China – (CHI) – June 27th – July 24th

Welcome Global Works travelers, parents and friends.  We are excited to share with you trip updates from around the world.  As our main office receives updates from the trips we will update the page as we receive news from the field.

The China Group has arrived safely and their trip is off to a great start! We will be posting in the next few days with further updates and photos.  Stay tuned…

Update # 1:
Day 1: Airport Day
After a long flight over, I finally arrived in China!  Finding my way through the Chinese airport was pretty easy, but I couldn’t help but wonder whether I was doing anything wrong. Getting my bags, I walked out the sliding doors, and saw a mob of Chinese people, awaiting their loved ones. I looked through the crowd for a face that wasn’t similar to the rest. A tall white man was eyeing me, and I flashed my Global Works shirt. He smiled and waved me over. He introduced himself to me, Todd. We managed our way out of the airport, and I was ready to see Beijing at night.

Looking past the smog, I saw bright lights on all the buildings. It seemed that even at night, the tall buildings were making their existence known. So much of China looked familiar from the movies I had seen, but there was still a sense that there was much of the country that I had left to uncover.

Here’s to day one! And may the rest of the trip allow me to reflect like I have done today!

WHOO WHOO!!

We’re in China!!! – who would have thunk? – GW China Participant, Salote Tenisi, 2010

Day 2: Beijing
“We’re hitting the ground running,” for our first full day in Beijing!

After breakfast and a short trip on the bus, we arrived at Tiananmen Square; which was big, like really big. General Mao was buried there and the line to see him was filled with thousands of people trying to see the man that changed and shaped China. Right off of Tiananmen Square was the Forbidden City; which was also very huge! It’s amazing to think that thousands of years ago some emperor built this, and we learned later that it was built in just a year!  Here in the Forbidden City our group finally started to realize that we we’re the minority as little Chinese tourists were secretly taking pictures of our group behind our back!

After walking so much through the Forbidden City we were all ready to eat. While waiting for our bus to arrive we all made a signed a group contract and played games to get to know each other. I thought the group contract was a good idea because we laid out the premise of what we’re doing on the trip and our goals for the upcoming weeks; whether it was to learn Mandarin or to become more independent. We ate at a little family style restaurant with our tour guide Tom. The food was excellent and very authentic; we even got to learn about the family. Like how their oldest son was in Texas teaching Kung Fu. After a filling meal we were greeted by rickshaw rides which were fun and weird. I felt a little bad for the man who had to lug us through the streets, but he seem nice and didn’t mind, so being open minded I went along for the ride and found it really pleasant.

Finally after activity after activity we came to the finally one, which was to see the Olympic park- it was very neat to check it out! – GW China Participant, Julia Pike, 2010

Day Three: Chángchéng (The Great Wall)

The Great Wall of China, one of the wonders of the world, the only man-made object that can be seen from space, supplied us with a breathtaking experience that will be remembered for the rest of our lives. The trek along the wall may have been exhausting, but our spirits were brightened by the amazing view and the experience of it all.  Once we reached the forth tower of a total of seven that we would walk to that day, we ran into a group of natives who were selling small trinkets. They joined us on our walk, using broken English and hand motions to tell us facts that only natives would know. By the end of our hike, everyone in our group could not help but be impressed that, without any modern machinery, the ancient Chinese had constructed a wall that was a beautifully constructed piece of architecture and, at the same time, an efficient fortress that was impermeable to intruders.

The Flying Acrobatics show that we went to later naturally astounded us. These men and women confidently threw themselves into the air doing flips, even though, most of the time, they did not have a safety wire. Every time this was done, our whole group held their breath, concerned that the acrobat would get hurt, but every time the acrobat landed smoothly and safely. The pure talent and strength of the acrobats made a great and exciting show that was the cherry on top of an awesome day. – GW China Participant, Charlotte Butash, 2010

 

 

We will update you with more soon!

