The last 2 weeks have been a transformational, eye-opening experience that I will certainly remember for the rest of my life. This trip may be one of the few times I will be able to explore in great depth the culture and way of life of a foreign country while learning about a focused subject…

Waking up to my 8 o’clock alarm, it was hard to believe that this is the final day of our visit to China. Although the 4 a.m. bus ride to the Pittsburgh airport seems like an eternity ago, each individual day in China passed as minutes. Coming to the lobby at 9 a.m. we were…

After sleeping through my alarm for the first time this trip, I rushed into the shower, threw on my clothes, and hurried to the lobby by our 7:30 meeting time. As we settled into our seats on the bus, we were greeted by Sarah, a Pitt graduate who has lived in Shanghai for the past…

Since I had stayed up late yesterday night, I was slow to get up. But having showered, gotten dressed in business casual attire, and eaten a cliff bar, I was prepared for today’s excursions! We all boarded the bus and made our way to the American Chamber of Commerce just an hour from our hotel….

I woke up well rested after sleeping past 8 am for the first time all trip! Yesterday’s bullet train ride brought us to Shanghai, China’s largest city and financial hub. The great buffet style breakfast of our 5-star hotel matched if not surpassed the breakfasts of our previous hotels (which were already very good). We…

China’s far-stretching history has produced a community so rich in culture and tradition. Not only have the customs of many generations of people contributed to societal beliefs, but the remnants of many historical events result in a nation concentrated with cultural attractions. We began day 6 by travelling to one of these many sites; the…

Having travelled for the majority of day 5, day 6 had much in store to compensate for the lengthy trip. That being said, the bullet train that brought us from Beijing to Xi’an (a distance of over 570 miles) in under 6 hours was a novel experience. This transportation feat is a perfect exemplar of…

To complement yesterday’s business-oriented visits, today we traveled to some of the most culturally rich locations in modern China. We left the hotel and began our journey to Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest city center comprised of a legislative building, a museum, a memorial house that quarters Mao Zedong’s preserved corps, and several other structures….

Since receiving the email confirming our visit to Huawei, I have excitedly anticipated this business excursion. As a global leader in the tech industry, Huawei is at the cutting edge of computer and telecommunication advancements. However, I was not at all prepared for the jaw dropping tour of the Huawei Exhibition Center we would soon…

Following a heavy sleep after yesterday’s excursions, I awoke to the sound of the hourly bell toll of the Beijing Railway Station directly across the street. I was soon dressed in business casual attire and headed for the sunshine atrium café. Here, I ate a delicious breakfast unlike any I have had in the past….

Today was an incredible introduction to the city of Beijing and its role in the Chinese history. We began the day with trip to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, which is roughly 45 miles north of the city. As we navigated through the busy streets of Beijing, I was struck by several features…

Hello everyone! My name is Frankie Fattori and I am a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in computer engineering. I am incredibly excited to take part in this year’s Plus 3 China program in order to compliment my in-class experiences with a once-in-a-lifetime study abroad opportunity. I am originally from Oxford, Pennsylvania, a…