<h3>In the early morning on July13th, the well-planned Social Practice intended for the Senior one students in TangLai Hui Ethnic Middle School was kicked off. The This was a whole grade activity where almost every student and over half of the teaching staff in Senior one were motivated to participate. To better meet students’ diversified needs and demands, 10 groups with different destinations and distinctive observing targets and aims were divided. There was group assigned to go to Yan An, a holy place of revolution, and group to go along the Tang Lai irrigated Area. There was also group attracted to the charm and beauty of Mount He Lan’s cliff painting. I, serving as one of the leading teachers in this activity, followed my heart and chose the group featuring history and reality. So, at 7:30, after an inspiring and instructional opening speech by President Zhao, we got on the coaches prepared for us one after another and began our journey.</h3> <h3>The first destination of my group was Shuidonggou Cultural site. It is a place of great significance in the development of human race. In this land, our ancestors lived, struggled, immigrated, evolved, survived and multiplied. And from the existence of human life came with civilization, culture and art. Truth be told, I used to hold very ]shallow and silly ideas about this place. I thought with the name being Shuidnggou, there must be water, caves and ditches, and with these three elements, the place would just like Shuiliandong in Chinese classical novel The journey to the West, cool and refreshing, a typical Summer resort. But when I got off the coach and was greeted with the burning sun without any green shade to shelter myself from, I knew instantly I was wrong. This was no summer resort indeed, as far as my eyes could see, there was loess and mud walls. Yellow was definitely the winning color here. Although I never took a liking to heat and desolate places, yet there was something about this place that appealed not to one’s eyes but to one’s heart. I couldn’t identify what it was exactly, maybe it was its oldness that inspired reverence of people, maybe it was the lack of human habitat, or the rough outlook it presented that drew people’s heart. To say the least, it was a place of wonder, a wonder of life, a wonder of history and a wonder of discoveries.</h3> <h3> In here, with the tour guide leading the way and doing the introducing and explaining work, students visited Tibetan Soldiers Hole, which was a hidden path used to ambush enemies as well as self-protection. It was built in the Ming dynasty, and was still well preserved. While walking in the tunnels, we felt like we were exploring an maze and it was a lot of fun, especially with so many people and with such cool temperature. Sometimes, we would find a room used to store food; other times we would find a room used both for meeting and dining. And there were also rooms designed for leaders, which was rather simple and crude from today’s perspective. And from my observation, students were as interested in the tunnel as I was. Although I didn’t wish to expand my stay in Shuidonggou, even for an hour, since I just can’t stand the heat and the burning sun, yet I honestly didn’t have problems with exploring the tunnel a little longer. And I’m sure students from my group will undoubtedly back me up on this point.</h3> <h3>Besides exploring the tunnels dug 500 years ago, students were also provided with the chance to try making a fire by drilling wood. The process of making a fire without a match or a lighter was hard, but the result was sweet. When the smoke was seen to rise slowly from the grass, the excitement in students’ face was just beyond words. It was like everyone was making miracles and everyone that had participated took great joy. Moreover, a lot of students couldn’t help marveling at the wisdom of ancient people and how hard it was for them to make a life back then.</h3> <h3>Since Shuidonggou was quite large, and to be frank, even after I finished my visit to it, I still had no idea how large it was or where was where. So to save time and make it possible for us to see and experience more of Shuidonggou, different means of transports were applied. There was vehicle which I didn’t know the English name for, but which was quite ordinary and popular in China’s scenic spots. There were also carriages pulled by mules and camels, which made getting to places under the burning sun not only bearable , but enjoyable. I like camels, and I hope some day in the future I could pluck up my courage and ride one. Two girls from my group felt great pity for the poor animals thinking we people are abusing them by letting them carry such great weight. But I didn’t think so, all forms of life on this planet have its own duty and position to hold, and for mules or camels, the act of carrying makes their life worthwhile and fulfilled. If they give up their value or job, then maybe they would share the same fate with pigs or chickens.</h3> <h3>Lunch was OK if you lower your expectation a little. Anyway, heat was the natural killer of my appetite. Even if they was a big feast right before my eyes, I would not be tempted. At about 4 o’clock, the coach back home was started, and students as well as me and my other two colleagues couldn’t be happier. We are all desperately in need of water and sleep.</h3>