Culture News Blog

When asked whether they feel enriched from the experience of spending three weeks in China recently, Vickie Radloff and Paulette Hanson couldn't say enough about what a rewarding experience it was.

The two are Adult Basic Education Southwest Minnesota instructors who teach English language learners.

They visited China through Concordia College's Global Language Village program.

"I signed up in March and found out in the middle of April that we were accepted," Radloff said. "I said, 'Paulette, do you want to go to China?'"

After receiving their passports and getting shots, they were off and spent July 7 through July 28 in China.

The two were part of a group of teachers who taught at a language camp in Yangzhou, China. Radloff and Hanson taught kids who had been studying English for about two years.

Since it was a camp, English was taught in a fun way such as using games, songs and dances.

"We played duck, duck gray duck, the hokey pokey, Simon Says and used water balloons," said Hanson.

The teachers started teaching at about 8:30 a.m., had a two-hour break in the afternoon and taught until 8:30 p.m. with a supper break.

"I knew it was going to be hot, but I wasn't prepared for how hot and humid it was," Radloff said.

Hanson and Radloff were grateful for the intermittent air conditioning in their classrooms.

The Americans' first five days in China were spent in Beijing getting to know each other and the Chinese culture. They visited the Great Wall of China.

"One thing that I didn't know about the Great Wall was that it is uneven so their enemies had to slow down and watch their step and couldn't march," Radloff said.

Radloff said she thinks during their visit she and Hanson used just about every form of transportation there is - "train, rickshaw, dragon boat, bus, taxi, airplane and we walked a lot."

Radloff said she felt safe except for when crossing the street.

"Pedestrians do not have the right of way there," she said.

"They are treated the same as a car," Hanson said. "That was unnerving."

Radloff walked right past the deep-fried scorpion and silk worms offered for sale and the water buffalo stomach, but she did enjoy the dragon fire fruit.

"It's very red on the outside and white with seeds on the inside, like mushy melon," she said.

She also liked the Mongolian hot pot where diners cook their own seafood and vegetables right in front of them.

The group was told not to drink the water - not because it was contaminated, but because the Chinese have antibodies built up to withstand the water.

"They served beer, tea and regular coke (not diet)," Radloff said.

Something warm such as soup was served with every meal.

Although at break time, the students had milk. The milk was served room temperature, 90 degrees, because it had been irradiated, Radloff said.

With all they experienced, it was the people and particularly the students the two will remember the most fondly.

"They were good kids," Radloff said. "Very well-behaved."

Radloff and Hanson could sense the Chinese people's anticipation for the Olympics.

"There was still construction going on getting ready for the Olympics," Hanson said. "There were billboards that said 'One World, One Dream.'"

"The kids sang a song, 'Beijing Welcomes You,'" said Radloff. "Everyone knew that song."

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