Our Last Day in China

On our final day in China we headed first to the port of Tianjin. It was about a 2.5 hour drive. We got out walked around and were lucky enough to be able to watch a boat leaving the port.





Cliff and John take a seat on the dock of the port.



Nina and Adam walk around to check out the area.




Will and Nikola show how huge the port machinery was.





Danielle stops in front of the machines.





A birthday dream come true for Justin, spending his 23rd birthday in the Tianjin sea port.



Lindsay, Brandy, Adam, Codie, Justin, Brett, Robert, Jake, Logan and Caitlin.



Adam, Stephanie, Bridget and Kristen.




The ship is being pulled out by the other boat.



The group watches the action.




After pulling the ship out the boat plays bumper cars to turn the ship out to sea.




There are two boats involved in getting this ship out to sea.



We had lunch at Pizza Hut near the port then we went back into the city.



Next we visited a Toyota plant for a interesting tour through their just-in time production line.




The showroom of the cars they produce at this plant.



Ryan and Nikola with their guest hats on.



Bridget trying out the Rio.




Our tour guide describing the differences between the cars.





We stopped by the new Olympic soccer arena before stopping by a new shopping mall and ending our evening at the Future Children's Creative Arts Center of Tianjin. We split up into 3 groups to tour the center and all met back on the 7th floor for our final Alumni Banquet of the trip.



Codie and Nikola on the bus.



The lobby of the center.



The view from our banquet room.




Dr. Chow and Dr. Riley introduce the University video, and thank our hosts for their hospitality.








Before dinner began we were given a performance by some of the children and two of the teachers from the center.




One of the performers welcomes Dr. Riley.





As the night winds down we all just enjoyed each others company before heading home.




Nikola and Chris catching some sleep on the bus.

We have had quite an amazing trip, but I know many of us our

exhausted and ready to return home.

As we have returned safely from China, we have gained a number of life stories.

To date I have been able to catch up on all of the pictures. I hope you have enjoyed following along with our experiences.

Please glance back through the previous entries as I have recently added pictures to a number of the blogs.

The Great Wall

The entrance to the Great Wall

Today was one visit that many of us had waited the whole trip for, The Great Wall of China. We were all up and out the door around 8 AM. It was about a 40 minute ride to a remote area of the wall. Our guides take us to this spot instead of the wall in Beijing because there were fewer tourist.

There it is!

One of the towers on the wall.

Our guide describing the different directions.

Ryan stops to capture a picture of the scenery.

Caitlin photographs one of the gardens before the wall.

Rob made it through the maze first because he cheated and jumped the walls.

Jimmy, John, Justin and Nikola wander through the maze.

Everyone who found their way through.

Last pit stop before climbing the wall.

The Great Wall of China

It was nice, we pretty much had the wall to ourselves. After getting some information from the tour guide, we were set free to walk the thousands of stairs for an hour and a half. I think we found out how the Chinese stay so thin, we all had quite the work out.

At the begining

Dr. France didn't come with us because of a migrane so we made a little sign. Will, Lindsay, Kristen, Megan and Laura.

The small white spots are some of the students who took the eastern route.

Will climbs the small steps up into the tower.

Some of the students pose on the steps.

Kristen and Bridget on the Great Wall.

This place was amazing

Will made it to the top.

Bridget, Laura and Kristen on the way back down the wall.

When the old wall started there was only one guide wall so it became a little dangerous.

Laura and our Chinese friend

It was a long way up

Kristen calling her family from the Great Wall

Megan and Lindsay

Jimmy, Laura, Chris, Jake, Bridget, Lindsay, Kristen and Megan

Bridget on a camel at the wall.

Around 11 we headed back to the hotel for lunch then boarded the bus for the city of Tianjin. We went to visit the Tianjin Ancient Culture Street, where we spent a few hours before heading off to dinner.

We could make our own dumplings at the restaruant

A few of our hosts welcoming us to Tianjin

The restaruant was very elaborate.

