Being in Jinan gives us an opportunity to discover new and interesting things that would not have been possible anywhere else. We saw Shandong Normal University with the hug Mao statue at the entrance. The school was not in session but it was still very impressive. Among that, we went to a supermarket that’s two stories up and had everything from food to clothing to personal care. One night, we went to a fountain that was choreographed to the sound of music and it was spectacular! Another day, we all climbed a mountain and looked down on the buildings below us. It was a great view but quite a trek to get up there.
Within a week of being in Jinan, we’ve seen the school, the supermarket, a music fountain, saw China’s War of Resistance parade, went to Maan Coffee, and climbed up a mountain.This past week has been filled with many new and challenging experiences and I know there will be more to come!
We saw the performance the night before the War of Resistance parade. It was spectacular and extra long due to following day’s celebration. Many people brought their family to watch the water show and it emulated a family atmosphere.
We climbed up the steps in the middle and got here without much trouble. We thought that was it, little did we know that it was just the beginning. The real path to the top consists of multiple steps and many detours.
This giant statue of the Buddha is one of many statues around the park. At this point, we saw many people lighting incense praying to the Buddha. Some were people around our age and some were the elderly.
This tree is engulfed in many red ribbons, making the branches appear red. The ribbons represent people’s wishes, hoping that a higher power will grant them. One of us bought a ribbon and tied it to the tree, hoping for a successful trip.
The view was amazing when we stopped to take a break. Unfortunately, we still had a lot more stairs to climb before we finally reached the top. The little cable cars were so tempting to take… but we took the harder path in the end.
We took a little detour on our way up the mountain. Many people took pictures of us and pictures with some of us. After the little break from climbing, the steps loomed above us and it felt never-ending. We were all exhausted by this point and some of us were out of water but our determination pushed us forward.
We finally made it to the top after a couple of hours. The view was spectacular and the wind felt so nice after all that hard work. It was very peaceful up there and we all took in our surroundings. From here, we could see Jinan and all the buildings. Although it took a long time to climb up, it was well worth it.
In front of the school, there were posters all over. Since we didn’t know enough Chinese to understand what they were, we assumed it had something to do with history.
These people are in front of Shandong Normal University. Many people, even those who aren’t students, congregate in front of the school. On the first day of classes, we noticed many grandparents take their grandkids here to play. In the morning and at night, there is a group of women practicing Tai Chi; sometimes at night, children rollerblade across the square. This location is perfect for many people because it’s away from the traffic and there’s a large amount of room to do multiple activities.
Sep. 10th was National Teacher’s Day. We gave our teachers flowers and chocolate to express our gratitude for their teachings. Teachers are highly respected in China and this holiday displays their importance. The tents in front of the Mao statue (in front of the school) contains many doctors specializing in Chinese medicine. The doctors give free consultations to teachers in addition to something to help them with their problems. It is a unique event that we’re all grateful to have witnessed and celebrated.