Chicago - Stories from Showing Her Off

We took our Chinese guests to Fridays for dinner. In China, people cannot drink water from the tap. You either boil it (hence the tea) or buy bottled. When the waiter brought us water, they asked, "The water is free?" I said, "Yes, we can drink water from the sink." Their faces lit up, "We know, we know," and they showed me a bunch of pictures they had taken of people drinking from water fountains. It made me smile.


"Ahhh, Apple is very good." We stayed downtown on the Magnificent Mile (if you need a reasonable hotel without a pool, the Allerton is remodelled and very nice). We thought they would just look downtown, we were wrong. They were trying to figure out a way to buy iphones. The $200 version is $800 in China. Other price smashers (to them) Nikes at $50 at Niketown (everyone bought at least one pair, most two or three), the Disney store, stuffed animals (all made in China) are apparently expensive in China, Clinque make-up, and Izod polo shirts from the Lacoste store, "This is very cheaper than China."

Then we went to a Bulls game. Yeah, they are pretty bad this year, but the Chinese LOVE the NBA. Derrick Rose is one of the boy's favorite players, so he was so excited to be there. They must have taken 50 pictures in front of the Michael Jordan statue.

B & Sky & T joined us at the game. I think we need to do more "big kid" activities.


The next day we were back on the Magnificent Mile. This is at the Hancock Observatory. These two students are dating, but they are not supposed to be because they are in high school. The students were surprised that American students talk about their boyfriends/girlfriends with their teachers, and one boy has a girlfriend he will only refer to as "Panda." His friends don't even know who she is.


Before today, they highest this guy had been in a building was 40 stories - the most in the group.

All the differences aside, these kids are so much like students I see every day.

After some shopping and lunch at Water Tower (lots of make up, clothes, shoes), we headed to the Art Institute where I took this forbidden picture (I forgot to turn off the flash). It was so exciting for them, "I have seen this in my book.", "Is this not a copy? It is real one?", "So much money." But my favorite response came from the male teacher. I asked him, "Would you like to see paintings by Van Gogh?" He bowed his head and genuflected as if to worship. As he stood in front of The Bedroom (the one that kind of looks like an illustration from a kids' book), he turned to me and said, "I think Chicago must be a very happy city." If only art were enough...

The Chinese have tons of amazing public art, but they still liked The Bean. They had all seen it on the internet when they researched for their trip.

Saying good-bye to Jenny at our farewell party.

Writing in journals, exchanging e-mails. It was a long, tearful good-bye for all the students and host families, but this time there was hope we would see each other again.

Midnight at O'Hare. After this picture was taken, the whole groupbowed to my colleague and I who dropped them off. Not a polite "thank you" bow, but a bend at the waist and look straight at the floor bow - the closest thing to a real kow tow I will ever see. For one of a few times in my life, I was speechless.