I anticipated the food in China to be horrible. I packed an abundance of crackers and powerbars so that if needed I could survive on just that. The food turned out to be not that bad. Most places had simple western breakfasts that included eggs and some type of toast. I'm not a big breakfast person anyway, so I would eat lightly. The Wuyi University breakfast was pretty good with eggs, these neat peanut butter fried sandwiches, breads (none of the bread in China was good) and fruits. Lunch and dinner were essentially a lot alike almost daily, there would be a few set plates with noodles with pork and other various dishes. Most of them left you guessing until the first bite though. As much as possible the group tried to get a hold of western food or just generally food that was somewhat close to what we consider normal. McDonalds tastes basically the same though they have some interesting sauces for nuggets. Everything was usually cheap and you could get a variety anywhere you went. Almost every meal was with a lazy susan, which you spin to get different foods. This works entirely on an "individual teamwork" based system. When everyone else is eating, turn it in hopes of not disrupting what someone was about to reach for. Because I am fairly patient I would wait a while and even when I was about to reach it would often turn and I'd have to abort the entire operation of grabbing my food. While it may seem convienent(sp) to have a lazy susan, it really offers a new challenge to eating. I tried my best as well to guide others on what food I was familiar with because I eat a lot of asian cuisine.
Here are some of my basic rules and warnings:
Stay away from deserts unless they are fruit.
Don't eat food off the street.
On a hot day, if you are sick and need cold water, make sure you specify cold. Apparently scolding hot it just how water is served normally.
People will pressure you to eat soup and other random things. Try not to break. haha
Fish is tasty but you will always have bones just like watermelons will always have seeds.
Most places don't have refridgerators so sorry no leftovers!
When in China and looking for a meal, think money is no object because everything is cheap.
Check out the American isle in the bigger shops for a laugh. $8 for a can of imported campells clam chowder!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Where to start...
My visit to China had so many experiences that to document them all would be incredibly tiresome. I will tell the stories here that I feel are most notable and that I like to tell my friends that weren't there.
Broken Washing Machine
The old washing machine in our dorms at Wuyi University broke. It sat in a room with a towel cart, soaps, toothbrushes, a dirty sink and other mysterious large appliances. Chris had his laundry stuck in the machine and he got the desk downstairs to send up help by tommorrow. Instead, the help came later that night. Who is that smoking man? Is he going to steal our clothes? They are wet...who steals wet clothes. This is china! In any case, this man very cooly smoking a cigarette, was a mechnanical badass. The punchline to this story is how he fixed the machine. He took a screw driver, jammed it in each of the holes of the wall outlet aggressively and then slammed the machine 3 times line fonzie and the thing actually turned on. Chris and I looked at eachother in awe, and clapped for everyones amusement and ran to tell the rest of the group this story. We were so giddy over it because it was like some secret art of beating the crap out of a machine.
Morning Walk
In summary this tale involves a man we can assume just was walking down the street to the community bath quickly. He didn't expect a group of Americans in rickshaws with cameras to laugh and take pictures in amazement. He cursed at us. It is like a sitcom moment, what is the chances of such a media hungry group crossing in his morning path? haha
Dinner of Horror
Everyone didn't feel well either before, after or during this meal. We went to what seemed to be a promising ordeal, a hotpot eatery. The menu however was composed things such as bullfrog (ordered by Chris) and the most shocking cattle dick. Yes, cattle dick. No one ordered it thankfully, but I simply HAD to get pizza after this experience. Also nothing looking too appetizing, I said screw cooking things and just went to town on an appetizer plate of "mini lobsters". They were messy and I thought, well if I eat one or two I might as well eat the rest.
Pleasant Surprize
After researching our accomadations online, it seemed our stay in Shanghai was at a hotel closer to a brothel. We all were expecting a horrific fleabag hotel, but instead it must have been renovated recently because it was t arguably the best hotel on the trip. With flat screen tvs, mini bars, view of the radio tower on the bund, beautiful bathroom, nice beds, chairs, ottoman, huge closets, hell even in the single you could watch tv in the shower through the glass wall.
