The Twelfth Day – Shanghai

Today was informative. We woke up relatively early again, and went to Datong school right away. Once we were at Datong school, they bussed us off to an off campus space where students can learn to 3D print. The office was interesting, but a little underwhelming; it only seemed loosely connected to the school, and it was unclear why Datong decided to show it to us. None the less, it was fun to learn that the students had such interesting opportunities to create things; it was also interesting to see some of the objects the kids had designed.

After visiting the 3D printing space, we went back to the school to interview some students at Datong about our research projects. The student I was paired with had a lot to share about my project. She said that the media had one main message: that America and China can work together, and benefit both countries. Therefore, it does not really matter what America does, as long as it helps China, or at least does not hurt. However, it did not seem as if she was unopinionated when it came to the United States, particularly our president. She told me that she thought Donald Trump was unqualified for his job; she told me she thought he was a businessman, and did not know what he was doing when it came to politics.

After our interviews, we went to a newspaper called Shanghai Daily. The only daily newspaper in Shanghai in English, Shanghai daily is unique. Our visit there was captivating. It was fun to learn about how a real newspaper runs. Shanghai Daily is in an interesting position that is different from most newspapers; it’s largest portion of readers are on a different sleep schedule than the city it writes about. This means that workers there have awkward hours, but it is still a successful newspaper. After getting a tour of the offices, we had the opportunity to view a presentation on Shanghai Daily, and then ask some of the editors and writers questions. During the presentation, we learned that Shanghai Daily is a government affiliated newspaper, and its main purpose is to write about Shanghai. However, Shanghai Daily still reports on the happenings of the world. According to the editors, Shanghai Daily decides what global news by following a simple philosophy: they report on news that matters to the readers and to Shanghai, but try to avoid scandal, and only report the truth. However, I still noticed two articles related to scandals involving Trump. One was on the Trump – Russia Scandal, and the second was about the Australian Prime Minister mocking Trump during a speech. The representation of Trump in Shanghai Daily shows him to be a man underqualified for the Job he has.

After visiting Shanghai Daily, we went to dinner, hosted by the parent of a PA student. All of the meals in China have been enjoyable; regardless of the quality of the food, eating and bonding with friends is a relaxing and fun experience. After dinner, we went back to the hotel, at which point we were all ready to sleep.

The Eleventh Day – Shanghai

Today was interesting. The morning was spent at Datong High School again, but this time we were able to shadow our buddies in groups, and go to their classes through their 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th periods. The Datong student I was with had a double period computer science, and then a math class. The computer science class was interesting, mainly because nobody seemed to pay attention; during class time, almost all of the students were playing computer games rather than actually participating in the lesson. When the teacher came around to check on the students, they would switch their screens to make it appear as if they were following along.

During math class, the students seemed to pay more attention; with no computer screens to get lost in, they followed lesson. I did not really understand what was going on in either class, because of the language barrier; however, in math class, I was able to recognize at least some topics, such as sequences.

After shadowing our buddies, we went off to lunch, where we were able to find our own food in a market. We had an assortment of dumplings, including soup and fried versions. We had a few hours to explore the market, so we wandered through the different shops that lined the streets. Most shops featured random trinkets, or were some sort of specialized restaurant.

After our free time wandering the market, we went as a group into a garden in the markets. The gardens used to belong to a family during the Qing dynasty, and it had a water network that connected all the sections. The beauty of the natural gardens contrasted with the man made beauty of the markets just outside the garden walls.

We had dinner and then we went to the Shanghai Circus. The Shanghai Circus was amazing; I have been to the circus in America, but it didn’t hold a candle to the Shanghai Circus. During almost every act, someone risked their life performing a stunt, each of which must have taken years to master. Although the show was not relaxing (I was on the edge of my seat the whole time), it was an entertaining end to a busy day.

The Tenth Day – Shanghai

Today was hectic. We started the day by going to Datong high school. Some people in our group were pen pals with students from Datong, so we had lunch with their buddies. We were able to talk some about life at the school, and then they went back to class. While the students were in class, we also got to sample some different art classes; we had lessons in calligraphy, art, and martial arts.

