the last blog from china

Yesterday was our only off day so most of us slept in for the first time in awhile. We did have plans for the evening though. Our whole group went to a kung fu show. It was incredible. It had a plot line but no words or singing were used. There was a screen above the stage that prefaced the scenes but it was all kung fu type of moves to tell the story. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. After that we headed to dinner then went to a karaoke place. Karaoke here is much different than in the U.S. Rather than the whole restaurant/bar watching you do karaoke you rent a room for your group. We were all very tired so it wasn't too exciting but I think if we were more lively it would have been a lot more fun. This morning we went to Procter and Gamble Innovation Center. There was a short presentation about what they do at the center then we got a tour of the building. We got to see some of the tools, instruments, and experiments they use to test there products. We saw them test toothpaste, hand soap, razors, and laundry detergent. We just got back and have the rest of the day to ourselves. We are leaving for the airport at 11:30 tomorrow morning so today will consist of packing and making sure we have everything we need!

Today we headed to the Summer Palace. We toured there for a few hours and took a small boat ride. It was very hot and busy so it could have been better but it was very sunny so that was good! After that we headed to a place called a Hutong. They are alleys that people live in that is the "real Beijing" The people live in small hut type things. Our tour guide explained that there are beams that tell you the class of the family. No beams mean low class, two beams is middle class, and four beams is high class. They do not use odd numbers for feng shui reasons. We got around the Hutong by bicycles with carts on the back that fit two people. We have seen them all over China so it was fun to actually be able to ride in one! For lunch we went to a local families house for lunch. We were all pretty apprehensive about it because the area was very dirty and smelly but it was a delicious lunch. The lady was very kind and made us a feast! Following lunch we went to a drum tower. It was 69 stairs to the top and it was very steep. It was slightly frightening and somewhat tiring but the top was really cool. There were HUGE drums that they frequently have performances at. After that we had a quick tour of a bell tower. Our last stop of the day was a tea house at the bell tower. We were all very tired and wanted to get back but by the end we were so happy we stayed. We had an official tea ceremony and got to try five different teas which were all delicious. We had a ginseng oolong tea, jasmine tea, black tea, black tea mixed with roses, and a rose tea mixed with fifteen types of dried fruit. They were all delicious and it was an awesome experience. We are heading to a Hard Rock Cafe tonight so we feel extra American on the 4th of July! 

Today was a busy but awesome day. We left our hotel at 8:30 a.m. and headed to the Great Wall. It was about an hour away so it wasn't too bad. By the time we got there, parked, and got tickets it was close to 10:45. Our tour guide, Zhong (who we love!), gave us a meeting spot and told us to meet back there at 12:30. Two other girls and I and one of our professors climbed on the side that had less people, but was the harder side. I have no words to describe the Great Wall! I could say phenomenal or captivating but that does not do it justice. I knew it was one of the wonders of the world but I now truly know why. Talk about a tiring climb! It was a mixture of stairs and just stones but it was so steep. There were a couple of spots that were VERY close to a 90 degree angle of stairs. Most of the other sections were probably somewhere around 60 degrees. It took much longer to climb up than it took to go down but the way down was actually a little bit harder! It was very nerve racking looking down and seeing the sharp angles so it was a little scary. It was the experience of a lifetime and I hope I can make another visit someday because it's truly amazing. After that we went out for a group lunch then headed to the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. We didn't have a whole lot of time there but it was really fun to see that. The Water Cube was actually a lot smaller than we were expecting. It couldn't have held even a thousand people. There is a section of the Water Cube that is a water park. We have a free day on Tuesday so we might try and go back! We left there and headed to a small dinner then the Peking Opera. I am happy to have experienced it but am also happy knowing that I probably won't see it again. It was more of a skit without props or words because there wasn't really any singing. Some of the stunts they did were awesome though. We finally got back to the hotel at 9:15 and everyone is very tired. Tomorrow we are headed to the Summer Palace! Won't be as long as today so we are looking forward to some rest! 

