This is the longest day of my life.  Literally, it is.  I left Shanghai this morning (11/7) at 9am, switched planes in Tokyo at 2 pm, arrived to LAX at 7:30 am, attended assembly at 10:45, taught classes from 12:15-1:45, prepped, picked up my kids, went to formal dinner at 6:15, attended a faculty meeting from 7 to 8:30, visited with advisees, discussed the day with Susannah (wife), and am now writing my first blog at 10:21.  Yes, crossing the international dateline explains the surreal nature of such a day, but the inspiration and experiences gained from my recent trip to Japan and China explain the burst of energy that I feel to record some of my thoughts.

Though I will most certainly provide a more in-depth description of my travels with Head of School Michael Mulligan, Chair of the Board of Trustees Andrew Shakman, trustee David Chao, Head of Admissions Bill McMahon, Dean of Students Sabina McMahon, and Thacher parents in Tokyo and Beijing, I do want to take a moment before fatigue overwhelms me to post some reactions to our trip to Asia.

1.  I was struck by the order and stability in Japanese society.  Only nine months after the devastating earthquake and tsunami, I saw no indications in Tokyo and places to the south that the people of Japan had endured such a catastrophe.

2.  The pace of change in China was stunning.  We visited parts of Beijing filled with modern buildings housing  hi-tech companies that fifteen years ago consisted of empty fields.  The choked streets and smog suggest that the city hasn’t fully managed how to keep up with the change, but the energy and dynamism expressed by the people we met point to what a special moment this is in human history as a nation is being transformed before our eyes.  The skyscrapers in Shanghai–all constructed after 1996–further emphasize the dizzying pace of change taking place throughout China.

3.  The demand for education in China is inspiring.  At two of the receptions, prospective students and their families had travelled from afar hoping to hear about the Thacher magic.  We talked to various Chinese people who praised the innovations of the American educational system, and our ability to teach our students how to think, not what to think.  We might be buying products manufactured in China, but plenty of Chinese believe that our educational export is as good as any in the world.

4.  The support from our hosts in Tokyo and Beijing was extraordinary.  Not only did David Chao, Eric & Alice Xu, and Hong Chen ensure that we tasted the finest dishes in Chinese cuisine, but they arranged a variety of meetings and encounters with Chinese citizens that provided us with a multiplicity of invaluable perspectives.  This wasn’t just a trip to Japan and China; it was a total immersion into the history and cultures of east Asia.  These three individuals conveyed a generosity and hospitality that I’ve rarely, if ever, experienced.  I will forever be indebted to them.

5.  I return from Asia ready to think about how this trip can transform the visions and experiences of our students and teachers.  How can our curriculum re-orient itself to adjust to east Asia and the ever-changing world?  What skills and knowledge will our students need to succeed and survive in the twenty-first century?  How can we set up programs so that our students can experience life in Japan, China, and other countries?  How can we ensure that our teachers have access to seeing first-hand some of the incredible changes taking place in Asia.