Today we went to a village about an hour away from Xian. It was a new experience. First we saw the old village, which is what you see in pictures of rural China. The houses were made out of mud and corn shucks, and everyhouse had corn bundled up to dry so they could make cornmeal. Everyone was poor. We met the poorest family which was a grandfather and his daughter. They told us how the daughter just lost her husband leaving her with their child who loves to study but since they are so poor it's hard to get her a good education. We gave them some money hoping it would help. Their house had two rooms, one was the bedroom and one was the kitchen. The inside was very dark and the walls were mud and corn shucks. The bed raised on cement and wood.
Afterward we went to the new village which is right across the street and is basically townhouses. It was a very sharp contrast to the old village. We visited a paper cutting shop where the shop keeper did a quick demonstration for us and then she helped us make a very basic design which we found difficult to follow. Then we went to her house which was a restaurant/home. It had two restaurant style tables and then there was a living room and an upstairs with beds and a mahzong table which they were happy to let us use. We had a delicious lunch there and then sat on a couch for an hour and a half. Some played Mahzong or talked.
Afterwards we went to a famous artists home/gallery where we saw all her work. I must say it was beautiful I've found a new favorite style of art. It's called bright colors depicting Chinese life. This woman had some serious painting skill, she did a painting demonstration for us where she painted a rooster and she made it look so easy. That was my favorite part of the day, getting to view all the beautiful paintings.
After that we went back to school. Lisa picked me up, and it was raining today, so it took an hour to find a taxi since all of them were taken, and then another 45 minutes to get home. Let's just say the ride home took longer than the ride to the village. But now here I am in the warmth munching on a pomegranate, which if I haven't noted already they're so cheap here - 50 cents for one!
4 comments:
What a treat! I got to read two blog entries in one day! And today's had minimal typos! What an interesting Thursday you've had! I'm rather surprised that you were given access to such a poor area. Maybe there are even worse areas! The art was a lovely contrast. It's interesting to read your reactions and insights, and I enjoyed the personal touch at the end where you were cozy at home eating a pomegranate. Of course the photos are fantastic too. I could almost taste the food on that table! Surprised to see corn on the cob - although you did say the village was made from mud and corn shucks. Sorry I missed your call today. See email. Love, Mum
I like your new paragraph format. Bite size for challenged readers like me. And since you write about food so often (one of my favorite topics) I think bite size works well.
It is very interesting getting a glimpse into the homes of ordinary Chinese, whether poor or middle class. Your written immpressions enhance the photos you upload very well. Or is it the other way around?
Either way, keep up the good work.
wow Julia! Good job! And i like how you gave the poor family some money.
I second Dad's point. And it occurred to me: if you don't manage all your English HW assignments, you could always hand in your blog! It's good writing experience.
Post a Comment