CIRCUSSCHOOL HANNES & CO IN CHINA

After a refreshing shower Erik, Marleen, Henk and Anne went for dinner in the Chairman Mao Restaurant. It has a Sichuan style kitchen, which has a sweet spicy taste. It was a first taste of Chinese food and they survived.
Then we walked back to visit a supermarket and back to the hotel for a good night rest.

Sunday 19 February Anne and Henk took their first taxi to "Tjonglidow" or Palm Island Resort, by using a business card and some instructions from Marleen. The taxi driver took them all the way up to the highest point in the resort. There the management people had to send them all the way back in a Golf cart to the International School.
There they met Martin Westbury, the head teacher of CSPC International School.
We showed them around the school and discussed the different possibilities for the circus project. At five o'clock we all went to Martin's and had a drink with all the teachers from CSPC International School.
Anne gave an explanation of the week program and we had an enjoyable evening.

Monday 20 February the project was finally starting up.
Anne and Henk introduced the children into the world of the circus by showing them different techniques and subjects.
The children had a good time and were all eager to give it a try.
But first the supporting parents had a go. They were a bit hesitant to start, but warmed up fast. The plan was to give them an introduction of an hour.
Though some parents stayed much longer and came back to join the children after lunch.
All children joined the circuit with eight different activities and they liked it all very much. Many children were already surprised about their own abilities with the stilts, balancing, the diabolo and other materials.
Everyone had a good time, including the teachers!!

Tuesday 21 February started with a circus introduction to a small group of preschoolers. They came to the field with their teachers and tried out every material available. And they liked it!

After the first break Anne en Henk gave an acrobatic performance, in which they included the teachers. This was very funny. The children could see the fear on the faces of some of the teachers. It gave them courage to try themselves with support from their teachers.
Then all the children were divided in small groups and they practiced all kinds of acrobatic exercises. Many pictures were taken.
Nursery and P1 would show their own acts during the final show on Friday, so they started their practice today. The children could play with all materials.
The elder children came onto the field to continue their practice in a chosen subject.
Some achieved fast results and some were struggling to gain even a bit of balance.

After lunch Anne took a nap.
Henk and Marleen went on an adventure to visit the Bonfire place. We needed a covered place in case the rain would come on Friday afternoon. The place looks a bit like a barbecue place, but unfortunately there are too many light bulbs on the ceiling. Juggling then becomes a problem.
After school Henk and Anne were invited by the Dutch children to join their lesson. The children asked questions. Henk explained many things about fire in a circus and why they don't agree on using animals in a circus.

Wednesday 22 February
The Nursery and P1 group came first to practise their act and play with the several materials. They especially liked the ribbons and the bikes.
Then all the other pupils came to the field to rehearse their own act. One by one they were asked by Anne to show their act on the stage. Anne made them act with their own music in the background. They all loved doing the act on the stage.
After serious practise it was time to have some free play. All materials were challenged again. It was great fun.

After lunch we went into the old town. Some things, which Anne and Henk saw, were quite familiar to other countries they had visited. But Anne was surprised by the noise
of many motorbikes and the smell and dirt of the animal market.
They bought some small souvenirs and had a good time.

At four o'clock there was a visit from about fifteen young deaf children.
They played at the playground, which was already a party by itself.
After some time the children were invited to join Anne and Henk.
They were shown some acts. The Chinese teachers loved it too.
Translation was done by one of the drivers.
All of them tried many activities themselves.
It was a long and exciting afternoon for the children and their teachers, which will be cherished for a long time!

Thursday 23 February
The preschoolers had a repeat visit to the circus. Today they were much more familiar with Anne and Henk and the materials. They had a very good time again.
Serious rehearsal for the show started as well today.
One by one the different groups were asked to come outside onto the field.
They received serious coaching on their act and became very able in their act.

After lunch a truck was arranged to pick up the circus materials and take us to a local primary school of about 500 pupils. Jeanne Paris had arranged it for us. She is American and works as an English teacher in the school.
On the way to the school she told us about the five villages that were replaced before the Petrochemical Plant was build. And it looked very new and rich indeed, but we were told that the people who live there are very poor.
After parking the truck, Anne and Henk started preparing for the show. This became very difficult, as there were more and more children around. They were so enthusiastic and curious that the teachers could hardly keep them under control.
And there were so many!
It took some repeated requests towards the teachers before the children were moved backwards a bit and that the show actually could begin. But even through the show, children constantly had to be sent back to their seats.
The show took place on the square in front of the school building. Children were standing and sitting everywhere. They were also standing in the window frames.
Let's say that it was an impressive afternoon.
We were back at CSPC International School around 5 PM.
In the evening the team of teachers and Anne and Henk went for dinner in a Chinese style restaurant. It was an enjoyable evening.

Friday 24 February
The final day with a final rehearsal and a final show
Children were nervous, acts had to be practised, programs to be made, stage materials to be checked.
But the children and teachers did a great job. They all enjoyed the morning very much.
The stage looked great and it all felt as an enormous achievement.
After the final rehearsal all children were allowed to play with all the materials. And they loved it even more, as they had become familiar with the challenges and possibilities of the circus materials. It was the best free play they had this week.
After lunch Anne en Henk went for a nap, while the teachers and children nervously kept staring at the sky.
And indeed it started raining. First it was a bit of drizzle. But in the end it became a strong rain. All the materials had to be replaced to the PE room.
Luckily we already knew that the circus background and all materials did fit into the PE room.
So the show started at 5.30 pm. Every one was in time, all children enjoyed it very much and parents were extremely proud of their children.
Many parents thought that children just practised only one activity, but they did so many more.
After the show all families went home.
The teachers and Anne and Henk went for a drink at the Happy Hour.
Anne and Henk were exhausted.
But they still had to do one activity.

Saturday 25 February
At nine o'clock in the morning about ten students from Utahloy Boarding School came to CSPC International School for a workshop.
They started a bit hesitant. That changed quickly and they had a superb time.
What's better than walking on stilts and juggling at the same time!?

After eleven o'clock a.m. all materials were sorted and packed into the roller container.
The project was over............thank you very much Anne and Henk!
There was some time left for souvenir shopping and a good dinner.

Sunday 26 February
Time to go home.......................