After visiting Datong, we went to dinner. For dinner, we had beef noodles from a restaurant in the basement of a mall, and found some bubble tea. Dinner was a fun experience, because not only was it good food, but also a vocabulary word (红烧牛肉).

After having dinner, we went to the Shanghai bund. We explored the bund for hours; the Shanghai skyline is beautiful from the stretch of road we were on. We walked around until 8:00, exploring the bund, and eventually venturing off into the French Concession. At 8:00, we boarded a night cruise, where we were able to see the lights of all the large towers in Shanghai. The multicolored skyscrapers created an artificial sunset out of their lights, but it was just as beautiful.

The Ninth Day – Yichang and Shanghai

We woke up early this morning to gather our luggage and have our final breakfast on the Victoria Sophia before our departure. After leaving the ship, we set off immediately on a tour bus to see the Three Gorges Dam. We arrived at the dam in the early morning, and got a comprehensive look at the dam, both up-close and from afar. It was especially fascinating to see the dam in person, because we have spent so much time learning about the complicated and controversial history of its construction. We have watched documentaries, read articles, and had thorough discussions about the importance of the Yangtze, and the significance of the Three Gorges Dam for the Chinese people. Moreover, our experience at the dam seemed especially significant because we’ve been able to engage with local people who have been directly affected by the dam, both negatively and positively.

After a few hours viewing the dam, we headed to Yichang and ate lunch in a restaurant at a local hotel. After a hearty meal, we all got to try (insert fruit name here) for the first time, which is a type of native Chinese fruit that is currently in-season. We’ve seen street vendors selling these fruits throughout our trip, and it was exciting to finally get to try some.

After lunch, we went to a history museum. The museum was home to artifacts collected at the site of the now underwater island near the Three Gorges Dam. The artifacts were sorted by time period, the oldest being thousands of years old, the newest less than 80 years. The museum was preparing to build a new exhibit, and in order to raise money, they were selling some of their less significant artifacts. After some of our group made purchases, we left for the airport. On the way to the airport, we stopped at a mall to get Starbucks, and take a break from driving. Most of us got some sort of green tea related drink, and then we spent the next 45 minutes exploring the mall and shopping.

The airport was tiny, but we weren’t there for long. After checking in, we had a small dinner, and then went through security. The security checkpoint was problematic; almost everyone had packed something incorrectly, and things taken away by security ranged from a craft knife to an oversized tub of Vaseline. After security, our flight was problem free and quick. We made it from the airport in Shanghai to our hotel without much hassle, and after a long travel day, we are excited to experience Shanghai tomorrow.

The Seventh Day – Yangtze River

Today was relaxing. Almost the entire day was spent on the boat, except for a short excursion in the afternoon. On the boat, there is not a whole lot to do, but that does not mean there is nothing fun; most of the time we play card games or just talk.

During the excursion, we went to a small town along the side of the Yangtze river. The whole town had been relocated out of necessity, as after the three gorges dam was set up, their entire town was flooded. The reason our boat stopped at the town was because of a Taoist temple at the top of a small mountain, only accessible by climbing up a pagoda. The towns economy was clearly dependent on the tourist industry; the entire way to the mountain, small stalls surrounded the street, selling souvenirs to passersby.

Our tour guide, Tom, made many jokes along the way. For the most part, he made jokes about the quality of the products we saw, about the people, and life in the town. Towards the end of the tour, however, when Tom was done with his routine, he became more serious in his conversation. At one point, the topic of America came up. He made a few cracks at Trump, but then said something that resonated with me: no matter who our president is, they will always think that China is the enemy.

This is fairly accurate; I believe that most of our recent presidents have acted with some level of sternness towards the growing superpower (although some more than others). This means that to a large extent, Chinese media representation of the United States is fairly accurate. Perhaps aggressions by the US towards China are overplayed or read into in Chinese media, but the hostility is present.

The Sixth Day – Chengdu and Chongqing

Today was a travel day. We met in the lobby at 8:30, and immediately got on the bus. The ride was about two hours, but it went by fast; the greenery of Sichuan province provided a relaxing distraction from the road trip.

After the bus ride, we took a high-speed train from Chengdu to Chongqing. The bullet train ride was my first ever; it went amazingly fast, and was completely silent. The train felt like being on a plane without turbulence, and the train station was even similar to an airport.

