Flight Arrangements - CHINA TOUR APRIL 2010

Greetings China Travelers!

Thank you for getting names and passport information to me! It was crucial to get this information to our travel agent as flights are already filling! As soon as I had everyone’s information I sent it off to our travel agent who wanted to book ASAP to make sure that we were all set. Even booking this far in advance, we will be required to take two separate flights on the way to China. (We will all be on the same flight home from Shanghai.) Half of us will fly Hartford - Washington DC – Beijing, the other half will fly Hartford – Chicago – Beijing. In order to expedite this process, I split the group. The flight over is the only time we will be separated other than the visit to the Jigang School in Jinan (Bolton High’s sister school) and the visit to the Bowen School in Tai’an (Bolton Center’s NEW sister school – to be established on our visit!).

Reminder: Wednesday, November 18 meeting at 6:00 PM in BHS Library, prior to the Education Foundation presentation. I must have a photo copy of your passport by that date. If you don’t have access to a photo copier, bring it that night and we will photo copy at the school. Important: Check passports for date of expiration – you passport cannot expire before OCTOBER 2010 if traveling to CHINA in APRIL 2010. You must have 6 months of validation at the time of travel! (Three people have already found out they must renew in order to be in compliance! Please confirm your expiration date!)

Group 1: VIA WASHINGTON, DC

Wednesday 14 April 2010
1 United Airlines Inc - Flight UA 0778
Depart: Hartford Bradley Int'l Airport 10:03 AM
Mileage: 319
Arrive: Washington Dulles Int'l Airport
Travel Time: Hours 1:23 Wed. April 14-11:26 AM
Aircraft: Airbus A319 Terminal 1

2 United Airlines Inc - Flight UA 0897
Depart: Washington Dulles Int'l Airport 12:19 PM
Mileage: 7032
Arrive: Beijing Capital Airport
Travel Time: Hours 14:01 Thur. April 15-2:20 PM
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200/300 Terminal 3

Saturday 24 April 2010
1 United Airlines Inc - Flight UA 0836
Depart: Pu Dong Airport Shanghai 3:55 PM
Mileage: 7065
Arrive: Chicago O'Hare Int'l Airport
Travel Time: Hours 13:21 Sat. April 24-4:16 PM
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400 Terminal 5

2 United Airlines Inc - Flight UA 0222
Depart: Chicago O'Hare Int'l Airport 6:00 PM
Mileage: 774
Arrive: Hartford Bradley Int'l Airport
Travel Time: Hours 2:02 Sat. April 24-9:02 PM
Aircraft: Airbus 320-100/200 Terminal 1

Group 2: VIA CHICAGO

Wednesday 14 April 2010
1 United Airlines Inc - Flight UA 0895
Depart: Hartford Bradley Int'l Airport 8:45 AM
Mileage: 774
Arrive: Chicago O'Hare Int'l Airport
Travel Time: Hours 2:32 Wed. April 14-10:17 AM
Aircraft: Airbus 320-100/200 Terminal 1

2 United Airlines Inc - Flight UA 0851
Depart: Chicago O'Hare Int'l Airport 12:41 PM
Mileage: 6572
Arrive: Beijing Capital Airport
Travel Time: Hours 13:34 Thur. April 15-3:15 PM
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200/300 Terminal 3

Saturday 24 April 2010
1 United Airlines Inc - Flight UA 0836
Depart: Pu Dong Airport Shanghai 3:55 PM
Mileage: 7065
Arrive: Chicago O'Hare Int'l Airport
Travel Time: Hours 13:21 Sat. April 24-4:16 PM
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400 Terminal 5

2 United Airlines Inc - Flight UA 0222
Depart: Chicago O'Hare Int'l Airport 6:00 PM
Mileage: 774
Arrive: Hartford Bradley Int'l Airport
Travel Time: Hours 2:02 Sat. April 24-9:02 PM
Aircraft: Airbus 320-100/200 Terminal 1

OK, Bolton travelers to China:

It’s time to start taking some Chinese language lessons (if you haven’t already started)!

Go to: http://www.word2word.com/.

In the center box where it says “Take me to” highlight “Free Online Language Courses” and then go back and click the “Take me to” box.

When the screen comes up click on “Chinese.”

There are several options at this point for free lessons. All of them are valuable! I recommend that you go to “Chinese Phrases for Travelers” and get a few phrases to use in April!

Enjoy!

(Follow China updates on Twitter!)

Remember: Meeting on November 18 at 6:00 PM in the BHS Library. Chinese culture presentation at 7:00 PM by the Bolton Community Education Foundation. You must bring a copy of your passport to that meeting!

Empire Garden - A stop in Boston before heading to China!

Bolton students, teachers, parents, and community members traveling to China:

Sometime between now and the time we leave for China you must head to 690 Washington Street in Boston (very easy to find), and have dinner at the restaurant pictured above: Emperor's Garden or Empire Garden (whichever portion of the sign you read)!

I did some research as to the best Chinese restaurants in Boston's Chinatown - and this one appeared on many lists. Believe me, it did not disappoint. I brought our Chinese guests for a treat - and to get a real critique of the food!

Walking through the doors, one climbs the stairs to a former theatre now packed with tables and lavish decorations. Be prepared to hear a lot of Chinese spoken - and you may end up a little out of your comfort zone as food comes around to your table on carts and you indicate which ones you would like to have. I cannot even tell you the names of all of the food I tried!

