"Andrew"

Andrew "Baller" Boyer (白力伟）

Day #1 (Fri+Sat)

Wow! Crazy day! I said “你好!”(hello) to one family and “再见!” (goodbye) to another. The flight was very long and boring and I had a horrible stomach ache. Luckily, it went away for about an hour. It really hurt though. I tried to sleep using the sleep chocolates, but they did not work. I took about 6 of them too. That is probably why I had a stomach ache. But other than that, flying international is really nice. The flight attendants were well dressed in fancy Qi Paos and were all very nice (unless you used your tones wrong!) But anyway, I was looking forward to the flight because I wanted to sleep the whole time. I didn’t, but thank goodness Mr. Redd had so many movies that I could download off of his 电脑 (computer). I would have been bored to death without them. I took plenty of pictures of the flight for the end video and some of them turned out really 很好看 (good looking)! We flew over some cool arctic and mountainous areas. The movies I watched were Creed 1, Creed 2, Limitless, Suicide Squad, and Crazy Rich Asians. My favorites were the Creeds. For inspirational story overall, thank you for having those movies, Mr. Redd. Other than watching movies, I just looked out the window and listened to my vibey jams. The views were 很好看(good looking)！

Once we got off (15 hours later), it really hit me hard that I was actually in 中国(China)! I had been planning to go since I signed up for Chinese class in 6^th grade, but I was still surprised. I still missed 我的家(my family)。But as we came out of customs, I met up with my host family. There was a lot of awkward laughter and I wasn’t very good at speaking 中文(Chinese)。对不起，我的中文很不好(I am sorry, my Chinese is very bad)。They weren’t as good at speaking English either, but they could definitely speak more of a foreign language than I could! But, once we got in the car, things smoothed out in the end. Me and Sam had a cool conversation in Chinglish, and we passed by some cool places on the way home, including Tiananmen Square. The massive Mao portrait was all lit up and it was pretty cool. One thing that surprised me though, was that Sam does not go to JSYY. I was very confused and puzzled, so I don't know how that will affect most things. We will find out what the situation is on Monday, I guess. 今天是扑朔迷离！(Today is confusing!)

Once we got back to the house, they took me to 中国 (Chinese) BBQ. It was 很好吃 (Tasty)！Thankfully, my allergy cards worked like magic, and I was able to order food without nuts. 没有花生(No nuts)！But, it was also really spicy and the water was not filtered! (I had one sip). I ended up drinking Coke. I later told them that I could only drink filtered water and it seemed that they did not know that, even though Ms. Fong told us they would know. When I first walked in the restaurant, everyone looked at me. I heard many people saying “白国人!” which means white person. But I guess I didn’t mind the attention. It didn’t bother me too much. After we got back, I got a Chinese SIM card and got hooked up to their WiFi. Both of those things kind of messed up my phone, so I will have to get those fixed tomorrow. Also, my VPN is failing to work, as well as my Google Fi “international plan,” so that was annoying as well as very frustrating. I told them I was going to bed, but I stayed up really late organizing my room. It was pretty small and crowded with their stuff, but at least I had my own room! It is now 1:40 AM. I should probably get some rest. 再见(Goodbye)！

Andrew “Spiderman” Boyer (白力伟）

Day #11 (Tuesday)

今天 (today) was 非常好(awesome)! I got up around 6:30 AM, with a skip in my step. I was 很 (very) excited for the Great Wall of China (长城) At breakfast, I found out that Sam was going to the Great Wall with us, so that was a pleasant surprise. I quickly ate breakfast, which was just fried rice, and off we went to the 中学 (middle school). I could already feel the excitement. The Great Wall of China is one of the largest man-made structures on the Earth. It is also one of the 七 (seven) wonders of the world, so this will be my first wonder of the world that I will have been to. Redd老师 (teacher) has been to 五 (5) now, which is crazy. The Great Wall has been one of the things I have looked forward to the most about this trip. We walked over to the school and went over to Claire’s office. After everyone arrived, 我们 (we) boarded the little mini bus, we were off to the Great Wall.

在路上 (car ride), we talked with Dr. U, the superintendent. I had never met a superintendent before. I don’t know much about him, but he seems like a really nice guy. We talked 篮球 (basketball) with him, and he seems to be pretty knowledgeable about details of the NBA like Kyrie’s contract and the Davis rule that has to do with that. Pretty complex stuff, 很有意思 (very interesting). Fun fact, the last time LeBron James missed the playoffs, YouTube had not yet been available to the public yet. Based on rumors and hints from LeBron himself on Twitter, he may join the Inside the NBA playoff team and be an announcer. 我觉得 (I think) this is 很酷但是 (very cool), I am sad that I have to miss it because I really enjoy watching basketball. Not only just basketball, but most of all, playoff basketball. 我爱 (I love) watching playoff ball with 我的爸爸在美国 (my Dad in America), and obviously I can’t do that while I am in China. Because of the massive time difference, primetime playoff games are playing around 8 AM to 10:30 AM 在中国 (in China). I find that to be a little bit weird.

