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Claflin's 1869 Club was filled Thursday with the sound of lively conversation as tables of students shared stories from abroad. Members of the Claflin University Concert Choir were excited about places they'd seen, people they'd met and experiences they'd had as part of a choral tribute to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Eyes beaming with excitement from his time overseas, rising sophomore Justin Rufus said to fellow choir members, "We're home; we're here, back in America."

The group returned June 19 from its 10-day excursion to China that included stops and performances in Xi'an, Shanghai and Beijing. The Claflin choir joined choirs from across the state and nation in a "Stunning Choral Tribute to the 2008 Beijing Olympics: Perform in Harmony with Olympic Spirit."

While in China, the choir was led around the three destination cities by its tour guides, Julia and James, who described Xi'an as the past, Beijing as the present and Shanghai as the future of China.

"Xi'an is full of so much history," choir member Quahnkatiere Marshall said. He said learning about Xi'an's history made him more appreciative of his own.

The tour began with Xi'an, one of China's oldest cities. The choir visited the Qin Shi Huang Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum, one of the "eighth wonders of the world."

"It's amazing how history can last so long and stay intact," choir member Amanda Bailey said of the terra-cotta soldier exhibit.

Choir members raved over Julia, their tour guide from Beijing. She was very knowledgeable of the history of China and taught them everything they needed to know, choir member Bianca Thomas said.

Thomas said Julia made sure everything ran smoothly during their stay, including making sure the choir had a place to practice, giving them tips about shopping and helping them with the pronunciation of Chinese words, Thomas said.

"By the end of the tour, it was like Julia wasn't our tour guide -- she was one of us," Rufus said.

The choir did its share of shopping with the bargaining tips Julia gave them.

"Everything in China was dirt cheap," Marshall said. "But vendors will try to charge you too much, and Julia taught us how to bring the prices down."

Bailey said jewelry, particularly pearls, was the focus of her buying in China. Marshall showed off a fancy watch he bought, and Thomas raved over two Louis Vuitton wallets she purchased.

From the moment they landed in China, everything was a culture shock, Marshall said. He said they couldn't drink the water, and the restrooms were very different.

Bailey said they ate a lot of meat, including chicken, pork and beef, and everything included rice. One meal that stands out most was the roast duck they ate in Beijing, she said. Food was served on a round, turning dolly that sat in the middle of the tables, and Bailey said the portions are much smaller than what Americans are used to.

The only place soda was served was at a pizza restaurant they went to, Thomas said, and even then, there were only a couple of choices. Thomas said they also had to share food when they dined at restaurants -- nothing was individual.

"Overall, every place was different, and the food got better as the trip went on," Bailey said.

Using the restroom was another adjustment. The choir was introduced to squat toilets, a toilet used by squatting rather than sitting. There are several types of squat toilets, but they all consist, essentially, of a hole in the ground.

Toilet tissue couldn't be flushed. Instead, Bailey said it was put in a trash can outside the bathroom.

Language wasn't a huge barrier on the trip, Bailey said, as most locals the choir came in contact with spoke English, with the exception of a few restaurant waitresses. She said reading people's body language to understand what they were trying to say was a good tool for deciphering what they really meant.

The students said they were a big hit among the Chinese because the Chinese don't get to see black people often. Choir members said they were fascinated with the girls' hairstyles of braids and twists, so they were constantly being stopped and asked to take pictures with the locals.

The choir members wore T-shirts that translated Claflin University Concert Choir to Chinese. Marshall said many locals came up to them, reading their shirts and attempting to sing.

While learning about the culture and experiencing new opportunities was an exciting part of the trip, the Claflin University Concert Choir said the highlight of its tour came at a school in Beijing. Claflin participated in an exchange concert at Yu Xin School along with choirs from the University of South Carolina. The choirs exchanged gifts during the performance.

"We could tell that we really touched them," Marshall said.

A choir comprised of elementary school children took the stage after USC's performance. Its selections included a rendition of "We are the World" and songs from the movies "Sister Act" and "The Sound of Music," all sung in English.

"The kids were so excited and happy to see us," Rufus said. "It was an eye-opener to what the trip was all about."

After the concert, choir members talked with the students, who they said were very excited -- posing for pictures and singing American songs for them. The choir received many compliments for its singing and the way its members interacted with the students.

The choir also visited the Temple of Heaven, a complex of buildings in urban Beijing; Tiananmen Square, the large plaza near the center of Beijing; and the Forbidden City, the Chinese imperial palace

from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty located in the middle of Beijing.

Shanghai, described as the future of China, reminded many of the students of New York City.

In Shanghai, the choir had the chance to visit a silk factory and learn how the Chinese make their own silk. They also visited Nanjing Road, a shopping area filled with department stores. By this time, the students said they were used to persistent vendors and used their bargaining skills to make good purchases.

"Shanghai was so big," Marshall said. "High-rise apartments go for miles, (and) all you see is window on top of window on top of window. Everybody has their clothes hanging outside on top of each other's clothes."

The city was so big, Marshall said it took them at least 45 minutes to get wherever they needed to go -- and they never even left the city. He said it took an hour just to get to the airport right outside of Shanghai.

Bailey said most people in China are very poor, and seeing how people lived there made her appreciate the opportunities she has in America.

"They are very content with what little they have," Marshall said. "What seems like little to us was a lot to them."

The people there work hard, and the city never sleeps, Marshall said. He said they are so much more thankful for what they have.

Marshall said the trip opened his eyes to a different culture and way of life.

"There's more to the world than Orangeburg or wherever you're from," he said. "I feel blessed. Without the choir, I wouldn't have had the chance to travel to China."

T&D Features Writer Candace Newson can be reached by e-mail at cnewson@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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