Written by Emily Cross

May 25, 2009. Today was bittersweet; we awoke early in the morning in order to leave Chengdu and travel by airplane to Hongwei’s hometown, Changzhi.  We left Chengdu Sport University five in the morning; we had a quick bus ride to the airport where we became both anxious and excited—we were ready to experience the other cities within China.  However we were also hesitant to leave our new Chinese friends: Cathy, Starry, Vanja, and Chris.  After we said our goodbyes we boarded the airplane for Changzhi.  We soon arrived at Taiyuan airport, claimed our baggage, and headed to the bus.  After seeing the size of the bus we questioned how we would all fit in it with our luggage; we ended up modifying the space on the bus by sitting on suitcases and in the aisles.  We arrived in Changzhi around 12:30 p.m.

We first checked into our hotel and ate lunch.  After lunch we boarded the bus to visit the Peace Hospital.  We began a tour on the top floor with the vice president of the hospital, learning about its history.  It was founded by two generals in the mid 1900s.  It also held its x-ray machine—an invaluable antique.  We then signed a book to display the friendship between Ithaca College and the Peace Hospital.  After that we were allowed to tour the lab where blood and other substances are screened.  The first floor held a pharmacy with contained a variety of medications.  When we exited the hospital there were many ambulances outside.  There was a patient inside of one of them and it became very clear that Chinese ambulances are very different from those in the United States.  American ambulances are much more advanced than those in China which made me realize again how fortunate we are in the United States.

After the hospital we got back on the bus and went to Orient.  This is a business that makes fitness equipment similar to the Cybex and Precor machines at Ithaca College.  We were able to view the fitness machines and the factories in which they were made.  The factories reminded me of something we would have seen in the United States in the early and mid 1900s.  The machines were very old looking and all the parts are made by manual labor.  Orient also makes fitness playground equipment for both adults and children.  After getting a tour of Orient we then listened in on a conference between Dean Siconolfi, Dr. Guan, Dr. Quarrier and the owner of Orient.  This meeting opened the doors for the opportunity to do research on this equipment and if it affects Americans physical activity levels.

After the conference we returned to the hotel to eat a banquet style dinner with the president of the Peace Hospital.  Some of the food was a new experience for us and it was very good; that day many of us tried foods such as donkey meat and chicken claws among other new foods.  After a long day we chose to hang out in our hotel rooms with some pijo and we taught the professors how to play another college game, Kings.