The drive was fun, and as we got further and further away from the heart of the city, the views got progressively better, 很好看 (good looking). Like the suburbs, the views of 很多山 (many mountains) were present, but I was eager to see the 长城 (Great Wall). When we got to the Great Wall, there were so many tourists! In fact, it is the most racial diversity I have seen since I was last in 美国 (America)! I saw 英国人 (People from England), 西班牙人 (People from Spain), and even 肯尼亚人 (People from Kenya)! It was crazy that so many people came to see this on a weekday. And the area of the Great Wall we went to wasn’t even supposed to be crowded. Imagine what it would be like on the weekends or even during 劳动节 (holidays), 很多人(many people)!

We started to climb the steps, and the first flight of stairs were 非常陡峭 (very steep)! The first flight was 也很长 (also long). So, my first impression of the Great Wall of China was… “This is going to be a long and 很难 (very difficult) journey up.” But, after the first flight, it wasn’t so bad. There were areas where you had room to stop and take a break, and there was even a 礼物点 (gift shop). It was a 很好点 (great summer), even though Ms. Liu thought many things were 太贵了 (too expensive). I ended up getting a sweet traditional Chinese scroll looking picture of the Great Wall as a decoration for 我的妈妈在美国 (my mom in America) and I also got a cool 龙 (dragon) ornament for her because she loves to collect those. I also got a little picture of Mao, because when in China… Anyways, the views were 最好看 (the best) and I got 很多相片 (many photos). The views were seriously epic.

The wall was so cool 但是 (but), I felt like I had only just skimmed the surface of exploring the wall. Devin also felt this way. We both wanted to explore more, and we were only limited to a 小 (small) part of the wall. Although I felt this way, I also couldn’t help feeling grateful for the chance to be at the Great Wall in China as a freshmen in 高中 (highschool). Not many people get to be here in their lifetime, so I felt blessed. The way down was very quick and me and Lucas ran down the last part, 我们很喜欢跑步 (we like running)! The bus ride back was very fun, and we played some of my tunes. Everyone sang along and it felt great that people liked my music. Even Dr. U sang along to “Country Road” by John Denver, and Lucas’ host sister loved “Good Time” by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen.

After we got back, Sam and I walked back to 我们的家 (to our house). I was really glad that he was able to come to the wall with us today, and I feel like we are developing a close bond because of our similar interests. I packed for Xi’an, while Sam watched some anime.

After that, I still had some energy to burn. 我不知道为什么 (I don't know why) , because I had just walked up and down the Great Wall. Me and Sam walked over to the local 篮球场 (basketball court), and we balled up. We played 三打一 (three vs. one) with me on one team, and Sam and two little kids on the other. The kids weren’t 太小了 (too small), probably 六年级 (6th grade). I beat them pretty easily. As we were leaving, I noticed to older kids walk in. They looked to be at least 11^th graders, 十一年级 (11th graders). I proposed that we play three on three. Me, Sam, and one of the little kids vs. them two and the other little kid. Because we were all small, and two of our players were not even eight graders yet, the two kids laughed and said, “are you sure?” We beat them 10-2. 很容易 (very easy), they underestimated me. They started going really hard on defense after I scored the first two baskets in a row, but they were still no match. I think my 最喜欢 (my favorite) move I pulled on them was this: I put the ball between the legs of the first older kid, the ball now in my left. I then planted my right foot and spun around the other big kid into a reverse layup. In the end, the kids were older, and it felt good to cook them with the littler kids on the team. I got them involved because they were open when the big kids doubled teamed me. Sam made a few baskets and I was 很骄傲 (very proud).

I really love playing ball in China, and because I play everyday, I feel like my game is actually improving. I thought it would digress, but no. The other kids from the trip are also into ball, and all of them are improving greatly.

After basketball, I just figured out some confusing ATM stuff with the help of 我的爸爸在美国 (my dad in the United States). I feel ready for Xi’an, but do not quite know what to expect. That’s all for tonight and it is now 12:08 PM. 再见 (goodbye)!

