7. Dear Journal, August 11,2008 This morning I was woken up at 7 am. I groaned and groggily asked why Vicky was up this early on a Saturday. Sometimes I wish that I were more of a morning person. I was informed that in China weekends don’t exist and Saturday is no special day. Children go to school 6 days a week, people work on Saturdays, too. So I got up, a little grouchy, and took a shower. The water was freezing! Homes are often so simple; they don’t have some luxuries such as warm water. Today we went to the Museum of Chinese History, it was very interesting. China has the earliest history in the world. There is evidence of civilization that dates back to pre-21 st century BC. It has had it’s ups and down along the way. There were many dynasties throughout China’s history, some good and some not so good. The Han dynasty was one of the most important. Chinese people still consider themselves “The Men of Han.” Trade flourished and China opened to other cultures. One dynasty that wasn’t so good was he Qing dynasty. The Qing dynasty was well run for the first 150 years, this changed because of power struggles and corrupt court officials. While walking through, Vicky and I observed many of China’s great masterpieces. One painting that especially caught my eye, was a beautiful picture of a woman. She wore a red dress, with golden, intricate designs. Her hair was in a bun on the top of her head. I could tell that whoever painted this masterpiece spent many hours of delicate work to make this elegant portrait. I learned a lot and had a great time at the Museum of Chinese History.

11. Vicky and I went to see the Great Wall of China. It is in the only man made structure that you can see with the naked eye from outer space. To get there we had to take a bus through the country. We drove past fields and farms. There were people bent over at the waist farming under the boiling hot sun. There were no tractors; instead they used their bare hands. People were so pour they could afford machinery.

16. Barbie makes a perfect princess from China. Her elegant gown and royal crown celebrate the magic of China. It’s a great time to be a girl!