China Journal

What do Chinese kids think about when they dig deep holes in the sand? If they keep digging they'll find America. Sound familiar? China Journal chronicles four weeks in the lives of sixty American and Chinese high school students who participated in the U.S./China Friendship Camp, a unique cultural exchange program. Over the period of a month, American students and their Chinese counterparts visited Beijing, Beidaihe-by-the-Sea, and Inner Mongolia (where Mongolian herdsmen were shocked and amazed that an American girl could actually ride a horse). What the students discovered was that despite the differences in culture (rules concerning marriage, offspring, etc.) and politics (capitalism vs. communism) between the two nations, adolescence is a universal phenomenon, and although the specific features may vary from country to country, the general qualities remain the same. Whether they were square dancing or wrestling these kids had a whale of a time, and when they throw a final party on the eve of the American students departure, its obvious that deep friendships have sprung up. Writer/director Richard Kaplan has recorded a joyful testament to the similarities as opposed to the differences that exist between races. Recommended for school and larger public libraries. (Available from: Filmmaker's Library, 133 E. 58 St., New York, NY 10022).