CISANI Day 2

Today's schedule was lighter than than yesterday. We spent the morning touring our host agency, the Chinese Community Center and learning about all the programs they offer. They moved into a 55,000 square foot facility 2 years ago, and just completed their gymnasium/auditorium, which takes up about 1/3 of the space. No, that's not really Yao Ming there, just his life sized picture on the wall.

With all their space, they were able to host an international ping pong tournament this year. And with their 5 acres of land, they hold a lunar new year festival that draws some 12,000 people from all across Houston and points beyond!

They've got their own kitchen where they prepare lunch for their 6 day care classes, as well as a dance studio and in-house fitness center where staff are able to work out and relieve some stress. With all this space, what must their air conditioning bill be like, you wonder? Well, in the summer, it can be as much $20,000 per month!

We spent the afternoon touring the Chinatown area. Houston's Chinatown is a whopping 16 miles long! That's 2-1/2 miles longer than the island of Manhattan! When they say that everything's bigger in Texas, they really mean it!

One thing we've noticed about Houston: the food here is really good! Who would have thought that there would be such good Chinese food in Texas? That and the low cost of housing (an average home is only about $150,000) makes it easy to see why it is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
This one comes with a pool!