Day 2:

A visit to the Hanban/Confucius Institute allowed us all to learn more about the programs offered and provided delegates the opportunity to discover Chinese history through experiential learning. Costumes, artifacts, and interactive stations were available for us to visit. Below you will see a photo of a young Chinese student that played a set of historic bells. The Institute offers delegates, students, and teachers the opportunity to explore the Experiential Center as part of  their programs.

Our tour guide lead us through the Lama Temple and then we savored a family style Chinese meal at a nearby hotel. We  were greeted by students at Beijing Foreign Studies University in preparation for a lecture on the Chinese education system by Dr. Zhao Zhong-jian. Mr. Peter Negroni, vice president of  The College Board, also spoke on the  initiatives in place for bridging America and China by students and educators embracing culture, language, and programs.

The evening ended with a twelve course meal and another warm welcome from The College Board and Hanban leaders. Following dinner we were entertained by performers of the Beijing Dance Academy & Central Conservatory of Music. It was a busy day of learning more about the program offerings our school may embark upon in the future; but I also had the opportunity to see the city from another perspective. The Chinese way of life is exhibited in some of the photos below and I tossed in one with me on a bike which is still used extensively as a way to get around in Beijing due to high volumes of traffic.