Qufu - A Second Time

We went to Qufu again with the other foreign teachers on Saturday. The school arranges this every year. We went again because it’s an effortless day of sightseeing. We are driven there in a small tour bus, toured around and lunch is thrown in. We can't resist a free lunch!










Qufu is a town that centers around tourism. Since many of the sites are far apart and large, one can get a bit tired. Here is one of the ways tourists who get tired of walking can get around town.

We enjoyed a sunny warm day out with all of the Russian teachers, a Japanese teacher and a Swedish exchange student. At lunch, Don said it was like being at the UN. There was Chinese, English, Russian and French being spoken at the table simultaneously. I got to practice my French with one of the Russian teachers who feels more comfortable talking to me in French than English. Funny that Spanish now pops out of my mouth. Betty V. in Mexico, if you are reading this, you will find it hilarious since I complained that when I was trying to speak Spanish, French came out.

We were surrounded by tour groups. This time around, my Qufu pics (like many of my China travel pics) were of the crowds. Tours distinguish themselves with lovely hats or caps. They trail behind their guides who wear cheap portable loudspeakers giving them tidbits about Confucius. They had to have been straining to hear what the guide was saying though because everyone else’s guides were yelling through their headsets too.

My memory of the day will be of our Russian friends. They love to take photos! They posed at every opportunity and if there was a particularly scenic spot, there was a frenzy. Each of them would need the same photo. Then there were the shopping frenzies. They are leaving after this term so were stocking up on souvenirs. Don spent much of the time making sure that they were not too far from the rest of the pack.



At the temple, Sam told me something that gave me a deeper appreciation of the culture here. Many people were worshiping by bowing in front of the altar. The man who worked there (he's the guy on the left in the photo with the suit on) was saying something each of the three times the worshipers bowed.

You have to keep this in mind first, the university entrance exams are one of the important milestones of life here. Much of the last year of high school is devoted to studying for the exam in June. Many students study every waking moment. The future of your family rests with your exam results. If you do well, then you get into a good university, then you get a good job, then you can support your family.

So back to the praying. I forget what the other two bows were for exactly but the second bow is to pray that your child does well in their entrance exam. That certainly gave me perspective. Hey Glen, aren't you glad we didn't grow up in China :) I sure am! The pressure on the young people here is unimaginable for us. Can you imagine growing up knowing that you'll be expected to, along with your spouse, take of your parents, grandparents, parents-in-law and grandparents-in-law?