Chongqing was beautiful. The city is very green, in multiple meanings of the word; Chongqing has trees everywhere, but also has multiple carbon reducing initiatives. One of these can be found in the cars they drive; all the taxis and public buses use special engines that are more efficient than the average car.

While we were in Chongqing, we went to a mountain in the center of the city. At the top of the mountain was a tall pagoda, from which all of Chongqing was visible. The Yangtze river runs through the city, and the yellow color of the silty water contrasted with the greenery of the city. On our drive to the cruise, we passed a small strip of land; now partially covered by a bridge, the land used to be an airfield for the Flaming Tigers. During World War II, the Flaming Tigers were a group of US pilots, who brought supplies from Burma to Chongqing. The path they took was treacherous but unguarded by the Japanese. The Flaming Tigers were revered by our tour guide, Richard, who seemed proud to show us this example of cooperation between the United States and China.

At night, we boarded our cruise ship, and started cruising down the Yangtze river. Even though we only stayed in Chongqing for a few hours, I was sad to leave it behind; I was attracted to the city because it seemed to reject the US stereotype that all Chinese urban areas are filled with smog, centers of pollution that are without any form of nature. Although this stereotype is fairly accurate about most cities in China, I have seen efforts to reduce pollution almost everywhere I have been. From the bike share in Chengdu, to the green public transport in Chongqing, to the reforestation projects in Dujiangyan, it is evident that the Chinese government is not ignoring pollution as much as American media would have me believe.

The Fifth Day – Dujiangyan

The fifth day was tiring. In the morning, our group walked to the irrigation system in Dujiangyan. A world heritage site, the irrigation system was built over 2,000 years ago, and is still being used today. The system was built to provide water for farming in the dry season, and protect against flooding in the wet season. The engineers did this by creating a dyke that split the min river into two sections. The section that brought water to the farmers was deeper and thinner than the other section of the river. The depth of the created river meant that water still flowed through even in the dry season, and the width of the natural river meant that in the wet season, more water would flow through there.

After visiting the Dujiangyan dyke, we went to the Qingchang mountain (Kung Fu Panda mountain). The mountain has stairs, which provide a windy and steep path to the summit. Along the way, there are many small Taoist temples. At the top, however, is a temple much larger than any along the way; inside sat a Taoist god, his eyes following our movements. The sight from the top of the mountain, just outside the temple, was stunning. The nearby mountains looked soft and fluffy, covered in a diverse array of trees. The clouds created a haze around the mountains, fading their green into the grey of the sky.

The walk down was long but fun. The stairs were steep and tiring, but the mountain’s flora and fauna created a serene environment, and I had many fun conversations with friends. After a long day at the mountain, everyone is tired, but ready for a day of traveling tomorrow.

 

The Fourth Day – Dujiangyan

The fourth day was adorable. The whole day was spent at a panda breeding center in Dujiangyan, where we helped the keepers clean and feed the pandas. We cleaned up panda poop, which was mostly bamboo fiber; we removed leftover bamboo shoots and leaves; we sprayed down the cages with water, and rinsed the outside stone; and we replaced all the eaten bamboo with freshly cracked bamboo. After the cleaning was done, we got to feed the pandas carrots, bamboo, and panda bread. The pandas enjoyed there food, and being so close to them was an amazing experience.

After visiting the panda research center, we had some free time to explore the area around our hotel, and get some food. The group I was with found another hotpot restaurant, this one being more open and accessible than the one in Chengdu. A buffet style restaurant, we picked our meats and greens from the kitchen area, and brought them to our table ourselves. I tried eating a chicken foot for the first time, which was tastier than I anticipated. When we were done eating, the restaurant weighed the skewers that the meat and veggies came on, and calculated our tab from the mass.

