite some time, even though I woke up from time to time because of soreness in my neck. I woke up at one point to see the Iranian gentleman’s head almost in my lap. Awkward. He had decided to use those two extra seats (plus his own) as a bed. Other than that little experience, the flight was uneventful.
At 5:30 in the morning, on August 21st, I landed in my 21st country (if you include America and Northern Ireland): the People’s Republic of China. After customs, we found our way to the baggage claim area. Twenty-eight people with two or three bags each adds up to a lot of luggage. We hauled it outside where we met Rich’s parents. His
‘mum’ (he’s Australian) organized the China part of our journey. We dumped everything on a bus and drove off into the city. A Chinese tour guide name Vincent (or Vince) gave a brief overview of the city and of China. He had a tendency to repeat the last word or two of each sentence and then adding a “yes” to that. “Beijing is a very old city…..old city, yes.” “The Muslims here are very peaceful……very peaceful, yes.” “You will enjoy the food……the food, yes.” “Old city is Beijing…….Beijing, yes.” He did have very good English and seems to know a lot about history and culture.
After forty-five minutes of driving, we arrived at Capital Normal University, which would serve as our base for our stay in China. It’s a very nice facility. As of right now, I’m sharing a room with Darren Hoggatt, who was my suitemate the first year at Harding. The rooms are comfortable and I have a great view of the city from the window. The bathroom is very cool because you can brush your teeth, sit on the pot, and take a shower all at the same time. It reminds me of the little cottage Honey and Pooh (my dad’s parents, for those who don’t know) stayed in while we lived in Greece. They probably had it better, because they could also make a cup of tea.
As I write, it is 9:15 AM. China is twelve hours ahead of Eastern U.S. time. I’m feeling a little tired, but the best way to conquer jetlag is to stay awake until bedtime. In three hours, we’re meeting with the entire group for a sort of orientation, and then going out into the city. I’m likin’ this stuff so far……..

LATER THAT DAY…. (written August 22nd, 2006)
We had orientation later that day in a classroom on the other side of the building. We were told a little about the rules (pretty much same on campus in Searcy) and some about classes. We then headed to the bus and drove to a restaurant known as the Nine-headed Fish Chain Restaurant. It was a very interesting meal, consisting of chicken foot, duck neck, sea weed, and pork foot. And it was all really good. Some people had a pretty difficult time with it, but I just dove in and ate a little bit of everything. How often are you gonna eat real Chinese food in China? I mean..come on.
After our very cultural meal was finished, we found our way to the Summer Palace. It was an absolutely amazing labyrinth of buildings and courtyards, built by one of the emperors long ago. It was built in the tradition of the gardens of the south, and for a time it also housed the emperor’s mother. The longest corridor in the world can be found there, which stretches at a length of 728 meters. It overlooked a large man-made lake, in the middle of which sat the Temple of the Dragon, god of the water, with a nine-arched marble bridge running to the shore. It was a very impressive place. I was certainly in awe of the artistry of the Chinese.
Near the end of our little tour, an old man walked up to me and said, “Do you have pen?” I pulled one out of my notebook and handed it to him. He then proceeded to carve something into the side of it with a knife, asking me where I was from. I gently but firmly pulled my pen from his hands and said, “I don’t have any money for that.” This was true, because I hadn’t yet found an ATM. I can’t be sure, but I think he might have growled as he walked off.
Once we had completed walking through the vast Summer Palace, we drove to the Central TV Tower, and went up over half of the 400 meters of the tower to the revolving restaurant. Now that was really nifty. As we ate, the restaurant revolved, providing us with a panoramic view of the Beijing at night. The sun set behind the mountains in the distance, and it was most certainly one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. There was a bit of mist, and the sun lit it up over the dark mountains and cast an orange glow on the valley. I took a view pictures.
We then headed back to the university, tired and ready for bed, although it was only a little past 8. I went outside to a rather long sprinting track next to the university and ran thirty laps before I downloaded my pictures and went to bed. It was a little after 10, and I feel asleep listening to the sounds a busy city at night. It might have annoyed me at other times, but, hey, I’m in China. Probably shouldn’t be complaining about anything.


I am writing most of this in little notes in a leather-bound notebook and then transferring it to my laptop once I have a port for my computer. I’m putting down the dates I wrote all this because when I post it on the blog it’s giving an incorrect date. And who cares when it was posted: it only matters when it was written. And now I finally have the Internet working.