As carts rolled up to our table, we would make some choices and by the time we had made all of our selections, we had tried 10 different plates of food - a typical Chinese meal, where you take a small portion of a number of different foods. All were served in authentic Chinese style!

The Peking Duck is a must - served just like it is in China. Chopped up in lengthwise slices, with bone all mixed in. Watch your teeth!

Eating here is the closet you will get to a Chinese experience in the US before we all travel together in April. Let me know if you are going and I will gladly give you directions.

(Of course, after the meal, I walked our guests up to the North End for the best cannolis in town - at Mike's pastry on Hanover Street!)

Thank you to all who helped bring Da Chen to Bolton!

(Pictured: Da Chen with BHS Librarian, Mrs. Fazzina)

There are way too many people to thank as a result of Da Chen’s visit to Bolton – and that is a great problem to have! This was as a complete community event beyond what one could hope for!

On Monday (Septermber 14), Da Chen enthralled a group of students, teachers, parents, community members, the China travelers, and even book club members with his stories, some heart wrenching and others humorous. He managed to entrance the crowd with his playing of an authentic Chinese bamboo flute and signed books using the traditional brush calligraphy. After the event, we all enjoyed traditional Chinese snacks prepared by a crew supervised by Arlis Bobb. The critics in the crowd, Mr. Sima and his daughter (our visitors from the Shandong Province), went on and on over the superb quality of the Chinese food.

Da Chen spent the night with the Catanese family, enjoying the Patriots game and playing ping-pong. (Da has met Tom Brady compliments of NBC, who had he and his family sit in the audience of “Saturday Night Live” as part of one of the sketches that Tom Brady did while hosting several years ago. Of course, that’s not the most interesting story of his life!)

The next day (September 15) began with a writers’ workshop in the high school library. Following that meeting, Da Chen spoke and played his flute for our high school students and our grade 5 students, who we bused over. The day finished up with a luncheon in the library for students who were interested in asking the author questions. It was just a fantastic couple of days.

The author was able to generate enthusiasm in the entire community and thanks to the partnership of those who funded the visit (Bolton Community Education Foundation, Bolton Women’s Club, and the Bolton Public Schools) the experience of our “One Book, One Community” must be considered a great success!

What we could not achieve alone was achieved with the cooperation of several groups together to benefit the students and the town. The power of teamwork in our community was certainly evident this week – and I am grateful!

Da Chen in Bolton!

Author, Da Chen visits Bolton, Connecticut!

Reserve Monday evening,
September 14 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM
to meet author,
Da Chen

at the Bolton Senior Center.

This event is free and open to the public.

Chen is the autor of the memoir, Colors of the Mountain, required summer reading for Bolton High School students during the summer of 2009 and the choice of the "One Book, One Community" reading selection for the town of Bolton.

Author, Da Chen will spend time at Bolton High School on Tuesday, September 15 beginning early in the morning!

8:00 AM - Writer's Workshop

9:00 AM - Grade 5 students meet the author

10:00 AM - All BHS students in an assembly with the author

11:30 AM - Lunch with the author in the high school Library

Don't miss the opportunity to meet Da Chen!

Visit the website: www.dachen.org

Visit the school's webiste: www.boltonpublicschools.org

Greetings China Travelers!

Reminder:

September 1, 2009 - $1250.00 per traveler is due.

Please make checks payable to “Bolton High School.”

You can drop the check off to Paul Smith at the BOE Office or mail it directly to Bolton High School, 72 Brandy Street, Bolton, CT 06043 or Bolton Board of Education, 108 Notch Road, Bolton, CT 06043. We are able to accommodate anyone who was on the waiting list at this time. However, it is important for us to know exactly who is going so we can make flight arrangements and get the best price. Please be prompt with your checks.

Our guests from China, Sima Yinan his daughter, Hongze arrived in Bolton last Friday, August 21. We have them settled and comfortable. Over the last several days, they have tried American foods including hamburgers, pizza, pulled pork sandwiches, pancakes, and bacon! They have been excited to try all foods, though they are most fond of vegetables and fruits. Mr. Sima has a rental car and an international drivers permit, so he and his daughter have mastered their way to Bolton High School and Bolton Center School, where she is a 4th grade student in Mrs. Sullivan’s class.

Sima is researching Grade 9 students and classes at Bolton High School as part of a grant from the Shandong Provincial Education Department. He is the first person from the Shandong Province to be given a grant for this extended period of August – January to study an American school. Prior visits by Shandong officials have lasted two weeks, similar to the visit we had last January of the educational researchers from Shandong. We are honored that Bolton was selected for this opportunity.

Mr. Sima and Hongze live in the capital city of Jinan and he is very familiar with our sister school and its principal, Mr. Wang Pinmu.

Mr. Sima, will be offering Chinese lessons to anyone interested! Those traveling to China are urged to attend his Chinese lessons. In addition, he will give us information on Jinan and Taishan, home of Mt. Tai, which are both part of our April 2010 agenda. He will also help all of us with a few phrases to remember while in China. A schedule of events will be posted soon.

Don’t forget our September 14, author visit by Da Chen at the Senior Center at 6:00 PM. Da Chen, author of Colors of the Mountain, will visit us on the 14th and spend the day at BHS on Tuesday, September 15. The Bolton Community Education Foundation and Bolton Women’s Club have both helped to make this visit possible.

Please check out the school’s new website: http://www.boltonpublicschools.com/.