Discount Kareoke
When we all went out for Kareoke we found a place and we got a translator on the phone and everything seemed to be settled. The cost seemed to be 380 and we agreed. We got in the room and ordered beers and they asked for 180 for the assumed deposit. So after we sing and have a nice night we went to the counter to pay the rest. They said no you are all set. Kate tried to explain we owed more. They said no you all set! We said okay. we-are-leaving-now-then and they are like okay byeee! and we ran. They won't see us again anyway. I assume that was supposed to be that cheap anyway.
Toilet Volcano
One of the funniest moments on the trip was actually at my professors expense. (sorry) Late at night I heard a strange noise down the hall like something shaking and pounding. A little while later, the professor comes frantically down the hall asking "Is your toilet erupting too? My toilet is belching hot water everywhere like a volcano!" I broke out laughing. Maybe I still have 3rd grade toilet humor, but an exploding toilet never ceases to amuse me.
other brief notes
90% of ice cream tastes like corn in China.
$15 buys the most expensive thing on most menus.
A backpack of alcohol will run you about $7.
Cheese is rare.
Yogurt is spelled yoghurt or youghurt and is more like sour cream. I think thats the noise you make while grabbing your stomach after eating it "Yoooggggg huurrtt"
Pizza costs as much as it does in America however doesn't always taste the same.
Hong Kong uses the $ for money so even though you paid $12 US for something it looks like it cost $100.
more to come!
Broken Washing Machine
The old washing machine in our dorms at Wuyi University broke. It sat in a room with a towel cart, soaps, toothbrushes, a dirty sink and other mysterious large appliances. Chris had his laundry stuck in the machine and he got the desk downstairs to send up help by tommorrow. Instead, the help came later that night. Who is that smoking man? Is he going to steal our clothes? They are wet...who steals wet clothes. This is china! In any case, this man very cooly smoking a cigarette, was a mechnanical badass. The punchline to this story is how he fixed the machine. He took a screw driver, jammed it in each of the holes of the wall outlet aggressively and then slammed the machine 3 times line fonzie and the thing actually turned on. Chris and I looked at eachother in awe, and clapped for everyones amusement and ran to tell the rest of the group this story. We were so giddy over it because it was like some secret art of beating the crap out of a machine.
Morning Walk
In summary this tale involves a man we can assume just was walking down the street to the community bath quickly. He didn't expect a group of Americans in rickshaws with cameras to laugh and take pictures in amazement. He cursed at us. It is like a sitcom moment, what is the chances of such a media hungry group crossing in his morning path? haha
Dinner of Horror
Everyone didn't feel well either before, after or during this meal. We went to what seemed to be a promising ordeal, a hotpot eatery. The menu however was composed things such as bullfrog (ordered by Chris) and the most shocking cattle dick. Yes, cattle dick. No one ordered it thankfully, but I simply HAD to get pizza after this experience. Also nothing looking too appetizing, I said screw cooking things and just went to town on an appetizer plate of "mini lobsters". They were messy and I thought, well if I eat one or two I might as well eat the rest.
Pleasant Surprize
After researching our accomadations online, it seemed our stay in Shanghai was at a hotel closer to a brothel. We all were expecting a horrific fleabag hotel, but instead it must have been renovated recently because it was t arguably the best hotel on the trip. With flat screen tvs, mini bars, view of the radio tower on the bund, beautiful bathroom, nice beds, chairs, ottoman, huge closets, hell even in the single you could watch tv in the shower through the glass wall.
Discount Kareoke
When we all went out for Kareoke we found a place and we got a translator on the phone and everything seemed to be settled. The cost seemed to be 380 and we agreed. We got in the room and ordered beers and they asked for 180 for the assumed deposit. So after we sing and have a nice night we went to the counter to pay the rest. They said no you are all set. Kate tried to explain we owed more. They said no you all set! We said okay. we-are-leaving-now-then and they are like okay byeee! and we ran. They won't see us again anyway. I assume that was supposed to be that cheap anyway.
