So, when we last left off I had just visited the Great Wall and getting ready to go on Spring Break. So, we decided to go to Shanghai and Hangzhou. Most of you all know that Beijing is the political capital of China and Shanghai is the economic capital. If you go to Shanghai, you can completely see this aspect. Shanghai has different areas of the city dedicated to different countries. They have a French/European section, and of course all the McDonald's, Starbucks, and Dunkin' Donuts one could ask for. The train ride was a long 12hours and a bit uncomfortable, but this is how many travel in China.
So, we arrived in Shanghai and the weather was quite nice. We didn't really have much of a plan besides walk around and visit "Old Shanghai" and try and see what the city was all about. I had my first hostel experience in Shanghai. It was a really nice (and super cheap) hostel. It had some of the funniest pirate decorations (I forgot the name but it had something to do with a captain and a ship).
As you can tell from the picture, it was rather quaint and the beds were quite comfortable. Our hostel was conveniently located by "The Bund" or "Waitan" 外滩. If you've seen pictures of Shanghai then you know what place I'm talking about. It is located on the Huangpo river and home to some of the coolest modern architecture I've seen.
Also, the governmental section of the city is located here with some very European looking government offices.
However, one of the prettier things I've seen was the Bund at night:
As you can see, it was a cool experience. I really wanted to take a boat, but time would not permit. So, our next adventure was to Hangzhou.Hangzhou is about an hour away Shanghai by train. It's known for its natural scenery and home to a large lake - creatively named: West Lake or 西湖. Hangzhou has a rich history. It was the stronghold of the Kuomintang and then the Communist army invaded and came under Communist rule in 1949. Since Deng Xiaoping's Reform and Opening policy, Hangzhou has been one of the most prosperous cities in China. Also, West Lake was the site where Richard Nixon and Zhou Enlai signed the "Shanghai Communique" which commited the US and China to normalizing diplomatic relations. It was a really interesting place to visit.
The weather seemed to reflect the city's industrious atmosphere: drizzly, damp, grey, and cold.
Also, in Hangzhou we found one the coolest streets: Snack Street (小吃街）. It was an entire street dedicated to some of China's most delectable snacks - a welcome relief to the hungry and weary traveler.
The weather wasn't ideal, but the natural beauty was still present.
West Lake.
All in all, it was a lovely Spring Break.So, upon returning to Beijing. I had my Independent Presentation. I've been doing research and writing a paper on ethnic minorities in China all semester. So, I was pretty nervous. It was a 20 minute presentation all in Chinese. So, they filmed it and I was able to procure the video. Many of you have asked to hear me speak Chinese, or have expressed an interest. So, I've uploaded my presentation for your enjoyment or to laugh at me. :)
So barring a few technical difficulties, it went really well and I'm fairly pleased.
Once that was over we could relax a little. The process of writing, researching, and interviewing people was a tedious process.
The next event that we had was "China Night" or our talent show. It was basically our opportunity to make fun of ourselves and perform skits and songs all in Chinese. Also, the occasional dance was welcomed. There is this really popular video in China where some kids do a dance at a College. It's on China's version of YouTube. A teacher asked 6 of us if we could memorize and perform it for "China Night."
The six of us were hard at work to perfect our dance.
I've included the Chinese link so you all can watch:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNjY3MjIyNTY=.html
Here is the actual video! :) We're going to put it up on China's version of YouTube:
Tomorrow I have 2 final oral presentations and then Friday we have our final exam and graduation. The semester is coming to an end and I couldn't be happier. I think this program has done so much for me.
So, Monday I'm moving into a Beijing apartment (with some American friends) and will be soaking up the culture and travelling around Northern China until my program starts in June. I am incredibly excited. I'll still keep my blog and I'm sure my posts will become more literary and eloquent, as I'll have more time to devote to them (not to mention a little more random). There's still so much I still have to see in Beijing i.e. Forbidden City, Summer Palace, all of the Olympic sites.
Anyways, I should be off to study. Stay tuned!!
--Aaron
P.S.
Visitors are always welcome! If you want to have a good time in China, do some travel and some free translation services come visitttttttttt!