Rob enjoys being a King for a moment with Brandy and Codie on the Emperors throne.

Adam is King

Our hosts gave Brett a cake for his birthday.

He even got to blow out some candles to celebrate.

After dinner we took a quick stroll through the Tianjin TV tower. The restaurant at the top of the tower rotated so you could have a 360* view of the city.

The Tianjin TV tower at night.

Tianjin after dark

Jimmy, Will and Rob stand with one foot on the moving carpet and one on the stable platform.

After an exhausting day of walking all over town, we checked into our hotel and had a quiet evening.

Mark and Logan wait for their room keys.

Tian Amen Square & The Forbidden City

The front of Tian Amen Square





The middle of the Square

Today we were up and moving onto our next stop in Beijing. We had a short flight and then drove about an hour into the city. Our first stop in Beijing was Tian Amen Square.




The front entrance of the Forbidden City




The military stood on guard, inside the entrance there was a large military appearance because a number of soldiers live here.




Dr. Riley and our Tianjin host Sal.




We got off the bus and walked through the square to the other end where the Forbidden City is located. We met up with a tour guide who walked us through the City.




These soldiers were practicing their stance.




This little boy wanted to be just like this soldier.




The main gate of the Forbidden City




View from Tian Amen Square




There is only one River in the Forbidden City, the Golden River, it is there to protect the area from fire. There is a marble path that runs through the city that was only for the Emperor. Anyone else found on the path was beheaded. The Empress was only allowed to walk on the path one day of her life, her wedding day. The center gate is also only for the Emperor as well.





The building on the left was only used three times a year for the biggest Chinese holidays.








The buildings must have 3 tier of marble due to Buddhist tradition.





Dragons are a pillar of Chinese culture.





This is the couple tree, because two trees form one at the top.








Our tour guide Jade gives the group some direction and information about the history of the city that is more than 600 years old.



One of the many thrones in the city.





Kristen, Mark, Codie, Nikola and Brandy

The view as we left the Forbidden City.

Waiting for the rest of the group outside the city.




Walking to the bus, after a long day.




The pond behind out hotel at sunset.



Bridget, Jake and Rob wait for others to walk over to dinner.


After visiting these two places we drove through Beijing and were off to Tianjin where we would stay for the evening. About 2 1/2 hours later we arrived at a remote business training center where we were the only people staying there. This hotel was located relatively close to the Great Wall, so it was an easier commute for our trip tomorrow. The grounds of this hotel were filled with gardens, a pool, a bowling alley, and a dance club. As hesitant as we were when we first arrived, the evening ended up to be a success. So far Tianjin is much different than where we've been. As our trip is quickly wrapping up, we all are eagerly awaiting the Great Wall in the morning.

Jiaotong University

Today the purpose of our class preparation, was a presentation at Jiaotong University. At 8:15 AM we headed to meet the students who were spending their holiday with us in school. Today is the Dragon Boat Festival in China. We started our day mingling with the students and then listened to the first lecture of the day. The first presentation we heard was from Guijin Zhaung about the origins of brand names. We had a short break and then watched 4 videos our groups compiled about Morgantown. Dr. Riley showed a University video and the Jiaotong professors showed one about their own university.

Intently listening to the speaker.

An introduction and welcoming from one of the Jiaotong professors.

Lunch with the Students

We then broke for lunch and walked across campus to the student union to have meals together. We ate in separate rooms with some Chinese students, allowing us some time to get to know each other.

The red team discusses advertising with some of the Chinese students

After lunch we split up into our small groups and presented our PowerPoint presentations in a discussion forum. Having these small groups gave us the opportunity to discuss the similarities and differences between China and America much more easily.

Kristen discusses Public Relations in the U.S.

After a few hours the groups came back together and each group announced what they had learned from the presentations.

Logan and another Jiaotong students explain what their group discussed.

Laura, Alice, Kristen and Bridget.