Andrew "Fresh McGee" Boyer (白力伟）

Day #22 (Saturday)

Because my family went to a 烧烤(barbeque) in the suburbs the day the group went to 天安门广成(Tiananmen Square) I did not go with the 小队(squad). It was a 很难(very difficult) decision, but I put family first. 天安门广成(Tiananmen Square) has been a destination that I have been longing to go reach for a long time, even before I went to China. So far, I was only able to catch a 一眼(glimpse) of it on the way home from the 机场(airport) the night that I arrived. The 很大(huge) portrait of 毛泽东(Mao) was so 很大(large), 艳(colorful), and 有力(powerful), it really shocked me. It was not only so 不同(different), but also so 很老(old). 紫禁城(The Forbidden City) is a place I feel like I had do to go. I few weeks ago, when I found out that I couldn’t go, I was crushed. But they promised me that they would take me another time, and 今天(today) was the day.

Sadly, it did not go as planned. We were all supposed to wake up at 8:30 to go. But, because of the 电影今天晚(movie last night), we woke up 迟(late). More: it was going to 下雨(rain) today, and the 天气(weather) did not look good from the start. It looked gloomy and (rainy), and because 天安门广成(Tiananmen) is all outdoors, I could tell that today was not going to be the best day to go to the 紫禁城(Forbidden City). I 很妖了(really wanted) to go, but it looked like that it was not the ideal day to go. We made a quick call to head to 天安门广成(Tiananmen) right then and there, although it was going to rain in a couple of hours. Because the 毛泽东(Mao Zedong) tomb was going to be the first place to close, we decided to go there first. I wanted to head to 天安门广成(Tiananmen) quickly, but Sam and Jack are very (slow) walkers. I really wanted to hustle and attempt to aww the most while the weather was still (half decent). Sadly, we got to 天安门广成(Tiananmen) by 上午一十一点(11:00 AM). We took trains, 走了(walked), and then had to wait in a very long security line.

No lie, my overall patience was thinning. I could see the gates of the 紫禁城(Forbidden City). I remember watching the “last emperor” and seeing how 很大(enormous) and 很老(old) it was. We walked the opposite way, over to Mao’s tomb. They had no idea where it was, so I had to find it. I think I remembered it from the Google Maps exploration in Mr. Chase’s (history class). Anyways, Mao’s tomb was very 意外(unexpected). There was 很多(a lot) of security to get in, and no bags allowed inside the tomb. Jack made a sacrifice and let Sam and I go inside while he stayed behind with the bag. For three yuan, you could buy 花卉(flowers) to give to Mao. It was only 三元(three yuan), so I decided I would give Mao some flowers for the experience. I honestly had absolutely no idea what to expect. When I got in, it was crazy. There was a massive Mao statue sitting in an enormous 椅子(chair). It was like Abraham Lincoln in Washington D.C. It was really 巨大(tremendous). In the back, behind Mao, there was a massive painting of a natural landscape. It was like Mao was being represented as a god that was controlling the 风雨(elements). I laid down my flowers and did I quick bow to Mao. I did this because everyone around me was doing a short and quick bow to Mao. I did not mean any disrespect to anybody, so I did a bow as well. Even Sam did a bow as well. After the flowers and bows, we were quickly ushered to the next room. I thought this room was 不可置信(unbelievable), and I would never have suspected this in a 百万(million) years.

There was a 大玻璃六角(big glass hexagon) that everyone was walking around. In this glass hexagon, there were 四(four) guards. Then there was another glass box. Within that box, the was a casket. And within that casket was 毛泽东的身(Mao Zedong’s body). It was his real body. There was a light illuminating his face and his body was wrapped in the 工厂的旗帜(Communist Flag). It might have been the most astonishing things that I have ever seen in my life. I just thought it was amazing that I could see the actual face of someone this 著名(famous) around the world and in the history books. It also blows 我的脑(my mind) that everyone in China does this for Mao. It is seriously like he was being worshipped like a 天神(god), and he isn’t even alive. And it was like Mao did anything special for China. The failure of the 大跃进(Great Leap Forward) crippled China and it was thanks to Deng Xiaoping that China is what it is today. Mao’s portrait was even hanging above the 紫禁城(Forbidden City). I don’t think any real person has been ever honored like this in 美国(America). That shows how different America and China really are. That hit me hard. We walked out and I was still in 闷雷(shock).

Sam and I stepped out and stopped by the zero point of all highways in China. I don’t quite understand what that meant, because there wasn’t a 公路(highway) on it. It was marked in 青铜(bronze) though, so it was probably some kind of important.