Update #2:
China Leader Todd provides a synapses of the trip log: Before leaving Beijing, we began our service work by planting some trees in a natural preserve. We also had a chance to check out the Temple of Heaven, where we experimented with the Echo Wall and checked out some Chinese popsicles to beat the heat, then had a few slow dances with the local folks. We had lunch in the famous Noodle King restaurant and then waited for our ride to the train station. After getting to know the sights and sounds of Beijing, it was finally time for us to be leavin’, yes leavin’, on that midnight train to Xi’an. Departing at 9pm in what began as a cramped sauna (but slowly became a relaxing, cool, and efficient night train complete with beds) which dropped us off in Xi’an, a bustling city in itself that is the home to some major artifacts such as the Terracotta Warriors, which we will see with our own eyes on July 7th. We checked into our hostel and headed over to the Starfish Foster Home/Orphanage, where we began phase 2 of our service projects. We are really enjoying this aspect of the trip, even though we have a 30 minute commute in a local bus every morning! But if you see these babies in the pictures, you won’t be able to argue that it’s worth every minute….
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Day 4: Our First Service Project
By: Charlotte Butash

When I woke up, ready for our tree planting adventure, I was told by Elena that I would need to bring my rain jacket. My first thought was, “Won’t it be a tad difficult to plant trees in the pouring rain?” After sitting in a sheltered area while the rain passed, we all headed outside- eager to give back to the Chinese community for the first time. We split up into groups, grabbed our tools, and headed over to the markings for where the trees would be placed. On my groups’ third hole, we struck rock. At first we thought it would be simple to pull out. After several unsuccessful excavations, we were forced to reevaluate the size of the rock. Even though the rain began began again during our project, we were determined to pull the rock—now more like a boulder than a rock—out and finish planting our tree. Finally, with our motivation combined with our perseverance, we triumphantly pulled the rock from the earth. My groups’ pride from pulling the rock out of the earth stayed with us throughout our visit to the Summer Palace and dinner later that night. That morning will always be a fond reminder of what teamwork and perseverance can do.

Day 5: Blue Sky
By: Teddy Owen

Today we saw blue; no it was not the ocean, but the sky. The weather in Beijing was very cloudy and smoggy during the last few days. But, today the sky opened up after some rain, and it was incredible. It filled our group with tremendous energy and we woke with new vigor. We went to see the temple of heaven, which was metaphorical to the bright blue sky. With this new sky though, there was new heat, and soon we became tired. We went back to the hotel to rest. Now we are in the overnight train, getting ready to sleep, and now that the blue sky is gone, we will hit the sack.

Day 6:
By: AJ Omartian

Today we arrived in Xi’an. The train ride was pretty as we were woken up at 6:00am. The ride was pretty hectic but all in all it was pretty awesome. We went to see the orphanage where we are volunteering this week. The orphanage was sad and also eye opening. There were a few children there who were very adventurous. Olyvia, Jessica, and Matthew were the most adventurous. The lunch was really, really good. The sweet and sour pork was great.

When we got back to the hostel, we watched the world cup and drank our coke and sprite. Uraguay and Ghana were playing each other and Ghana lost, which was sad because I was rooting for Ghana. When we went to our dinner restaurant, we found out it had moved to a different city, so instead we went to a different restaurant which had really good food. Then we got back to the hostel and had a little meeting, where we shared our personal thoughts. I think that the trip is going really well and everyone is getting along really well. I hope that everyone is as excited for the community service as I am.

Day 7:
By: Chloe Borenstein-Lawee

Happy Fourth of July! Today was our first full day in Xian, but our second day volunteering at an orphanage in the downtown area of the city. The concrete building was large and grey, but the children who live inside it have enough personality to light up every room. Granted, some situations were slightly more hectic than others, but when you play with these kids, it’s impossible not to grow attached to them.

There was something else that stood out about today, the fourth of July! Our group was filled with pride for our country, and wished a happy independence day to pretty much everyone who walked past, whether or not they were American. In celebration, dinner was at Pizza Hut, and it was honestly one of the nicest Pizza Huts many of us had ever seen. While sitting down and eating a delicious meal of pizza, we continued to wish the waiters and our fellow group-mates a happy Fourth of July, more than happy with our day of American pride and food. Overall, today was a special day, leaving us excited for tomorrow.

 

Update #3:
Update from leader Todd: This week in Xi’an was spent mostly doing community service work. Our time was divided between the Starfish Foster Home and the Yellow River Soup Kitchen, and as a result of working together, our group became a much tighter unit as we did our best to spend some of our summer break volunteering for some people – both big and small – that are certainly less fortunate than we are. Our next stop is the quaint, traditional, and beautiful mountain village of Lijiang. Gotta head to the airport!!

