Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

John and the Peace Corps China 17 got to Beijing airport on July 1st, and from there flew to Chengdu in Sichuan Province. Since then they've been in class studying Mandarin and Chinese culture, and taking TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) instruction.

They met their Chinese host families and moved into their apartments. They'll be in Chengdu until September, when they'll move on to their assignments.

John's Chinese name is Ai Bowen, which means "big literature." He's been going to class and exploring Chengdu, playing ping-pong and basketball, and hanging out with his Chinese family and Peace Corps colleagues.

He's sent these pictures.

Beijing airport

Ni Shun Juan & Chen Li, John's Chinese hosts

John's room

Apartment building

With Ashley at a bamboo garden

With Confucious at Sichuan Normal University

Outdoor ping-pong -- note the brick net

Temple

Hotpot with Juan, Chen Li, & Ashley

Outdoor basketball

Overpass

mmm...goose intestines...or pig brains...

By the river

1500 year old statue at the tomb of Lei Bei, who was an Ancient Emperor of the area

Chengdu traffic

Temple

Feral dog at the hotpot restaurant

Facilities (aka squatty)

Ashley & John at a temple

Homies