On the way back, I talked with Sam about Mao. He said that he didn’t like as much as everyone else around China. I remember that I had asked him about Mao during one of my first days in China. He told me that he 爱了(loved) Mao. Either his opinion has changed, or we are closer now and he can open up to me now. I am 高兴(glad) that we are growing closer. Anyway, he said that he wasn’t the hugest fan of Mao because of the aftermath of the Great Leap Forward. The 伟大中国的灾荒(Great Chinese Famine) came in the aftermath of that, and Sam doesn’t like that China doesn’t recognize that 三千万(thirty million) people died. I actually studied this particular subject during my research paper, and I was happy that I was able to use this knowledge in real conversation.

After Sam and I met up with Jack, we decided that we were all hungry. We decided that we would go to KFC, then the 紫禁城(Forbidden City), the crown jewel. It began to rain as we got to KFC. At KFC, we ordered a ton of food. Almost 一百五十元(one hundred- and fifty-yuan)’s worth of food. 我们吃了很多食品(We ate so much food!). When we got back outside, it was 下大雨(raining heavily). Jack said we could go to the 紫禁城(Forbidden City) another time. Even though I really wanted to go, Jack made the right choice. The experience of 天安门广成(Tiananmen Square) cannot be enjoyed in the pouring rain.

On the train ride back, I could not stop thought thinking about what 我看看了(I saw) in Mao’s tomb. It really resonated with me how much a single man can have power, even after death. Hopefully, this is just 天安门广成(Tiananmen Square) part one because I want to go back as soon as possible and see the 紫禁城(Forbidden City).

Andrew “Designated Shoe Professor and Master of the Haggle” Boyer (白力伟）

Day #29 (Saturday)

今天(today) was overall 很有意思(very interesting) and fun. Sadly, we could not go to the Forbidden City. That was a 有点泄气(little bit frustrating). Again, because my host family had plans and did not take me the day all the other boys went, they promised to take me through the historical gate another time. But they let me down again. I’ve learned to roll with the 拳(punches) throughout this trip. So instead of taking me to the 紫禁城(Forbidden City), they took me to a place called the Silk Market. I did not know what to expect, except for the kids from a few years back said that this place had a lot of 假的事情 (fake things).

We walked over to the 火车站(train station), and I could not quite imagine what it would be like. I was imagining some kind of street a little bit hidden off to the side. It was quite a long train ride, so this place was pretty far away from where I 住(reside) currently. Along the way, I played some NBA Jam. I played as the old Oklahoma City Thunder duo. Boy, does that bring back 回忆(memories). I crushed the Indiana Pacers whose duo was Roy Hibbert and David West, who were 很好(quite good) at defending might I add. The final score was 86-35. An absolute NBA Jam – style 破坏(destruction) of the Indiana Pacers.

Right when we got off the train, I could tell that this place was indeed a 吃香(popular) destination for 外人(foreigners). There were all kinds of people everywhere, the most diversity I have seen since I was in 西安(Xi’an). We went through the 坑(tunnel) and we came to a nice-looking mall. It was indeed quite similar to a mall, but the stores itself were a bit different. It was quite funny actually. Most of the 市丝(stores) would display 丑(ugly) hiking boots and other uninteresting things. This was the bottom floor, which was shoes.

When you went inside the “hiking boots” store, it was clear that they had so many fake 耐克(Nikes), 叶子(Yeezys), 约旦(Jordans), Off Whites, and more. Now, these were not the best fakes I have seen while in China. In fact, I feel that the fakes you can get from 微信(WeChat) dealers are much better quality in my opinion. But, the difference between those and the ones in the Silk Market was that you were able to 较量(haggle) and bargain. On WeChat, this was not an option. I was not quite in the bargaining mindset until I had a certain experience in the first store.

Just purely testing out my shoe size in Jordan 1s, I asked to try on a pair of Chicago’s they had. They were clearly not the 最好(best) fakes I could get and I had no intention of buying. When I told the lady that I was not interested, she dropped the price from 八百元(800 yuan) to 三百元(300 yuan). Then, I was put right into my bargaining mindset.

I (love) to bargain. It is indeed one of my favorite things to do while in (China). In America, I would never 做梦(dream) of haggling for anything. In China, you can haggle for just about anything besides food.

So, while in the Silk Market, I shoot my shot. I tried everything to bring the price down. For the first shoe I bought, a 礼物(gift) for my friend, they were originally marked at 850 yuan. Let me take you through my thought process when bargaining. I want these VANs for about 300 yuan. So, my first offer to her is 100 yuan. She says this is 发狂(crazy) and why. “These VANs are different than the others. They are more expensive because they are Fear of God.” Fear of God is a very 贵的牌(expensive brand) that is wanted in the US by 很多人(a lot of people). My friend asked me to snag him a pair if I came across one that seemed legit. He is a big time VANs collector, but obviously he isn’t going to spend 一千 (a rack) for one pair, which is the price of the 合法性(legit) Fear of God VANs.

