She was lucky that when he visited our school, it was her art class that he attended. She is generally rather shy and if the activity had been anything but painting, I'm sure she would have backed away and opted not to participate. Because she loves art, though, she was comfortable enough to let him come right up and paint with her. They compared colors, shared paint, and exchanged a few words. Because she is so young, she doesn't quite get how cool it is that she met him! But we know when she's older, she'll appreciate this very special opportunity.
I didn't get to meet him, unfortunately, but I understand that he gave a speech where he encouraged the students, especially those of Chinese background, to really learn Chinese and learn it well. He said one of his regrets is that he is not fluent in Mandarin, even though his parents spoke it when he was younger. It was a great day, and one that we will all remember for a long time to come.
Here is a link to another story about the ambassador's visit to China.
http://www.npr.org/2011/11/04/142031025/locke-returns-to-ancestral-village-in-china