Once dinner was over, we wandered the streets for a while, and then went back to the hotel. In the hotel room, my roommate and I watched some Chinese TV stations. After surfing the channels for more than a few minutes, I began to notice a pattern in Chinese television that is completely different from American television; almost every single TV channel had accurate, prewritten subtitles. In American television, subtitles are uncommon; in the rare event that they do occur, they are commonly being written as the person is speaking, and are therefore less accurate, and delayed. I was surprised by this difference; from the experiences of China I have had so far, the country does not seem to concerned with accommodating people with disabilities. When visiting the school for children with mental and learning disabilities, we were told that schools like it were rare; when visiting Blue Sheep, we learned how disadvantaged disabled people are in Chinese society. Because of these precedences, I did not expect Chinese television to be so accommodating to those who are hard of hearing.

The fourth day in China was an amazing experience. The Dujiangyan panda reserve and breeding center was adorable, and dinner was an exciting adventure. Dujiangyan is quickly proving to be an amazing city.

 

The Third Day – Chengdu and Dujiangyan

The third day went by quickly. One of the most exciting days by far, our group started the day by visiting Blue Sheep, a small shop in Chengdu. Run by a woman from the UK, the shop teaches people with disabilities, as well as people in ethnic minorities, to make art and other products. The shop then sells the products, and gives a larger portion to the workers than most stores. In fact, the Blue Sheep shop does not profit off of the work the artisans do, their main goal being to help the disadvantaged, not make a profit. While we were at Blue Sheep, we learned about the history of the store, and some of the workers. We then helped the store by taking pictures of the products, to put on their website.

After visiting Blue Sheep, we had lunch at a Tibetan restaurant. Most of the food had some sort of Yak product; we had yak dumplings, a yak potato dish, and even yak butter tea. The whole meal was very filling, and the tea had a unique buttery flavor.

Once we were done with lunch, we went to a museum and park in Chengdu. The museum is at the excavation site of various important objects pertaining to Chinese heritage. One of the relics found there was a disc made from gold, which depicted an immortal bird flying around the sun. The museum also had incredible gardens; different types of trees and bushes framed the walkways, guiding us past the rivers and buildings that were in the park. The pathway brought us to an animal enclosure, which housed an assortment of deer. The animals were much smaller than the white-tailed deer in the Andover woods, but somehow ten times more majestic. One of the deer was especially brave, and came close to us and started licking the stone ground (they crave that mineral).

When we left park, we rode the bus to Dujiangyan. The ride was long, about one and a half hours, but it went by quickly, due to the excessively nuanced game of mafia that we played. Once we were in Dujiangyan, we had about three hours of free time, and went to go find dinner. We split up into small groups fairly quickly, and went in different directions to go and find food. The group I was with found a large market area, with plenty of eating options. Dinner was delicious and energizing. After we had eaten, we found a store that sold delicious bubble tea. The day was over before I realized, and has so far been my best day in China.

The Second Day – Chengdu

The second day was exciting. We started the morning by visiting the park at Du Fu’s thatched cottage. A section of the park was devoted to an excavation site, where archeologists had discovered some buildings from the Tang dynasty. The rest of the park was mostly gardens. These gardens were more intricate than the Wu Han temple gardens; maze like in nature, the twisting pathways brought us around rock formations, waterfalls, bonsai trees, and a vast variety of vegetation. Many small streams ran through the gardens, bringing the park connected feeling.

After we visited the gardens, we went to a Chengdu public school for children with intense special needs. At the school we got a tour of the grounds; the school was equipped with a vast array of facilities, including a roof garden, a mushroom hut, a real maker space (with saws and hammers, not laser cutters and 3D printers), a small library, a track and field, and many classrooms. After our tour, we got paired with a buddy, and went to art class with them. My buddy was a little girl, who, it turns out, is very good at painting crabs. After art class, we did a gift exchange, and said goodbye.

Later in the evening, we had dinner with a special guest. An interpreter from Chengdu, he provided insight on what being an interpreter is like, as well as what China is like as a citizen. At one point towards the end of dinner, I got the opportunity to ask him about his opinion on Donald Trump, and how that compares with the majority opinion in China. His answer was clear and concise: nobody in China cares about what Trump is doing, just like how nobody in China cared about Obama, or Bush. This seems on par with how most Americans feel about President Xi; most Americans do not care what President Xi does, because usually it does not impact our lives.

When dinner was over, we went to a tea house, and saw a performance of various arts. There was a short Chinese opera, some shadow puppets, and some singing and instrument playing. The entertaining performance was a solid end to busy and fun day.