Toilet Volcano
One of the funniest moments on the trip was actually at my professors expense. (sorry) Late at night I heard a strange noise down the hall like something shaking and pounding. A little while later, the professor comes frantically down the hall asking "Is your toilet erupting too? My toilet is belching hot water everywhere like a volcano!" I broke out laughing. Maybe I still have 3rd grade toilet humor, but an exploding toilet never ceases to amuse me.
other brief notes
90% of ice cream tastes like corn in China.
$15 buys the most expensive thing on most menus.
A backpack of alcohol will run you about $7.
Cheese is rare.
Yogurt is spelled yoghurt or youghurt and is more like sour cream. I think thats the noise you make while grabbing your stomach after eating it "Yoooggggg huurrtt"
Pizza costs as much as it does in America however doesn't always taste the same.
Hong Kong uses the $ for money so even though you paid $12 US for something it looks like it cost $100.
more to come!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Proposal For BSC Plaque Program
I plan on submitting this piece to probably the International Office or an office that would recognize it as a need.
----
Bridgewater State College has various relationships with other colleges abroad. Recently more students are traveling abroad through study tours. The study tours are often excellent opportunities to extend friendships and associations with other colleges. I feel however that the college only affiliates itself to study tours from a distance. I believe if a program is established that formally travels alongside our students and faculty during study tours and exchange programs it would increase opportunities and friendships with other schools.
Recently I've arrived back from the Summer 2008 study tour to China. I've traveled with the school before with the Japan study tour program and I am on my second term as president of the International Culture Club at BSC that promotes different cultures through events during the year. At Wuyi University we were shown a building that housed trophies and plaques presented by other schools in various countries and other schools in the United States. There was also a list that basically demonstrated how involved the schools were with Wuyi. Bridgewater State was not even listed yet. During my studies, specifically at Wuyi University in China, I noticed that the school treated us as ambassadors. I personally felt unsupported in this role by BSC. During the closing event at the program, Wuyi University presented BSC with a large trophy, gave us various presentations and free shirts and cds. Much less equipped, luckily one of the students of the study tour donated their own money the days prior to develop a simple plaque that showed our appreciation. In summary of this, I wondered why the students should have to spend their money on a plague for our college. Shouldn't the college have given us something to present to Wuyi before our departure?
Many study tours visit schools globally and I think Bridgewater State College is missing on potential relationship building, simple gestures of good will. I think there should be a development of a program that gives study tours simple plaques and perhaps gift funding for schools to be visited. Also it might be a good idea to include funds to bring the items (via extra carry on) to not put the weight of these items on the professors baggage.
I am not familiar with how the college establishes relationships with schools behind the scenes but first hand I can say that some simple gifts can go a long way in honoring education between schools. With a record high number of students on study tours I think there is no better time than to implement this program. Students represent the college abroad very well and very rarely there are stories of disgrace upon the school. It would only be right to provide the groups with an equally warm welcome package from the college.
I think every school visited, no matter how long the stay should be given a plaque by Bridgewater State College. This is gesture may very well open doors for future International Programs and makes a mark on the school visited. Though it may seem trivial to some, I think this would go a long way in respecting schools and creating new relationships.
----
Bridgewater State College has various relationships with other colleges abroad. Recently more students are traveling abroad through study tours. The study tours are often excellent opportunities to extend friendships and associations with other colleges. I feel however that the college only affiliates itself to study tours from a distance. I believe if a program is established that formally travels alongside our students and faculty during study tours and exchange programs it would increase opportunities and friendships with other schools.
Recently I've arrived back from the Summer 2008 study tour to China. I've traveled with the school before with the Japan study tour program and I am on my second term as president of the International Culture Club at BSC that promotes different cultures through events during the year. At Wuyi University we were shown a building that housed trophies and plaques presented by other schools in various countries and other schools in the United States. There was also a list that basically demonstrated how involved the schools were with Wuyi. Bridgewater State was not even listed yet. During my studies, specifically at Wuyi University in China, I noticed that the school treated us as ambassadors. I personally felt unsupported in this role by BSC. During the closing event at the program, Wuyi University presented BSC with a large trophy, gave us various presentations and free shirts and cds. Much less equipped, luckily one of the students of the study tour donated their own money the days prior to develop a simple plaque that showed our appreciation. In summary of this, I wondered why the students should have to spend their money on a plague for our college. Shouldn't the college have given us something to present to Wuyi before our departure?