Day 8: By Jess
Our group woke up at 7:30, showered, and went downstairs for the American-style breakfast served by the restaurant in the hostel. After a tasty breakfast of eggs, bacon, fruit, and toast, the 18 of us headed to the bus stop. We rode the crowded bus to the orphanage while practicing our mandarin and repairing America’s reputation. We arrived at the orphanage ready to play with the children and did so gladly for 3 hours or so. We met more kids and learned their names; all of them were very interested in our cameras and loved to see themselves. We reluctantly left the orphanage and had lunch at a restaurant nearby. The meal consisted of salty snap-peas, steamed broccoli, and sweet and sour pork (and a bunch of other good stuff). Following lunch we returned to the hostel for a well-deserved rest hour before we continued our service work at a soup kitchen a few minutes away. We stopped at a grocery store on our way to purchase some fresh fruit to give to the men, women, and children at the food pantry, as well as to eat ourselves. The soup kitchen was enlightening and truly rewarding. We handed out the fruit as well as dumplings and soup to the poverty stricken people of Xi’an, and, although they didn’t know it, the smiles they returned to us were just as fulfilling. We ate dinner at a spicy noodle restaurant and met a group of Chinese people eating at the table over. We headed home to sleep after a long day.

Day 9: On Their Way
By: Marie
Today was another day in Xi’an with its noisy streets and busy people. People on into buses with their specific destinations in mind and keep their unique lives moving. But some members of Xi’an have yet to get their lives rolling steady down their paths of life. Our mornings for the past three days and today, have been meaningfully spent with Xi’an orphans. We’ve been tenderly bonding with them and learning each individual story and past that determined the lives they lead right now. Many of the orphans were born with birth defects, but have now gone through surgery to help better or solve the problem. For example some of the babies were born with a harelip, but after surgery they are perfectly fine, healthy and healed. Other orphans are not as simple to cure. Jackie, who is one of the older orphans, would have been walking about right around now, but Jackie was born with paralyzed legs and can’t so much as feel the ground beneath his feet. Another orphan, a girl, was born blind and will never see the azure blue sky or the bright, mellow curves of a tree’s leaves. Despite the difficulties these and other orphans have been set into the world with, they still can be greatly helped and live vibrant lives just like their non-orphan and disability-free counterparts. Their lives right now consist of one apartment, one play area outside, and more orphans than there are nannies. But their lives can start moving just like the many passengers on buses, pedestrians on streets, and other children with their own families. Their special and enriched lives all will start with an adoption made by an eager family ready to embrace and welcome a warm bundle of joy into their lives. Many are already adopted and about to get their lives rolling with a family of their very own, and the rest, well, they’ll be next.

Day 10: Terracotta Warriors and Soup Kitchens
By: Isabella
Our fieldtrip to Chentung to see the Terra-Cotta Warriors was a complete change of atmosphere compared to the big cities that we’ve been visiting.  After a couple of bus stops that lead to a 2 hour ride in a new bus, we continued to the museum, which is divided in 3 different parts: pits 3, 2, and 1, in order of increasing amount of statues. The last one, number 1, was for sure the most surprising: a vast display of silhouettes set up in an intimidating way. Nowadays, they’ve all got the same color as the earth that surrounds them, so we can barely imagine the amazing sight that they must have produced when they were still covered by bright colors. It amazed us that a little group of farmers on the Chinese countryside casually discovered them when they were digging the earth during the seventies.

Today was also one of the hottest days so far and the heat didn’t add anything to our visit. However, the ride back was an occasion to relax in the air-conditioned bus and reflect on our visit.  After a bit of deserved rest, we made our way to a supermarket in the neighborhood. There we bought some fruits that we carried to the Yellow River soup kitchen to distribute while we were volunteering there for a second time. It’s such a surprisingly fast and organized experience. We served soup, vegetable-stuffed bouzas and fruits to the people that showed up. And we did it all in less than 20 minutes!
While help clean up and wait for the small group that went volunteering on Xi’an’s streets, we have the chance to talk to Richard, co-founder of the Yellow River soup kitchen. He manages the soup kitchen with experience, takes care of everything, asks us questions about our lives, and tells us about his experience. We invited him to dinner, we enjoyed a copious meal but the air-conditioning wasn’t working and so we had to sit in a room that turned out to be even hotter than it was outside.  Let’s not forget that tonight the soccer semi-final Germany vs. Spain takes place in South Africa and some of us – the most dedicated – are waking up at 2 am just to watch the game!

