My students show off their stuff

This past week was the IBS International Festival. Scott was the English MC of the closing ceremonies, which was a large showcase of our students' talent. Acts ranged from Beijing Opera to hip hop dancing, basketball tricks to flamenco. The hip hop act surprised me as the girls stripped down to some racy outfits and performed some downright dirty moves they obviously had learned from MTV. The most shocking thing was that the lead dancer happened to be one of my shy, slightly nerdy students who had suddenly transformed into this glam sex symbol who was full of confidence. It was nice to see this side of the students, especially as they constantly list their favorite activities as computer games and shopping - something that had previously given me concern for Chinese society. But to see their enthusiasm in the performances with both western acts and traditional Chinese, I feel better about the outlook for China's youth. The pictures included are a bit blurry as I couldn't get too close and the performance was at night, but they at least give you an idea of the talents.

Next weekend is the May Day holiday, giving us both Thursday and Saturday off. I have decided to take Monday off as well and fly to Beijing for a five-day getaway. This may be my only opportunity to see the capital and all its important sites like the Great Wall and Forbidden City, so I couldn't pass it up. I can't wait...