Writing this last blog reminds me of all the wonderful experiences our Plus3 group had in China. I would like to share my highlights from each city. I was nervous to be in another country not knowing the native language, but Beijing changed my feelings quickly. Visiting the Great Wall of China was by far…

Today, we visited the Yu Garden and learned many interesting facts about the history of it from our tour guide. The garden was made by a Ming Dynasty government officer, named Pan Yunduan. He made it for his parents and named it the Yu garden because “Yu” means peace and satisfaction. There were many ponds,…

Today we visited Yangshan port, which was about a two hour drive from our hotel. The port is connected to the mainland by the Donghai bridge, which is the second-longest bridge in the world. I was shocked when Dr. Li informed us that Yangshan port was built in just under 6 months! There were thousands…

Today we visited two more companies: AmCham and Horiba. AmCham is a non-profit business organization who assists American companies with their international business relationships in Shanghai. Dan and Chris presented to us. Dan started work in journalism and has his master’s degree in Chinese studies. Chris works in the PNC office in Shanghai and his…

We met at 9 am today (our latest start yet!) to travel to East China University of Science and Technology (ECUST). When we arrived, I was surprised to see that the campus was separated from the rest of the city by big walls and gates. We first had a campus tour lead by students who…

We left the hotel at 8:30 am and rode an hour and a half to the children’s village. When we arrived, one of the teachers took us on a tour of the village. There were three bunk beds in the girls’ room and the boys’ room, both attached to a common area with a table…

Today was the most active day we have had on this trip. I remember looking at my Fitbit and we had over 8,000 steps by 10 am. The extreme heat required sunglasses, sunscreen, and many water bottles. I think ice water is what I miss most about the U.S. Since it is unsafe to drink…

Today was our first university visit. We left at 8:45 am and drove about an hour to the Central University of Finance and Economics. Two current university students, Grayson and Richard, and the director of international students generously greeted us. They escorted us to a classroom and two professors gave lectures.  The first professor was…

After being on a plane for thirteen hours and adjusting to the 12 hour time difference, last night I went to bed at 8:30 pm. I think the last time I went to bed that early was in first grade after my parents read me a bed time story. Despite my exhaustion, I woke up…

Hi! My name is Ali Reinecker, a current freshman pursing a finance and business information systems major with a data analytics certificate from the College of Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh. On campus, I am a member of the Pitt Women’s Club Basketball team and Phi Beta Lambda, a professional business organization. When…