“Have you ever been to the US?”

“I set up a kite exhibition in Hawaii as a part of a US-China cultural exchange program. Some of the local schools that participated thought it was really interesting, so they invited me to teach at their school. Altogether, I have taught over 700 students how to make Chinese kites in over 25 countries…but Hawaii is still my favorite.

…Would you like to know more?”

“Sure!”

“There is a particular way people used to fly kites. First, you need to form a line of 10 men, each  10 meters apart to hold up a different part of the kite. The oldest man in front runs a few steps and throws the kite up in the air. The young men follow his lead. Once the kite is off the ground, it should be really noisy as it catches the wind and rises steadily off the ground. If the kite has a smooth takeoff, it is considered a good year for harvest. If the kite falls, it is considered a bad year for harvest.”

“I’ve lived in China for over 10 years but I’m originally from Pennsylvania.  A lot of my friends ask me how I get around in China. I remind them that I’m 10% Chinese and tell them it’s in my blood.”

“EEP!!!”

“It’s OK! I know a lot of foreigners are scared of the way taxi drivers drive here but I’m telling you it is okay!! There is so much traffic here. China has so many people… I’m constantly paying attention and thinking up new routes to take. Look out your window: the crowd over there can make up a country!”

Want to meet more Pengyous? Check out:

Pengyous 1, Pengyous 2, Pengyous 3, Pengyous 4, Pengyous 5