This entire experience helped to bridge some of the gaps between the cultures. Being able to ask the questions we had of students our age helped us see the similarities that exist. Before dinner the students gave us a tour of their campus.

Tina, Alice, Laura, Kristen and Porchia just before dinner.

Then we headed over to a hotel that is owned by Jiaotong University and had dinner with the students. We ended our day seeing the city at night with our new Chinese friends as we all look forward to a day off tomorrow.

Next post will be from Beijing after another flight on the 10th.

Terra-Cotta Warriors & The Wild Goose Pagoda

Today we started off traveling to see the 8th wonder of the world, the Terra-Cotta Warriors. The magnitude of the display was beyond belief.

These warriors are in the process of being repaired, then they will be placed back where they were originally found, with the others.

The Terra-Cotta Warriors are estimated to be 2,200 years old and were around during the Qin Dynasty. We started first watching a quick video and browsing through the gift shop. One of the farmers who discovered the warriors was in the shop to sign his book.

Pit 1

There are three pits in the area that have different types of warriors. Pit 1 has an estimated 6,000 infantry soldiers. They are arranged in straight lines facing one direction. All of the soldiers are different in appearance.

Danielle, Laura, Kristen and Bridget pose in front of Pit 1.

You can see the magnitude by looking at the size of the people around the outside.

The entrance to Pit 3

Pit 3 is the smallest of the 3 with 68 warriors and they are all head of the forces who face each other. These statues are led by a 4 horse chariot. There was a fourth pit found but no statues were discovered.

Inside Pit 3.

The chariot of the generals.

You can see the position of the hands, they were holding reins at one time.

Laura, Nikola and Kristen.

These are the soldiers still being repaired.

Our tour guide Jeff, Ryan, Brett and Nikola

Mark and Adam trying to stay out of the rain.

The museum building.

Pit 2

Pit 2 has over 2,000 statues and holds a mix of military forces such as quick response, archers and horses etc.

The group waiting for our directions.

The front of Pit 1

Brett, Ryan and Megan take a break after Pit 3.

Inside Pit 2

Some of the warriors were placed in glass cases for a closer look

We left the Terra-Cotter Warriors and returned to the hostel for lunch.

Justin, Rob, Nikola, Kristen, Adam and Jake in front of the Wild Goose Pagoda.

Brandy and Codie outside the pagoda gate.

The Wild Goose Pagoda.

Adam, Justin and Ryan.

Stephanie and Kristen

Caitlin collected our plastic bottles off the bus to give to this old woman.

She posed for a picture with Caitlin and Danielle then asked for money after we had given her over a dozen plastic bottles.

An hour later we were off to the Wild Goose Pagoda. There are 12 Buddhist temples in Xi'an. When walking in, there were two towers, one is the bell tower on the west and is rung in the morning. On the east is the drum tower which is played in the evening. We spent about an hour walking through the grounds of the temple.

Rob, Caitlin, Jeff and Lindsay back at the hostel.

The shopping market near our hostel.

First blue skys of the trip!

The dumpling restaraunt where we ate the day before.

Upon our arrival back to the hostel we were given 70 yuan and set free for the night off. Many of the students headed back to the market to do some shopping. McDonald's was on the top of the list for many of us as we have all started to miss American food. Burgers and milk shakes helped to bridge the distance between China and the United States. Tomorrow we will meet up with the Chinese students from Jiaotong, so tonight was an early night for us all.

Xi'an State wall and Government Dinner

We woke up on the 6th with another full day ahead. We had breakfast and some time to catch up on e-mails or sleep. Around 9 AM we met our tour guide for Xi'an, Jeff, outside the hostel. From the hostel we walked to the south gate of the state wall. On this visit to the wall we were given more information about the city from Jeff.

Lindsay and Adam on their bike built for two.

Nikola stops to looks at a piece of history.

Some of the bike gang

Bridget and Kristen take a break on the wall.

Rob, Ryan and Codie taking a breather.