So, the lady says that these VANs are special and can’t do 100 yuan. Instead, she goes 50 yuan down, to 800. “Special deal for only you,” she says. Wow. I feel so 特别(special). She would drop the price 8 dollars just for me?! What a 好(nice) lady! Sellers 经常这样做(often do this). They try to flatter you in every single way possible. They would tell me that I was 英俊(handsome), and they would do a certain deal just for me. They do special deals for everyone who actually is 聪明的(smart) enough to bargain and calling me handsome is just stating 实际(reality)! 开玩笑(just kidding), seriously though, do not fall for their flattery.

Yeah right. 50 yuan is roughly eight dollars, which then brings me to my next step. My tip is to convert the yuan to 美元(American money) in your head, so I can understand the value in America. You can divide the amount in yuan by roughly 6.5 or just get an app to be as 准确(exact) as possible. I have an app, so that is what I use, which is quite useful, and I highly 建议(recommend) it.

So, this lady is trying to sell me fake VANs for 800 yuan now 特别适用于我(a special deal just for me) which is roughly 130 USD. 绝对没办法(absolutely no way). I counter with 150 yuan. It is important to go as low as possible, but still keep the seller captivated. For example, if you go to 1 yuan, the seller will not take you seriously, and thus no shoes for you. With my offer, she knows that I am willing to go higher up, and she recognizes that I do 要(want) these shoes. That is the art of the second offer. If I would have stuck with 100 yuan, she would know that there is no way that I am going high enough for her to make a 体面利润(decent profit).

So, I cast out my offer, and she counters with 650 yuan. While this is a 大(big) price drop, it is important to know that these stores play mind games in the first place with the original prices. They jack the 价钱(price) way up in the first place, so when they drop to 650 yuan, it seems like a good deal. It is 重要的(important) to see through this.

I then go to 200 yuan, which is a decent price for fake shoes. She then counters to 600 yuan. Alright, this is going way too slowly. I take a closer look at the shoes and appear to be on the edge. I actually think that these shoes look 很好(pretty good) and I pull up a picture of the real ones 网上(online). If you are buying shoes, I recommend doing this. Doing this not only shows yourself that they are legit, but never say that out loud. In the eyes of the seller, it looks like you see a flaw in their product, automatically 递减(decreasing) their opinionable value of their product.

As you can see, the art of the deal is a 生理性(physiological) battle. She then sees that I am examining the product and brings the price down to 五百元(500 yuan). I then move a little closer to the target. I counter with 200 yuan.

It goes back and forth for a while; she will go down slightly, and I will go up slightly. We are getting closer to my target, 300 yuan. I then finally offer 三百元(300 yuan). With that offer on the table, she should accept. According to the 战略(strategy), I should go no higher than this.

But, I am not the 理想(perfect) bargainer. I sometimes can get caught in the adrenaline of the deal, and I will make 事情(mistakes) by doing this. The sellers always try to rush the deal and it is usually best to bargain slowly and methodically. So, unthinkingly, I somehow go up 50 yuan and make it 350 yuan. That is about 7 dollars that I did not want to spend, but I went up and it is 太晚了(too late) to go back. That was it and the deal is now in place.

In the end, it is 很重要的(very important) to follow these strategies when 还价(haggling). I learned this lesson and lost 7 dollars that I could have spent somewhere else. I know for a fact that I could have gotten those shoes for 300 yuan, but I was 薄(weak).

After I 买了(bought) these shoes, I 认识了(recognized) what I need to improve on and I will no longer be a weak haggler. I move onto the next store with my new strategies, room to improve, and a newly found 杀手(killer) bargainer instinct.

Andrew “Epic Risk Taker” Boyer (白力伟)

Day #32

I’m not going to 说谎(lie); this was an amazing amusement park. It was probably one of the best amusement parks that I have ever been to. Just before, our group was very excited on the train. It was quite a 久(long) train ride, but we all played Polytopia to pass the time. I was very satisfied with the dumplings that I had eaten beforehand, which were also 很便宜(quite cheap).

When we got off the 火车(train) and headed to the gate, I was pleased by the way that the gates looked. They looked quite inviting and it looked like this park was going to be epic. But, at the gate, there was a sign that said that a lot of the rides were closed today. I was slightly 失望(disappointed). If this was the one time that we were going to this park, we might as well ride every single ride. But we had come all the way out here and this was the 天(day) that we were going.