Many study tours visit schools globally and I think Bridgewater State College is missing on potential relationship building, simple gestures of good will. I think there should be a development of a program that gives study tours simple plaques and perhaps gift funding for schools to be visited. Also it might be a good idea to include funds to bring the items (via extra carry on) to not put the weight of these items on the professors baggage.
I am not familiar with how the college establishes relationships with schools behind the scenes but first hand I can say that some simple gifts can go a long way in honoring education between schools. With a record high number of students on study tours I think there is no better time than to implement this program. Students represent the college abroad very well and very rarely there are stories of disgrace upon the school. It would only be right to provide the groups with an equally warm welcome package from the college.
I think every school visited, no matter how long the stay should be given a plaque by Bridgewater State College. This is gesture may very well open doors for future International Programs and makes a mark on the school visited. Though it may seem trivial to some, I think this would go a long way in respecting schools and creating new relationships.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
BBC Debate
The BBC Debate on China at
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8144110037404367249&q=the+growth+of+china&ei=d0MkSL_KGYjGrQKCwvicDA
discusses the growth of China and goes into more of the limitations of growth. These include the chinese people considering profit over social responsibility, lack of democracy and effective ways to guide the growth of the whole country and provide incentives to do the right thing for the country and enviornment over the right thing for one's pocket. While the technology is available to solve problems of pollution it is hard to intergrate the technology in already existing areas due to cost and overall worth to the company (not concerning the worth to society as a whole). This video makes the growth in China to be an uphill battle. The economy and government are key problems that need to be worked through. It will have to be a combination of grassroots support and higher leadership. The proliferation of the internet I believe also contributed in the desire for democracy in China. The underlying hero in all of the world now though is technology. Every country is looking for fuel efficiency and alternatives to sapping natural resources to name two things of interest.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8144110037404367249&q=the+growth+of+china&ei=d0MkSL_KGYjGrQKCwvicDA
discusses the growth of China and goes into more of the limitations of growth. These include the chinese people considering profit over social responsibility, lack of democracy and effective ways to guide the growth of the whole country and provide incentives to do the right thing for the country and enviornment over the right thing for one's pocket. While the technology is available to solve problems of pollution it is hard to intergrate the technology in already existing areas due to cost and overall worth to the company (not concerning the worth to society as a whole). This video makes the growth in China to be an uphill battle. The economy and government are key problems that need to be worked through. It will have to be a combination of grassroots support and higher leadership. The proliferation of the internet I believe also contributed in the desire for democracy in China. The underlying hero in all of the world now though is technology. Every country is looking for fuel efficiency and alternatives to sapping natural resources to name two things of interest.
China's Technological Growth
On the video at:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8150825770152681685
Pete Suttmeier discusses China's growth and handling of technology, investing and catching up with the rest of the major countries of the world with technology. Now this is more prevalent because while America now is lacking funding and cutting back largely in science development, countries like China are continuing their funding and gaining ground over the US. On top of this set back, many companies in the US are investing in China and abandoning the American industry because of low cost production and more leeway in certain areas of development. These companies are cutting between the lines and picking the best aspects of both countries. Now that China is getting more stable it is wishing to plan for the future. However is China really that stable? There are many things to consider as China grows including patents, funding allocation, long term reprocussions to long term projects (learn from the big dig china!) among other things. In the end however no one can be sure how China will handle these issues and only time will tell.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8150825770152681685
Pete Suttmeier discusses China's growth and handling of technology, investing and catching up with the rest of the major countries of the world with technology. Now this is more prevalent because while America now is lacking funding and cutting back largely in science development, countries like China are continuing their funding and gaining ground over the US. On top of this set back, many companies in the US are investing in China and abandoning the American industry because of low cost production and more leeway in certain areas of development. These companies are cutting between the lines and picking the best aspects of both countries. Now that China is getting more stable it is wishing to plan for the future. However is China really that stable? There are many things to consider as China grows including patents, funding allocation, long term reprocussions to long term projects (learn from the big dig china!) among other things. In the end however no one can be sure how China will handle these issues and only time will tell.
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