Day 11: Working with Orphans
By: Ella
Seeing a baby smile is the highlight to anyone’s day.  There is nothing better than to make a person who has disabilities happy. Waking up early to the smell of a smoky atmosphere mixed with pollution is not the best way to start a day. However, as the day progresses, the smiles and happy energy filling the atmosphere at the Starfish orphanage immediately changes a person’s view of the day. When playing with the children at the orphanage, I quickly forgot about their serious problems they are suffering from and instead became sidetracked by their excitement that filled up the room. It is such a rewarding experience to be able to help these children and the outcome makes me feel like a better person.

Day 12: – Last Day in Xi’an
By: Andie
Halfway there and have done so much, but still have so much to do. Today we took the typical 25 minute bus ride. The ride went by a lot faster because the weather outside was a little rainy so it cooled us down on the packed bus. When we got to the orphanage all the kids were outside playing on the basketball court. It was a nice thing to see because usually all the kids are split into three rooms but this morning they were all together playing outside. They all seemed so happy to be outside because the weather was not too hot and they were all together. It was great to see how comfortable the kids were with us now that we had spent about a week with them. The first day they seemed overwhelmed and scared but now we could see a difference in their comfort with us. Then we went to lunch at the typical restaurant but the founder of the orphanage, Amanda, joined us. She told us about the kids and how she came to China and started the orphanage. It was great to hear from her because it made us realize how much our donation helps- the money we lend, but also our time. It is enough just to be there so we can give her time to do other things to help out.

It was raining even harder by the afternoon so our afternoon plans didn’t work out. But although we couldn’t follow the itinerary it left us a lot of time to rest from our last day at the orphanage. We went back for our last day at the soup kitchen. The people were very glad to see us because they realized that because we were there for our third day, we were there to help out. We passed out soup and baozi and the fruit we bought. Then we helped out more by fixing the chairs and tables. They were unsteady so we tightened them with new screws. It felt good to help the soup kitchen in more than a way of serving food. Then we went to dinner. Everyone was saying that this was their favorite restaurant so far. We all realized how much lazy Susans on the table really were helpful. It was our first meal we didn’t have them so we realized how much we missed them tonight. We walked back to the hostel for our last day in Xi’an. I think we all can agree we had some life changing experiences here in Xi’an.

 

Update #4:
Day 13 – Travel Day – By Lucia Bernard
On our last day in Xi’an, we strolled down to the Muslim Quarter again to do some last minute bargaining. Since it had rained on the previous day, the air was cool and pleasant. After coming back to the hostel, we stopped at a grocery store nearby to buy snacks and dinner for later. Oreos were a popular pick among the people in our group. Regular, chocolate, and peanut butter were the flavors of choice. We went back to the hostel to gather our suitcases, packed into a small bus, and headed to the airport. Taking two hour-long plane rides, we said goodbye to Xi’an and headed to Lijiang. The views from the planes were beautiful because we got a good look at the Chinese mountains and countryside. As it got later and darker, we could see the lights of various small cities spotting the ground below. After landing, we piled into buses to drive to our hostel. Even in the dark, our first view of Lijiang was much different from the two other cities we had visited; it seemed smaller and more rustic. We settled into our rooms to sleep after a long travel day. It has been two weeks – we are halfway through our adventure in China, and the time has passed very quickly. As the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun.

Day 14 – By Marie Wheeler
Today was our first full day in Li Jiang and the transition from the busy city of Xi’an to the easygoing, but vibrant alleyways of Li Jiang was a very pleasing relief. The scenery in Li Jiang is so beautiful with a distant view of the majestic jade-hued mountains and silver clouds weighing down on them. The relief from the smoggy city is affecting everyone quite positively and everyone is recharged with new energy. We are all getting used to the different altitude, climate, and cultural feel of Li Jiang. I think that staying in Li Jiang will turn out to be a significant, enriching, and fantastic trip for everyone.