This was a good day too. Because a lot of classes were 停摆(cancelled) today at school, Mr. Reddington made the 行政(executive) decision to take us to the park. I just want to take a moment to shout him out because if it was not for him, we would not be going many places. While we have been here, we have seen just about 一切(everything) because of him. Quick shout out to him.

Because it was a school day, literally 毋(nobody) was there. The park was dead. There were a few lines here and there, but for the most part, there were no crowds. It was also the perfect day to be at the park. The sky was clear, the 气(weather) was warm, and the flowers smelled great. This was the perfect time to be here, period.

We rode a lot of rides today, but I think I will just 描写(describe) my feelings during one of my favorite rides.

The first ride that we went to was 非常好(pretty awesome). It was sort of the center of attention when we walked into the park, and we were hyped to see that it wasn’t closed down. Keita was straight up jumping with 乐趣 (joy).

While we waited in line for the ride, which was quite short I may add, I looked around at the 建筑学(architecture) of some of areas of the park. They were really well done and high quality overall. One in particular was another one of the big coasters on our right. Built around the coaster were rocks and a cool mountain temple 结构(structure). I later took a picture of the area around the coaster and put it on WeChat with the caption being “went to a cool ancient 寺庙(temple) today.”

When it was finally time to board the coaster, I got 有点儿紧张(a little bit nervous). During the summer, I ride a ton of roller coasters and I’m not scared at all. I would actually consider myself a roller coaster 职业运动员(pro). But I wondered if Chinese roller coasters differ from the ones in America. Or, could they have less safety regulations? Are they safer? Are they scarier?

But my worries did not linger for long. I 公认(accepted) the fact that roller coasters are most likely the same everywhere in the world and that I shouldn’t worry. But still, it has been quite a bit of time since I last rode a coaster. I think that it has almost been a year. So long, that maybe this 过山车(roller coaster) scared me just a little.

Buckled in and all, I felt 保险(safe). I felt like this was going to be no problem at all and it will be a fun ride with the boys. I turned to Lucas and told him that I was hyped. He was hyped too, but him and Keita were a little bit nervous. Their nervousness was similar to mine before. I told them not to 担心(worry).

They had a lot to worry about. This ride was 很紧张(mad intense). It differed from most roller coasters in America because of the buildup. In America, the roller coaster will go up, up, up, slowly. The butterflies slowly build, and when you are at the top, you can be quite scared. But you drop down in no time and it is a fun ride.

This ride was not similar. You slowly went forward on the track. No 倾斜(slant), just forward on flat track. Eventually, you slow to a stop. I had no idea what was coming.

So, we are all just sitting there as the roller coaster is stopped. Then all of a sudden, I hear a 声(voice) from the speakers next to the coaster. A lady says something in Chinese that I can’t understand. Then, I hear her say “3, 2, 1...!”

The roller accelerates extremely quickly during this time. It goes from 0-60 in just a second. The butterflies in my stomach all come at once and I 紧(cringe). The feeling is 压倒(overwhelming). The feeling is very hard to describe, but I will try my best. It was like something was pressing my chest down, but then pulling my head forward. Again, it was an absolutely overwhelming feeling that I couldn’t 已(stop).

Luckily, the feeling stopped, and we shot up the track. After that, it was a blast. There were loops, turns, and twisters placed along the ride. At one point of the ride, we were so high up that I could overlook the whole 乐园(park) and beyond. Because of the nice weather and clear skies, it looked 很漂亮(beautiful).

Sadly, the ride had to come to a close. As we 怠工了(slowed) to a stop, I could see joyous 咧嘴(grins) among my classmates. But, Lucas had unfortunately hit his knee on the side of the coaster. He exclaimed out in pain and I felt very badly for him. The ride had hurt his knee, but I think it was worth it.

The ride was overall awesome. I think it might be one of the best roller coasters that I have rode in my entire life. The butterflies that this ride gave me in the beginning were actually quite cool and they added to the overall 意思(flair) of the ride. It was such a fun ride. As well all got off the ride with grins on our faces, we all agreed to ride the coaster again.

Andrew “Explorer of the Forbidden” Boyer (白力伟)

Day #41

Finally, I had made it to the 终点(destination) that I had been dying to reach. Nothing was standing in my way now. Not a holiday, my host family, or bad weather. It was a beautiful day and I was ready to explore the 紫禁城(Forbidden City).

Now, I had made it to Tiananmen already and had quite the experience inside the tomb of 毛泽东(Mao Zedong). Tiananmen was cool, but the Forbidden City overshadowed Tiananmen. I was dying to go inside. I’m really glad that Mr. Redd was able to take me. It was super 好(nice) of him and it was clutch too.

