Friday, 5 May –
So, my good friend and student Chen Xuan told me he would put me in touch with a friend of his at Shandong Normal University. The friend was to escort me to the University’s gym and pool. I wanted to possibly purchase a membership to use weight machines and free weights. I haven’t been able to work out for the past 7 weeks and for the first time in a long, long time I’m actually starting to feel my age! Good grief! Anything but that! I have been involved with weight training for over 25 years.
Anyway, this friend of Chen Xuan was, I find out, his girlfriend, Song Ya. A delightful 4th year student majoring in art education. She knew some English, which helped, because my Chinese is pretty sad!
So, I arrive on campus to find Song Ya and she says she has two friends that will help signing up for a gym membership. One friend is Yuan Jing, her English is fairly good and another friend, Zhao Xiaolin. All three are art education majors.
So, we make our way to the gym and through some difficulty trying to communicate with the staff – I sign on for 3 months. Cool!
Then we leave the gym and the three young ladies treat me to some milk tea and they want me to visit their art studio where Zhao Xiaolin does a Chinese style brush illustration, Yuan Jing does oil painting and Song Ya does Chinese character lettering, writing, calligraphy.
Then!!!!! They say they are taking me lunch at the campus’ best of three canteens. Look, I just wanted to sign up for a gym membership – good heavens! How hospitable can these people be? Well, they most certainly are that!
Anyway, the following photos are of this delightful morning and lunch with these three wonderful young ladies.
PS – Zhao Xiaolin has only seen ‘foreigners’ – she has never, ever spoken with one! She is a fourth year college student. Wow! I am honored and humbled.
PPS – Click on link below for Song Ya’s video
Stay Tuned………Still More To Come……….