Day 15 – By Julia Pike
We woke up at 8:30, showered, dressed, and ready for our big day of biking. Joni and I head down to breakfast early, we learn the world cup score, and eat some delicious croissants. It seems that Paul the octopus was right in picking the winner, because Spain won; 0 to 1. As everyone comes down for breakfast we learn that no one stayed up to see the game, but that’s okay because we all need our rest for biking. We walk down to the biking place and get our bikes; I get one with a basket, but mostly everyone gets a mountain bike. The counselors let us go easy and slow, sometimes so slow it felt like my bike was going to flip over, but overall the trip was nice a leisurely. We stopped at a little village and had an hour to go and buy things and got lunch. The Chinese country side is what I pictured China to be like, small buildings made out of stone with lots of animals wandering around. The landscape was pretty with mountains surrounding us, you could see the clouds floating above and creating shadows on the ground below.

After a long day of biking, we all went and massages! They loosened us all up and it was an awesome treat! Then we headed to a restaurant for dinner, where they offered great American meals, I had my first cheeseburger since forever! The American meal was the cherry on a perfect day!

Day 16 – Snow Mountain – By Jess Knowles
Our group woke up around 8 for another breakfast of eggs and toast and headed out for our adventure to Snow Mountain. Unfortunately, we had to leave a few brave travelers behind as a few of us had come down with sore throats. As we waited for another bus to Snow Mountain, we were given Chinese muffins in exchange for an opportunity to take a picture together. We boarded the bus and arrived at our destination an hour later. We ate an early lunch of corn, egg cookies, and some tasty pineapple crepes. After lunch we hopped on a cable car up Snow Mountain and were intoxicated by the incredible view of the surrounding landscape. We hiked to a Temple of the Dalai Lama and spun karma wheels, donated money, and were given incense. Afterwards we hiked on top of Snow Mountain, mingled with the Yaks, and took in the majestic views. Our legs tired, we hopped on the cable cars once again and spotted some exotic blue pine cones on our ride. We headed back to the Hostel and rested for a while until going to an American dinner down the block. We dined on pasta and burgers before watching Ice Age and went back to the Hostel for a well-deserved rest.

Day 17 – leaving lijiang – By Jon Mustacchi
Today we leave Lijiang. We woke up late it was cool. We then went to the dragon pool were we had a meeting about the panda preserve and what we will be doing there. Our work there should be interesting. After eating lunch we went to old town again to do some shopping.

Day 18 – Our First Day at the Panda Reserve – By: Joni Cooper
While our stay at the Panda reserve is rustic, it truly enables us to take advantage our time here and what the reserve has to offer. Instead of returning to our rooms after the brief orientation/information session this afternoon, the group explored the reserve, played soccer and ping pong outside, and mingled with other visitors who were staying at the hostel. After eating dinner, the group relaxed and concluded the evening with a game of mafia. Staying at our hostel and working on the reserve has truly brought our group even closer together. I look forward to working around the pandas and spending more time with everyone in the upcoming days.

Update 5: 7/19/10
After toughing it out for a few days in the Xiaoxitian hostel at the Bifengxia Panda Reserve with no power and no water, the leaders had a pow-wow and quickly decided to all head back down the mountain to our Plan B: A hotel in Ya’an city which comes with international calls, excellent showers, and an internet connection any teenager would die for! (Hence the update) For the last two days we commuted from our hotel by mini-bus and park bus to our work site in the reserve, where we continued to volunteer, cleaning panda cages and feeding our furry friends carrots, bamboo, and “panda bread.” Some students even ventured a touch on a furry nose here and there. Everyone chose a favorite panda and had plenty of time to observe and get to know these awesome creatures and their keepers, who are interesting to be around in their own right. Then we headed back down the mountain.

Sometimes on these trips, the accidental perfect little moments we share together are remembered the most. Last night our group headed for a “Hot Pot” dinner, which is traditionally a very spicy experience. Couple that with the fact we are in the Sichuan province – the worldwide capitol of spicy food – and you may begin to realize that we were eating the Mount Everest of spicy meals. We dipped our meats, veggies, noodles, and dumplings into a boiling pepper-laden cauldron at the table, let them cook until done, and ate as much as any amateur fire-eater could manage. We fought bravely. We gave a valiant effort. Then we realized we were no match for the Spice of Fury and walked away with our mouths aflame and dignity intact, until Min told us that we ordered the “mild” and least spicy cauldron, and that there were three more grades of spice that locals order: “Medium”, “Spicy”, and “No Thanks I Do Not Need My Tongue to Work Anymore.”

