China Part VIII

Visiting a kindergarten and grade-school.

In the morning we boarded the bus again and headed out to visit a kindergarten. The guides said that this is not normally permitted but that we were getting a unique opportunity to get a glimpse of the Chinese school system. We rode through the city and countryside to a nearby town until we arrived at an alleyway that led to the school.

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We walked down the alley past a rice field to the school's gate. We were there greeted by the teachers and the children who were outside in a courtyard at what appeared to be recess or playtime.

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The kids were lined up in two rows as we entered and we were able to greet each of the children with high fives, handshakes and hugs. The courtyard was spacious clean and had swings, slides, teeter-totters and others playground equipment, they even had a Chinese version of a hop-scotch.

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We began to take pictures while the teachers organized the kids into groups for different games which we were invited to join in.
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Before too long the games and playtime were over and it was time to return to the classrooms. The very youngest were all seated on their chairs to be counted. Mom loved the kids they were all so cute and sweet. Some were very shy (like normal, just like American kids).

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Then they picked up their chairs and marched into the classrooms.


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The empty classrooms were quickly and orderly filled up.
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We visited the next three floors of classrooms were the children sang to us and we joined in with them.
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On each floor at the bottom of the stairs were the restrooms...an experience to be sure. No doors and unisex, the sinks were a long trough with several spigots, however the most unusual part was the toilets. They were on the back side of the sinks and, they too, were troughs or gutters in the floor with a hose for manual flushing.

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On our way back to the bus we passed by another enclosed playground of the school filled with children and said our goodbyes through the iron gates one more time.

Then we turned to the right back up the alleyway and passed by this ancient looking vehicle and Jason just couldn't resist the photo op.

Encouraged by Jason, Dane Newland took me for an imaginary ride where I gave the royal wave to the throngs of our loyal subjects.

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Meanwhile, the souvenir hawkers had sniffed out Dee Anna. They could smell her coming or sniff her out of any crowd. They could find her anywhere, so after a couple more purchases it was back to the bus, with hawkers in tow. We learned that buying something never stopped them from trying to make another sale. It only worked to encourage them or at least so it seemed.

Then we were off again for a bike ride through the countryside to a 300 year old farm house. Those of us that didn't feel up to riding bicycles in ninety degree heat and humidity opted to ride in six passenger jitneys. So we were off again through the beautiful, scenic and hazy, south China landscape.

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Coming next: The touring the countryside around Yangshuo.