New Trier China Tour 2000
LIVE TOUR UPDATE!

June 20, 2000

We are coming home! (posted 6/20)

We are eating our final breakfast together in China and will be leaving
for the airport in about an hour. Since our last posted update things
have continued to go perfectly. We visited the Forbidden City and
Summer Palace yesterday. When we first came to Beijing the weather
was perfect... it is now NOT perfect. The smog is the thickest I have ever
seen. You can even see it at night. After one mile you can see nothing
but white. It was about 100 degrees yesterday and we are told it was
the hottest day of the year so far. All this just for us I am sure. It is making
the thought of leaving more tolerable.

Yesterday afternoon we visited a shop that sold silk and other great
"stuff". MANY presents were bought, including a Terra Cotta figure
that we hope to get home safely to place in our 3rd floor trophy case.
Earlier in the trip we shopped at a jade factory, a pottery factory, and a pearl factory. Everyone has pretty well spent all their money on presents for people
back home.

Last night we went to see Peking Opera. Even though I had told
everyone to expect to hear cats screaming as slowly as possible, they still were surprised. Let them tell you what I mean. It was most different indeed and is not
a musical theater style that will have ANY impact  the American Musical.

We continue to be so impressed that there is so little litter, even in
Beijing,,,, but so few trash cans. We also have noticed the lack of flowers and grass. Next to the curbs in all the cities we visit are shops and shops and more shops. Behind them are the homes where people live. The only open spaces in the cities are the parks. When you leave the city all you see is miles and miles of farms with many, many people working. People rest during the afternoon when it is hot and work LATE into the night when it is cool. 

There are so many people to put to work here that rapid change in the organization of their work structure would probably bring down the country or at least
cause the instability that rapid change in Russia has caused. (My opinion.)

Yesterday was also the first time that we actually ran into other Americans. We have been so deep into China that we have been the only foreign matter to be found..

My first recommendation to everyone is to take your China traveler out
to get STEAK. WE ALL WANT STEAK. WE ALL NEED STEAK. We just don't see cows in this country. When we do, I am very concerned about the well being of the cows as our students seem to stand and drool as they watch it. If STEAK is
not available than PIZZA will do. 

Also, if you see Jamie Branch at the airport, wish her a happy birthday.
We have sung to her now 5 times, which makes her 21 years old.

Peter Rosheger will be in room M385 from 4 to 5 p.m. on the day we
return for people to pickup any personal instruments that were shipped
in the cargo hold. I will come in and be there from 1 to 2 p.m. on
Thursday. We told the students that sometime in July we will send out
complete info on the 3 hour DVD tour video we plan to make. We
have NOT been able to print out any of the emails sent from you to us
in the past week. We have just been so busy to find the 3 hours it takes
to down and upload. We are sorry, but we tried our best to keep up.


This trip has forever changed the lives of 103 people. China has been
"demystified" for all of us. I believe that everyone now knows how
warm and friendly the people here are. We have seen firsthand the potential of this
country as it seems to be working so hard to catch up with the Western
World. Most of us actually have an understanding of its history. I truly believe that everyone on this trip now truly respects China and loves the people that
we have met. I don't think that many people in this country are all that aware of
the freedoms and land ownership enjoyed by us in America. They can't be judged for that because the farmers, who make up what seems like 90% of the country are
just too busy trying to get from day to day to become all that aware of the outside
world.

The kids are done eating, so I must go. We will see you at the airport in
Chicago soon. Thanks for allowing us to have this experience.

Love to all, and pray for out safe return,

J. Warrick