Danielle riding her bike.

We spread out quickly.

Some warriors headed to work.

Kristen and Bridget are all smiles.

Dr. Chow getting some exercise as well.



Some of the group relaxing after our 8 mile journey.

The entrance to the South Gate.

The way the Chinese potty train.

When we first picked out our bikes.

The Xi'an wall is about 8 miles long, and shaped in a rectangle around the city. The Chinese used to build walls around the city for protection. The wall was built with a gate on each wall and each gate was built with a bridge tower, an arrow tower and a main gate tower. There are 98 enemy towers on the wall for protection. The west wall is the start of the silk road and the east side runs along the Yellow River. Xi'an was the capital of China for 1,100 years and 13 dynasty's. Xi'an is still considered the cultural capital of China. After learning some facts about the wall all 33 of us climbed on bicycles and took the 8 mile trip around the tower. This ended up to be quite a sight but we all made it, with a great story to come home with.

Lunch at the dumpling restaurant.

Next we traveled to the center of town by bus past the bell tower. We were given some time to wander through the local markets and practice our bargaining some more. We met back up around noon and headed to the famous dumpling restaurant for lunch. This lunch was full of a wide range of dumplings and at the end we had dumpling soup. We were told that if you find 3 mini dumplings in your bowl of soup you will have good luck. After lunch we returned to the hostel to freshen up for our governmental seminar and dinner.

Around 4:30 we all were dressed up and off to the Environmental Protection Office to hear Mr. Lee talk about his job. We learned about the province and how they are trying to clean up the environment. Mr. Lee gave us some presents including a cloth bag promoting going green.

Dr. Riley introduces Mr. Lee

Finally it was off to the Hyatt to have dinner with the governor of the Shaanxi province. This dinner was a test for our Chinese etiquette. There were 8 students randomly selected to sit in on the televised meeting between Dr. Riley and the governor. In this meeting the two discussed the cooperation between West Virginia University and the Shaanxi province. After the meeting we all had dinner in the room with the governor and 4 lucky students were able to sit at his table. At the end of dinner the governor gave us all a framed piece of art for which the province is known. He told us you could only find this item in the Xi'an area. After a wonderful evening that left us a bit humbled we went back to the hostel for the evening.

Dr. Riley and the governor converse via a translator about the cooperation of our University and China.

The beautiful table settings for dinner.

Awaiting the Governor

Introducing the presents he had given all of us.

Ryan displaying his gift with Mr. Lee.

Ryan sharing a drink with the Governor.

The whole group, before heading home for the evening.

Xi'an Alumni Association Dinner & Gate Entering Ceremony

John and Rob pose with two Chinese sales women at the airport, wearing the new craze in fashion in China.



Today we were up and packed at 6:30 AM so the bell boys could take our bags to the bus. Then we all had a western style breakfast before boarding the bus for our drive to the airport. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time, so many of us took advantage of the massage chairs in the airport. After getting checked in we had to say our goodbyes to Michael, Madam Wong, and Julie for this was the end of our trip with them. Our guides so far have have been wonderful, and I think many on the trip will leave with a few more friends then when we all started. We exchanged information, said our goodbyes and headed for Xi'an.





One of the guides welcomes Dr. France with some beautiful flowers.



After an uneventful flight we arrived in Xi'an where we would stay in a youth hostel. We were met at the airport by a number of people with signs and flowers for the professors; we had a very warm Chinese welcoming.



Dr. Chow annouces the schedule for that day to the students, in the meeting room of the Youth Hostel.



Our rooms in the Xi'an Hostel

We had an hour bus ride to the city, and upon our arrival we were greeted by some young adults. The hostel is above and beyond the normal youth hostels of Europe.



Evelyn and Lindsey in their room.



A picture of the first floor of Danielle and Caitlin's room.



The hostel gives us a chance to relax together in the common area. It is relatively new, yet built with the traditional architecture of China. We all were given our keys and went to discover our rooms.