Still, we gave it a good shot. Then we chartered a course directly to the nearest ice cream stand, which quenched the afterburners of the delicious lava we had entangled ourselves in just minutes before. We walked across the street to eat our treats while we watched the nightlife of this busy little town as we stood on the bank of the enormous river that cuts through the heart of Ya’an. Some of our representatives – who I am proud to say are forever adventurous – wandered into a locals’ line-dancing event of sorts on the river bank in front of the brilliant flashing neon lights of bustling local businesses. They learned the steps to a lovely little song and mingled with funny old ladies, cute young women who were minutes before our waitresses who were still in their Mao-era costumes for work, flabbergasted children who recorded their every move with digital cameras, and happy parents, smiling and watching their own kids interact with ours.

We can schedule a visit to this ancient thing or that natural wonder, but to me the magic in these trips is often revealed in perfect, unexpected snapshots like this one – where a pleasant wind, neon fireworks, a roaring river, local tradition, molten food-fire, and life-saving ice cream collide with us at the exact perfect moment. And although nobody had a camera with remaining battery or available space on a memory card at the time, I think that moment will live with me forever. And I hope the kids noticed it too!!

 

Next stop: Chengdu city for a night, then Shanghai, then Newark. I’ve always wondered what Newark was like this time of year.

Update #5:
After helping out the needy pandas, we whizzed through Chengdu, where we went to one of the world’s 4 main Zen Buddhist Temples and caught a Sichuan Opera performance. There was firebreathing, the famous face-changing, and the most incredible hand shadow puppeteer of all time.

Next and last stop in China we came upon Shanghai, where we got in line with half a million other people (we were relatively early!) to see the Shanghai Expo, which is basically the World Fair. Almost every country in the world had a presence there, and we saw a staggering amount of amazing architecture, unbelievable themed presentations, and the widest assortment of crazy stuff any of us had ever seen in the city-sized fair. The sun was scorching but we toughed it out for most of a full day, then had to call it quits so we wouldn’t permanently melt into the pavement.

After that day of something new, we began our last full day in Shanghai (and China) with something old: The Yuyuan Garden, a 400-something year-old manicured garden built by an emperor long ago. We got in some last-day shopping at the super popular area filled with traditional buildings, then spent the night eating a good meal and walking the world-famous “Bund” area while we watched the glowing night of the Shanghai metropolis with one toward our month together and one eye on the great things to come, like Continental flight 86, and the unlimited potential in all of us. – Todd

Day 23- Two-faced Fire Spitters By: Chloe
So, in general, today was actually fairly low key. After a nice sleep-in, a two hour bus ride, and some time to check back in to the beloved Traffic Inn, our group hit the streets of Cheng Du around 2pm. Using the public bus system, we hitched a ride to the other side of town, where a large temple district awaited us.

It was like walking into a Zen alternate universe. The beautiful scenery of buildings, fountains, and various plants enveloped us in a gentle wave of calm. However, this did nothing to settle our appetites. It was time for a late lunch, and the solution was a vegetarian restaurant inside the temple. While looking at the menu, we were skeptical. Exactly how was chicken vegetarian? Min explained how it was all specially seasoned vegetables and tofu, and after trying the dishes brought to the table, we discovered she was right.

After exploring the temple for a little bit longer, we headed back to the hostel and prepared to watch-wait for it-the opera! The Opera is a very important cultural aspect of Cheng Du, and it’s a big hit with the tourists too. But this is no ordinary opera. Oh no, while the Sichuan opera included the singing and elaborate costumes that we expected, there was also a very special feature added to the show; fire spitting! As the performers breathed out fire on stage, I understood why it was refered to as “spitting”. Those flames came out with power! Other pieces in the opera involved shadow puppets, stick puppets, a comedy, and another interesting act called “Face Changing”. We watched amazed as the performers switched the masks they wore in a blink of an eye. First blue and smiling, then black and frowning, then yellow, then purple; we could barely keep up, and from the cheering, I don’t think the rest of the audience could either. Later on, we were still unable to discover the secret to the trick, though magic is not an option we are prepared to accept.

We headed back to the hostel and now we are hanging out, getting ready for the day of travel tomorrow. Shanghai here we come!

