We began the morning with a similar American breakfast - boiled eggs, bread and milk. It was nice to have a little taste of home. After breakfast we headed to our first Chinese language class where we were taught pinyin, how to recognize characters, and a quick lesson on the currency. We were all wanting to know how to interpret the colorful bills and coins. Surprisingly, the currency is very similar to our currency. We then had lunch and a little break. Kiera and I went walking around campus and took a few pictures before we headed back for our next lesson. It was on symbols and we even got to partake in some arts and crafts (my favorite) by making a Chinese lucy knot and double happiness. We then had dinner and had a free evening in which we all decided to see what was near by. Since arriving we haven't left the school grounds so it was nice to get out and experience a little Chinese culture. It was definitely an experience. There were tons of street vendors selling food, jewelry, iPhone cases, and random items. The smell of the food was mouth watering as they seasoned and grilled the different kabobs right there in front of us. Many vendors had an array of fresh fruit that I could smell the ripeness.The street was different than a street back home. The small shops and street vendors slightly reminded me of Hawaii with an extreme variance in the cleanliness and sanitation. Trash was in abundance. People were everywhere; walking, riding mopeds, and crammed on bus. I was surprised how the horn on a vehicle was used so frequently. It was good to get out and experience a part of Chinese culture. I'm eager to see if the street life varies as we move to other parts of Shanghai, Beijing and Xi'an.
Today we're heading to several museums and we have a river cruise
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