Dr. Chow thanks our hosts

Next, we had some free time in the city before having an Alumni Association dinner with many of the former students of the Center for Chinese Business at West Virginia University.

Dr. Chow annouces the plans for the evening

Adam with a number of the WVU alumni.

Relaxing after dinner waiting for our next directions.

The excitement started after dinner when we all walked to what we were told was a very special ceremony that was performed for Former President Bill Clinton on his visit to Xi'an. This ceremony was the equivalent to being given the city key. We walked to the city wall where there was a crowd of people being held outside the gate by security. The group of over 30 walked right through security and we were able to experience another once in a life time opportunity. This is a very ancient tradition, and as Dr. Chow said he was ok to go through the wall because they gave him his visa. We had a quick tour of the South Gate of the wall then returned to the hostel.



Walking into our show, there was a crowd waiting outside.



He was annoucing the special program we had in store.



Walking across the draw bridge.





Some ancient traditions.

Part of our amazing performance.

The whole group after the welcoming ceremony.

Dr. Riley and Dr. Chow with there "visas" or keys to the city.

The steps to the wall at night.

The street by our hostel in Xi'an

The bell tower in the distance.

Exploring the State Wall.

Tomorrow we will be spending more time at the wall. So far this trip keeps giving us more exciting surprises, and apparently over here we're kind of a big deal. Since arriving in China we have been treated like royalty, and they have given us nothing but respect.

Hangzhou and West Lake

Today was one of the earliest starts we have had on the trip. The group was awake, checked out and on the bus by 6:45 AM. By about 7 AM we were on our way to Hangzhou, which is located in the Zhejiang province. Hangzhou has a population of 6 million people and in China is considered a small city. The bus ride was a couple of hours, which most of us took advantage of the time to catch up on some sleep. Upon arriving in Hangzhou we took a brief drive through town and headed straight for the museum of Mr. Hu Xueyan.

This museum was an elaborate maze of hallways and gardens. We had a tour guide for this activity named Hu Weiheng, her American name is Tina. Tina led us around the home with wonderful explanations for all the sites.

Chris, Will, Evelyn and Rob stop on the bridge for a picture.

Madam Wong and Jennifer

During this tour we were given a little more time to take pictures throughout the various rooms and gardens. After lunch we headed on to our next hotel for lunch.

In the garden there were paths that we could explore. Here Brett and Nikola found their way to the second floor, while Mark, Danielle, Kristen and Adam stayed below.

Kristen and Danielle pose for a photo on the terrace.

Our tour guide Tina points out the ellaborate stone work in the walls.

Jennifer feeds the fish in the pond.

Julie poses for a picure with the Chinese Parrot in the background. Julie was one of our guides for the first part of our trip.

Julie waves from across the garden.

Nikola and Jake show their Mountaineer pride while in China.

Bridget and Lindsey on a terrace.

Talking Chinese Parrot.

Julie, Brandy, Codie and Danielle.

The girls pose in the garden.

Lindsey, Chris and Jennifer

Danielle and Adam in the hole.

Kristen and Laura pose for a picture in the doorway

Some of the students listen to the tour guide as she explains the area.

One of the kitchens on site.

The cellar that was not discovered until 1999.

The blue glass seen throughout the home was imported from France.

The many benches throughout the home were made for the women with bound feet since they could not walk far distances without taking a break.

Jacky, Evelyn, Chris and Robbie sit at around a table in a courtyard.

One of the many dining rooms.

We were greeted be the bell boys who took our bags as we checked in. At the hotel we enjoyed a buffet lunch and we were given some time after lunch to explore the grounds.

Some pictures of the hotel grounds.

Our rooms in Hangzhou.

Jennifer, Logan, Chris and Megan at lunch.

Julie and Nikola discuss Chinese dishes while waiting in line for steak.

Brett and Gene our bus driver at lunch.

