Yesterday was sad enough that it was our last day of company visits, but today was even sadder, being our last day in China. I did not let this get in my way of making the most of it. It was a more laid back day than previous, with us finding ourselves in a garden….

Today marked the last day of company visits. Unlike the previous day that saw two technology companies that focused on readily available consumer goods, today was more about industrial goods, with one manufacturer, TE Connectivity, the producer of connectors and sensors, and the other, Dupont, the producer of a wide range of polymer products, such…

  Today was designated as the “relax day.” We had one item on out itinerary, and we were back by around 2ish. It was the most surprising out of all scheduled visits we had. It was to a Shipping Port, something that upon first reading made me think “Huh?” Despite this early dismal, it was…

From my impression of the Shanghai, it seems to be the East’s answer to New York City. Everything about it is reminiscent of the West, from the upscale stores, to the diversity of international foods, to the abundance of advertisements of western movies and fashion. And fashion was the name of the game today when…

Today was another tiring day of transport. The allure of riding the bullet train that helped me get through the day when we went to Xi’an has dissipated. Getting up today was rough, and the eight-mile bike ride the day prior did not help this inconvenient truth. I slowly got acclimated to the day ahead…

I remember my senior year of high school sitting in my AP Art History class learning about the Terracotta Warriors. It looked like a remarkable feat of artist endeavor with nearly 8,000 terracotta sculptures, each unique, reflecting the individual soldiers buried with the first Emperor of China upon his death. From then on, this was…

  Today featured the biggest departure from the rest of the trip. It was not an ancient, grand construction project. It was not a company. It was not a university. It was a sanctuary for children separated from their parents. I went in thinking this would be a solemn visit, but feeling uplifted. The work…

As predicted by the blog from the previous day, today was long and tiring. With the slight, lingering jetlag, waking up early for the train today was rough. But this train was no Amtrak. It was a Bullet Train, one of the fastest trains in the world, and a mode of transport I always hoped…

China is known for its grand historic landmarks. When China wanted to build something big, they built it big. The cities are big. The walls are big. Even the residences are big, at least if you’re the Emperor. Most rulers get palace, they are nice, they are expensive, they are ornate, but few get their…

This trip offers the best of both worlds:  it is not just the opportunity to experience the Chinese culture first-hand, whether it be the food, or the sights, or the people, but it is also the chance to experience Chinese business first-hand. Today was comprised of the latter with the opportunity to visit the offices…

Despite being an ocean away, today we found ourselves back on campus—just not our campus. The Central University of Finance and Economics opened their doors to us, and welcomed us, not as tourists, but as fellow students. Upon arriving, we were treated to two lecturers in one of their academic halls. The first speaker presented…

When I saw that we had to wake up by 9:00 AM today, I panicked; after a five-hour layover and 14-hour flight with minimal sleep, I did not expect myself to wake up the day of the Great Wall visit, and if I did, it would be sluggish. Luckily, forcing myself to stay up until…