Mojo explores The Campus: Day #2 Wuhan, China

The following day Ian and I awoke bright and early with Max's family to get ready and grab some beef noodle breakfast on the way to the high school. Once we arrived at the school we accompanied Max to Steve Wilmarth's classroom, where we got some initial introductions with his students. After a couple of ice-breaker activities, it was time to report to the square, where 4,000 Chinese students and staff assembled in mere moments to attend the flag raising ceremonies.

While the Mojo students anxiously stood on the stairway preparing to give their Chinese introductions to the students and staff, we were greatly relieved when the students were accidentally released before we got a chance. Afterwards Steve gave us an in-depth tour of the campus and grounds, which spanned several hours due to the incredible size of the school.

















Numerous iconic statues and sculptures mark the grounds of the school, which happens to be the number one primary school in all of China.

















Ana feels some last minute butterflies as we all go over our introductions in Mandarin in our heads. The intensity of the situation was daunting, and there is no way to convey the feeling of all those eyes on you at the same time as you represent the entire population of American students.




As we followed Steve around the campus, the similar style of the hallways, classrooms, and buildings made the whole place feel like unnavigable labyrinth of dark corridors and stairways. The sheer size of the place was amazing, and the short interactions with students scurrying to class were humorous and entertaining. At some points during the tour, Steve seemed to be being cautious about what things he told us and who was around to hear him. The whole tour had a bit of a stern feel to it as we walked down the wall of powerful political and military figures who had graduated from the school, and it was then clear how tied to the communist government the school really was.