PS 161 and Homestays

A Homestay

Right after school had ended, we were off.  The girl I was staying with, Emma, was leading me out the door, into the streets of Beijing, and through the subway system.  Just like we would in any other subway, we bought a one way ticket, which was sucked through a machine.  Soon, Emma, her friends, Spencer, Kristin, and I were in the train trying to keep up with the crowds trying to bustle to their final destination.  The subway system was moving so quickly.  The idea of falling behind the rhythm of those around us scared me.  One wrong move and you would be lost.

We came to a sudden stop at the vending machines.  While the vending machines at home are filled with sugary sodas and, maybe, some power drinks and water, the vending machines here were filled with different variations of coffees, sodas, milk teas, and water.  Not only did the contents of the vending machine vary, but also the process to get the food you wanted.  Kristin and I (by then Spencer had left us) watched in awe, as the girls scanned codes off a screen on the vending machine.  A minute later, a drink would fall out.  When we asked what they were doing, they said they were playing some sort of lottery to see if they could get a better price for our drinks.  It seems that they were winning.

After our long, exciting journey through Beijing's subway system, we found ourselves at a restaurant.  We ate a thin yogurt and lamb on a stick, which was washed down with pomegranate juice.  During this time, we learned more about the social aspect of Beijing culture.  The girls were talking about someone's boyfriend.  This was big news.  Students at Beijing 161 School are often not allowed to date or have a significant other, both by their parents and by their school.  I found this interesting, as there are many people at our school who do date.  Our school has never put any such restrictions on us.  This might be a sign of a greater expectation for high academic achievements in China in comparison to back home.  While a certain amount of pressure is put on us to succeed in our classes, our relationships with others, for the most part, do not revolve around school work.

The rest of the night seemed like a blur.  We went to the mall, whose shops much resembled that of our mall at home.  (There was a certain strawberry cart that I found interesting though.)  I was lead into the arcade.  Joined by Yumi and Spencer, we screatched the lyrics of "A Whole New World" in a karaoke game.  I spent my time running around the area with Emma, seeking out more games to play.  Cole, Spencer, and Albert were glued to a game.  Overall, this last night was so fun.  A feeling of energy and connection with the people around us filled the air.  It was definitely a great day. (Marielle)

Friday at PS 161

I learned a lot from the homestay. There are many elements in Chinese culture that compare and contrast to our culture. School, for example, is very intense and competitive. Because of the large population in China, the competitive atmosphere is definitely more extreme. Breakfast for them is a full course meal, while in America I rarely eat breakfast before school. My hostess really wants to attend Harvard to study history after graduating from Peking University in Beijing. He loves America and has visited a few times. He hopes to make his parents proud by succeeding in America. A highlight of the trip for me was the food. So many different dishes were offered. Some I liked, most I did not but overall as an experience it was fascinating to try new food. Duck, jellyfish, and lamb intestines have been added to my list of new food I have tried on this trip. Also, I know ZERO Chinese. (Cole)

Thanks for listening... Xie Xie

 In one of the school courtyards stand a pagoda with a table on which students can do calligraphy with paint brushes and water. A soothing and creative pass time.

 Our calligraphy master was very impressed with Cole's writing of the characters for Beijing!

A music lesson on a traditional Chinese harp.

Poly and PS 161 students in front of the school library. 

Group work during an English class at PS 161. 

Group presentations. The teacher had one Poly and one PS 161 student per group come and present their suggestions for beating mobile phone addiction!

We also got to do experiments during in a biology class. Unfortunately the school day ended before we could see the results of our careful experimentation.