Weekend Downtime

After a very busy week, both teams had downtime this weekend. In previous years, we usually took this weekend to do some BIG event - travel, white-water rafting, etc. - with our Chinese leaders. This year, Luke worked with Jumbo to get a weekend with a day of downtime. Most of the team members spent time with their host families or, if the host families were busy, with the host families of other Americans. I will remember Saturday as one of the most relaxing days I've ever spent in China - a walk on a hillside, a rest to catch up on correspondence, and a walk around a pedestrian-only island. Just very nice - and a good time to spend with our host families.

Sunday, the Xiangzhou team took a bus to Doumen where we met with the Doumen team. It was nice to compare notes on how our weeks had gone and to get ideas of events that had been particularly successful. After a two-hour dim sum, the group (including many of our Chinese friends) went to a large and ornate Buddhist temple before the Xiangzhou group headed back to town.

I (Jeff Sherlock) was able to meet up with a couple of teachers from the first year and continue building our friendship. Later, I met with my host family from the first year for a dinner with a number of government officials - police chief, environmental protection officer, businessman and others.

Tomorrow, we begin the final week. We hope to continue to develop closer relationships with our new friends and talk some about important things in our lives.