When we arrived, we saw that the front entrance was under 建设(construction). So, unfortunately, I couldn’t get the epic entry from the front gate like I had always imagined. We went in through the side. There was a ticket booth there, and the tickets were only three yuan! I was very surprised that the price for entry to the Forbidden City were 很便宜(so darn cheap).

My 疑惑(suspicions) were later confirmed. The tickets that we bought were for some side garden, not the Forbidden City. Whatever, it was just three yuan. We got to the place to buy the tickets and there was quite the crowd. Mr. Redd told me that this 群(crowd) was absolutely nothing compared to the crowds the group got when they went on a Saturday.

I was 高兴(glad) that we went on a weekday. It was good weather and there were no crowds, the perfect conditions for exploring China’s most famous ancient city. Arguably the most famous ancient city in the entire world. The Forbidden City is truly iconic. When I first saw it in Mr. Chase’s 历史课(history class), I was in shock. It was just so vast. It was easy to get lost in the greatness of this city. I had many cool moments throughout my 探测(exploration) of the city, but I will just describe my favorites. One of my favorite things that Mr. Redd and I saw were the clocks. The exhibit was showcasing the clocks that had been gifted to the Chinese by 英国人(Britain). The clocks were truly amazing.

Most of the 钟表(clocks) were basically just pieces of art with a tiny clock put in there. There were some simple ones, and there were some very 奢侈(extravagant) ones. Some were made of gold and studded with various jewels. There was one clock that was basically a massive 镜子(mirror), but because there was one little clock on the top of the mirror, it was considered a clock.

I 想象了(imagined) somebody crafting this clock. They must have spent hours and hours and days and days making the piece of art. It was like crafting art around a little clock.

My favorite clock that I saw was a bronze clock. This clock was sitting on a boat next to a man rowing his boat through 汹涌(turbulent) waves in the ocean. It wasn’t as flashy as the others.

I liked this clock not only because I love water and boats, but because I could actually imagine putting that somewhere in my 卧室(bedroom) back in America.

Another one of the best things that we did was go to an amazing lookout point that overlooks the entire Forbidden City. We left the walls and walked up a few flights of stairs to find ourselves an 荒诞的看法(incredible view) of the Forbidden City.

I had known it was big just from walking around the city, but this really cemented the idea of how big the city was. The overlook did not even capture all of the Forbidden City. It was quite surprising. The Forbidden City was just so 广大(vast).

I tried to imagine what it would be like for the 皇帝(emperor) to roam this palace. I wonder if he even made it to all of the rooms. I think he probably did, because he was never allowed to leave, he must have had a lot of time to explore. In a way, the Forbidden City was a stunning and luxurious prison for the emperor.

In the end, the history and architecture of the Forbidden City was almost inconceivable. It is amazing how old China is compared to the 少(young) America. In America, our history dates back to a couple 一百年(hundred years) ago. In China, the history goes back thousands and thousands of years.

What is crazy to me is to see how 霍然(quickly) America has accomplished things and built up an urbanized nation while countries like China have had thousands of years to do so, yet just became 都市化地区(urbanized).

I think this shows how powerful democracy and 等(equal) opportunity can push a civilization. Those are just some thoughts I had while thinking of the 紫禁城(Forbidden City).

Andrew “Dat Dood” Boyer (白力伟)

Day #48

After getting off the train and officially settling in the hostel, we were in 上海(Shangahi)! From what I had seen from pictures and some of the research I had done on the 经济(economy) of Shanghai, the coastal city seemed to be a very urban area.

My first impressions of Shanghai were exactly that. If Washington D.C. was like Beijing, then 纽约(New York) was the closest to Shanghai. For a Thursday 下午(afternoon), the streets of Shanghai were packed with people.

We started to 走(walk) down the road near our hostel called Nanjing road. This road came up in all of our searches for cool places in Shanghai when we were all doing our research. This road was the place to be. It was 满(packed) with American shops down the main road, and then off to the sides were little Chinese shops.

One of the first stores 马上(immediately) caught my eye. It was a giant Nike store, similar to the one in Soho, New York. I quickly asked the group if it was alright to go in the store. They rolled their eyes and 抱怨了(groaned), so I knew I had to go quickly.

I felt a 剧痛(twinge) of guilt because I knew that they didn’t want to wait for me, but there had been many, many times when they had wanted to go places and rolled with it. It is all about being a 队(team) player on this trip.

I quickly looked through the 耐克的店(Nike store) as quickly as possible. There were so many things that I wanted to see. They even had a pair of Nike Air Mags on display! I quickly bought a very cool Shanghai Nike shirt and hustled out of the store. I didn’t want to cause the group too much 事(trouble).