Monday we left in the morning and headed to Suzhou. It was about an hour and a half south of Shanghai. First we went to a huge garden and had a tour around there. After that we went to a world famous silk factory and saw how silk is made! It was very interesting. We went out for lunch then drove to an industrial park. It is an up and coming area that has some huge plans. They are trying to completely turn around what the city is like and make it much more modern. The next three days we had class in the morning then just hung around our rooms and went out a few times. It wasn't too exciting but we were just getting our things together before we left for Beijing! We left early on Friday morning. We had a little bit of a delay but got here safe and sound. My good friend Maria has a friend that has lived here for a month and is staying here until December so he took us to a few local bars last night! We got up early this morning and went to visit Tienamen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. A LOT of awesome sight seeing which was great. We had a traditional Sichuan lunch and a famous Peking duck dinner which was all phenomenal. I can now say that I like duck which I never thought I would say! I am currently not on my computer but will add some pictures tomorrow! We are waking up early and heading to the Great Wall tomorrow! Should be an awesome day. 

Last night was one of my favorite nights out in Shanghai. Four other girls, one boy, one professor and I went out for a late dinner then a few of the girls and I went out to a few other fun looking places. We all had a great time, nobody lost anything, there was no drama, and best of all no creepy men! Only sad part was that it was our last fun night out in Shanghai. Time is flying! Today we left at 1 and went to a park where this is an area called an English corner. Another part of this park there was something very unique going on. Parents make advertisement type things for their children who are old enough to be married to in a way "sell them." They advertise all of the good qualities of their child in hopes of finding a match! There were hundreds of people with these advertisements. It was like nothing I have ever seen! At the English corner Chinese people will come to interact with other people who are also learning English. It was a really fun experience talking with people from China. I saw a kid who looked to be about 6 years old talking to people and people in their 80's. It was so fascinating that they are not being forced to learn English or practice it but they are choosing to for their own personal satisfaction. It was an awesome experience. Our whole group went out to dinner with one of our professors friends and her husband tonight to a traditional Cantonese restaurant. It was the most adventurous I have been with eating so far and I am still alive and well :) Tomorrow we are leaving at 7:30 am for Suzhou which is about a two hour bus ride from Shanghai. We are going to visit a garden and an industrial park. Should be a busy but fun day!

This is us at the meng dynasty tomb place

another place at meng dynasty tomb

The group minus 2 our first meal alone

On Monday we headed to Yuyuan Gardens. We all went to the steamed dumpling restaurant for lunch then had a few hours to explore and shop around. It was a very cute place with a lot of fun shops. We all got back together and went to a tea house for a tea ceremony. It is very famous. Queen Elizabeth has even been there! After that me and five other girls walked around a little bit longer and went out for dinner together. Tuesday morning we had class then had a few hours to ourselves. At 3 we had our last Mandarin class then had tai chi at 4:30. That night we just hung out and had a small dinner together. 

Wednesday the PR students went to lunch with one of our professors friends. She does b to b (business to business) marketing. She used to work with Honeywell but just quit and is staring a new job next week. She told us that she works with factories and helps to sell them protection equipment like hard hats, gloves, protective shoes, etc for the people working in factories that need protective ware for on the job. It was very interesting and a delicious lunch! Two of the PR girls and I walked around Pudong after that then met up with a few other students for dinner. On Thursday the PR students went to visit Unilever. They own Dove, Lipton, Ben and Jerry's and a large number of other businesses. We met another one of our professors friends, Tiger, who does brand management for lipton. He gave us a short tour of the building then did a presentation on advertising and the market in Shanghai. We had tai chi later that afternoon and learned some kung fu. We learned the kind where you dance with a Chinese fan! That night all of the students went out for dinner and some bars in the area. 

Friday was a lazy day. A few of us walked along the main road that our school is on for lunch and a little shopping. Three other students, one of our professors and I left our hotel at 5:30 and walked to a lady's house for dinner. She teaches English here at Shanghai Normal University and invited us over for a common Chinese family dinner. Her husband was working but her daughter was home. Her name was Syndy and her daughters name was Kelly. They taught us how to make dumplings. It is much easier than I thought! We stayed for a few hours then came home and just hung out for the night. Today four other girls and I went to the black market for some shopping! We just got back and are going to start getting ready soon to go out! Tomorrow we are going to an English corner and back to Yuyuan Gardens!