This morning was a morning that proved the existence of Murphy’s law (anything that can go wrong will go wrong). I woke up to find that the iron from our room was missing, so despite my need to wear business casual attire today I had no means to iron my shirt. Also, after going to the shop in the lobby to pick up a razor I learned that they do not open till 8:00, so my business casual would also be lacking a clean-shaven face. I then decided to call my bank to try to figure out why my card was not allowing me to make atm withdraws. My bank then put me on hold for over an hour causing me to miss breakfast. After these events, my day picked up though.

We headed to the Central University of Finance and Economics where we met Richard, our guide for the day. We then headed to a classroom (on the top floor and up more stairs lol) where we listened to a lecture on the smartphone industry and how markets differ from those in the US. We discussed the different factors that impact different elements of the market and the social reasons behind them. We then explored a variety of things and people that are known to be from other countries that actually have their origins in China. Following this lecture, we had a phenomenal lunch. I have seen the college food that is offered abroad and full heartedly believe that Market needs to raise its standards! After lunch, we toured the campus library.

The campus library was one of the nicest libraries I have ever seen. It was 5 floors with all glass and beautiful decor. The library also had what was practically an art museum in the basement but the cherry on top was the technology they had to monitor seats. The library had a system where students could use their ID to reserve one seat for themselves. This prevents students from taking up whole tables and ensures that everyone has a place to study during finals. After touring the library we went to the sporting area to play skipping rope and a hula hoop race. With this being said, I still would prefer a university in the US because the Central University of Finance and Economics has shorter breaks than we do. Richard told us that they only have a few week breaks in the winter and 2 months in the summer (an additional 2-3 months of school compared to colleges in the states.

After spending more time with locals I have discovered that in Chinese culture political correctness is selectively applied. When talking about individuals, I have noticed that locals unapologetically call it as it is. However, when referring to a group of people they are very careful when choosing their words and often change or clarify exactly what they mean by what they had said. I believe that this would be a revolutionary train of thought if applied in that states because it creates an environment where minorities and whole groups of people are not marginalized without pushing for a one-hundred percent politically correct society. As we continue to learn and have new experiences my eye continue to be open to new ways of thinking and alternative ways of conducting one’s self, which is vital if our generation is to be the foundation of the future.