We continued to walk down the road. There were a lot of 餐厅(restaurants) around that I wanted to try but we needed to get something quick, so we made the decision to go look at the food court nearby. Again, if it had been just me, I would have done things 不同的(differently), but I went with the group. We all did a good job of this and was probably the hardest thing of the trip.

I think that is the tough part when trips aren’t 如期(scheduled) every second out for you. In Shanghai, we had free time, but we had to stay as a group. I think we all did a pretty good job of going with the flow and trying 新(new) things that others wanted to do.

The food court wasn’t very good, and the 份额(portions) were way too small. Luckily, there was a DQ also in the food court. I got a blizzard and it really reminded me of 家(home). Usually in the springtime, our family goes to DQ and we all eat blizzards. I loved the taste of nostalgia and I realized that I really miss my family. No family in China will ever be able to replace my real family. Luc and Devin also got blizzards as well.

As we walked down Nanjing road and 乐呵呵(happily) ate our blizzards, we looked around at the stores. There were a lot of Nike and Adidas stores, as well as some 劳力士 (Rolex) and 古驰(Gucci) shops. Nanjing Road is a perfect example of Westernization within China.

As we reached the end of the road, there came a sight I will never 忘(forget). At the end of Nanjing Road was a strip of road called the Bund. The bund overlooked the river and across the river was a picture-perfect view of the Shanghai 天际线(skyline).

The sky was 蓝色和明显(blue and clear), and the tall skyscrapers were shining like jewels. The Pearl TV Tower glistened, and its balls were pink and bright. It was unlike anything I had seen before. A few buildings down stood the Shanghai Tower, the second tallest building on Earth. The Shanghai Tower actually has the tallest observation deck in the entire 全球(world), which we would soon be on.

“It looks like a picture,” said Lucas as we gazed at the view before us. Indeed, he was right. The first time I saw the Bund made Shanghai one of my favorite cities ever. The view told me everything that I need to know. It was so 很漂亮(beautiful), so gorgeous. It was one of my favorite 时候(moments) of the entire trip.

As I looked upon this view, excitement flowed through my veins and gave me high hopes for the rest of the stay in Shanghai. It did not 辜负(disappoint).

Andrew "Befriender of Friends" Boyer

Day #57

It was our last night in 中国 (China). We were all packed and ready to go the next morning, I was really going to miss this place. I really did have mixed feelings about leaving. My 经验(experience) in China is something I will never forget, and it has easily been the best experience I have every had in my entire life. It changed 我的意见 (my view) of the world and it improved my language significantly.

Although China was amazing, I was ready to return to 美国(America). I missed 我的家(my family) and the family with me and China was just not the right fit for me. I also missed math and science because we did none of that in China. I also just missed the slightly cooler 天气(weather) in America.

But for our last 晚上(night) in China, me and the boys were going to have some fun. Our highschool siblings were taking us out for dinner. I was very excited for this and looked forward to it all day long. Me and Lucas were a little bit late to dinner because we had been 跑步(running) together before. We luckily found the 餐厅(restaurant) soon after and met up with the boys.

It was 意思(fun) to get together with our highschool siblings outside of school. We had hung out quite a bit within the 学校(school) walls, but outside, they were always busy with school and lessons. I really do wish that we had gotten to hang out with them more.

When me and Lucas arrived at the restaurant, they had already 点了(ordered) all of the food, so it would be a surprise when the food came out. We had a good time chatting as a group while we were waiting for the food to arrive. My 东(host) sibling, Peter, was sitting next to me alongside Lucas. I think me and Peter developed a very good friendship over my stay in China. Even though we only ever got together in school, he was probably my best friend in China.

I can't help but imagine what my stay would be like if I had stayed with Peter, somebody my 年代(age), rather than Sam who is quite anti social and difficult to connect with. This year had been tough for the exchange 计划(program) because we had to stay with 7th graders and they didn't come to stay with us in America first.

If Peter had been my sibling and I had stayed with him, the trip would have been a lot 不同(different). But, at the end of the day, that's not how the trip went, so I'll never know. It was a very fun night. We all ate food, spoke as friends, and it made me realize just how many friends I made in China. I am super grateful for everyone that I was able to 见(meet).

After our meal, we all walked back home. I 表示了(showed) Peter some XXXTentacion, who was arguably the most talented artist of our generation. I hope that Peter listens to more of him while I'm gone. I showed him a lot of other 歌(songs) that I think that he will enjoy.

I said goodbye to Peter, and I was quite 难过(sad) to see him go. Hopefully one day I will see him again.