Day 24- Final Destination By: Andie Himmelrich
Today was a typical travel day for our group. We were woken up by no phone call but instead a women banging on the door. We had breakfast and gathered on the bus to head to theairport. It was no surprise our group first gathered around the ice cream before the 2 hour plane ride. On the plane there was not much to do but think about our trip so far and how fast it has gone by. It is so weird that we are at our final destination before heading home. We have traveled all over china and experienced many different new adventures. We have faced hot weather in Beijing while climbing the great wall while 20 Chinese women followed us telling us about their farming backgrounds so we feel bad and buy stuff from them. We have experienced the warmth of a child’s smile each day. We got the pleasure of the cooler weather up high in the mountains while we got away from the cities and spent a few days in an old village. We have dealt with rain for consecutive days while we fed and cleaned after pandas. And now for our final stop we are back in a crowded city with plenty of heat and humidity.

We got off the plane and got on our leather seated bus with air conditioning. We knew right from then Shanghai would be a different and fun adventure. Our bus ride was long but we got to see all around Shanghai. We saw the world expo buildings which blew our minds.

As we learned today, Shanghai is known for their “small dishes” so dinner was lighter than usual. Our tour book said, “You can’t go to shanghai without going down Bund Street, just like you can’t go to Beijing without going to the Forbidden City or the Great Wall.”  We had done both things in Beijing so now it was time to go down Bund Street. We looked up and saw everything lit up and shining. It reminded me a lot of New York City. We continued down the street and before we knew it we were shoulder to shoulder with about 100 others heading down the street. Cars were honking and buses were passing but all we could see was tons of people in every direction. It was all worth it when we got to the end and saw beautiful buildings all lit up.

And now we are preparing for another hot day tomorrow at the world expo. China has been filled with many new and fun experiences and Shanghai is a great way to top it off.

Day 25 – Exploring Shanghai By: Joni Cooper
Today the group was definitely able to get a better feel of Shanghai. Although it was already our second day here, yesterday was a traveling day and not one for much exploring considering our lengthy flight and bus ride. This morning the group woke up early, quickly ate breakfast, and darted out the door by 7:30 in hopes of avoiding massive lines that often accumulate in order to reach the World Expo.

After waiting an hour to pass security, the group took a bus to Spain’s expo. Although there was a long wait to enter the exposition, the group seemed indifferent about standing in line: we were too excited to experience our first country of the day and to get a more accurate idea of what the expositions had to offer.

Prior to today, I picture each of the expositions as a huge, carnival-like booth made up of several different stations that displayed distinct characteristics of a specific country, whether it be through pictures, artwork, or food. Though after visiting several expositions, I realized that what I imagined was clearly what I neither experienced nor expected. The expositions weren’t just basic tents that saved all its beauty for the inside; the architectural designs were incredible and equally as memorable as what was showcased. I was fascinated by the advanced technology that the expositions utilized, though I was most impressed by the different elements incorporated that gave us a taste of a country and its distinct culture. I enjoyed listening and dancing to Jamaica’s reggae music, seeing Peru’s intricate clothing patterns and revisiting memories of traveling there last summer, and witnessing one of Spain’s elegant and adept salsa dancers move to traditional Spanish music.

After resting at the hotel and having dinner, the group witnessed Shanghai’s breathtaking views from the top of the Jin Mao Observatory Tower. At one point, I stopped circling the perimeter of the building in hopes of getting a crisp picture and stood in one spot for a few minutes, taking in the magnificent view. Although this sounds a little cliché, I thought of how great this experience has been and how fortunate I am to have experienced views like this and the opportunity to travel throughout such a distant and fascinating country.

Day 26 – The Trip Comes to an End By: Sky Korek
We woke up to the smell of sewer system and the crowds at the subway station The whole day we swam in a pool of mixed feelings. We shopped at Yuyuan Garden and the surrounding area which was incredible. In the shopping area we bought our final gifts and final memories. The shopping mall was crowded and smelt like stinky tofu. The buildings were old and antique. After all of the shopping we went to a really nice dinner and ate amazing Chinese food. After dinner we walked to The Bund, overlooking the Shanghai skyline and the Yangtze River and were surrounded by hundreds of Chinese people who requested pictures with all the “famerse” Americans. After the hour of pictures we walked back to the hotel. We then wrapped up the trip by a “Secret Buddha” gift giving ceremony and a touchy feely meeting. We were all given a fellow group member to buy a gift for. During the meeting we talked about all the great places we had been to and watched the leaders break into tears. I have never met so many extraordinary people and enjoyed so much time with them. This trip opened all of our eyes and showed us that the world is in our hands and we can do whatever we want with it. All great things must come to an end, and this trip was truly a great thing.