The afternoon began with some time to walk around the lake in Hangzhou before boarding a ship for a boat tour. Hangzhou is known for the heart of their city "West Lake." The views were breathtaking as we set off for a two hour tour aboard Lan Zai. West Lake has a number of small islands which we were able to visit.

Robbie, Laura, Codie, Danielle, Kristen, Brandy, Nikola, and Julie before the tour.

Danielle and Kristen on the bank of the lake.

The first stop was Hu Xin Ting Island which tanslates to Lake Heart Prevailing. This island is the prevailing heart of West Lake. Here are Evelyn, Laura, Danielle, Codie, Kristen and Caitlin on the island.

Logan, Jake, Nikola and Michael pose in front of the city.

Laura, Julie, Jake, Codie, Michael and Madam Wong.

Cliff, John and Chris relax on the edge of the lake.

Mark, Kristen, Tim and Jennifer.

Madam Wong, Brandy, Laura and Julie on the boat.

The group enjoys tea on the boat.

Julie and Evelyn.

Dr. McIntyre and Dr. Riley enjoying the tour.

The interior of the boat.

We continued around the lake and stopped at the island for which the lake is famous called San Tan Yin Yue. This means three lanterns to the moon. There are three stone lanterns located in the lake near the shore of the island, as seen above.

Rommates Danielle and Caitlin stop on the bridge to look at the water lillies.

Kristen and Bridge pose for a picture on San Tan Yin Yue Island.

Dr. McIntyre gets a picture with the parrots on the island.

Lindsey takes a turn as Madam Wong takes some photos.

If you look through the doorway on the hill you can see a pagoda in the distance.

Adam peaks through a window.



After San Tan Yin Yue we continued on towards the city skyline to get a better view. The boat followed the shore and took us back to where we started. We all reluctantly filed off the boat to get back on our bus.



Next we were given time to bargain shop at the local street market. Many students

were able to purchase silk, pearls and other Chinese products.

Our evening began with another buffet dinner and some time to relax before attending Impressions of West Lake directed by Mr. Zhang Yimou, who is China's most famous director. Mr. Yimou will be directing the opening ceremony at the Olympics. At 8PM we arrived back on West Lake for a performance we knew nothing about. We all filed in the stadium seating facing the lake. To us it seemed like one dock in the middle of the lake. Much to our surprise the show began with a woman walking on water.

This performance ended up being one of the most amazing shows many of us had ever seen. The show was based on an ancient Chinese love story. It was full of lights, music and water displays. The stage was actually built under the water.

The pictures show better than words can explain.

At the end of the performance we took a walk through Hangzhou back to our hotel, where we all quietly settled in for some much needed sleep. Tomorrow will be another early morning so we can catch our flight to Xi'an.

Check out a video of the performance as well.

Seminars in Shanghai

Our third day was packed full of lectures instead of hours of sightseeing. We went first to the Ritz-Carlton of Shanghai where the U.S. Consulate Office is located. There we heard a lecture from Tara Qu.

Tara Qu is the Commercial Representative for the U.S. Consulate General of Shanghai. She is in charge of the U.S. Commercial Services. She spoke to us about the market strategy for U.S. firms entering the Chinese, specifically Shanghai.

Tara moved to the United States from Shanghai in the early 80's with her family, and after about ten years she took a position with the U.S. government that brought her back to China. She is ideal for the position due to her time in both cultures.

After a presentation from Tara we went to have lunch at a French restaurant in a nice shopping area of Shanghai.

Adam, Ryan and Brett enjoy a French meal out of the heat.

After lunch we were given some time to browse the shops before heading to the next stop of the day. We boarded the bus around 1 PM and were off to The Shanghai Education Centre for Administrators.

Group shot at The Shanghai Education Centre for Administrators.

Our guides all work or attend class at this center.



Our first lecture at the Shanghai Education Centre for Administrators was presented by Bau Dairu, the Deputy Director of the Social Security Bureau of Shanghai. He discussed the details of Social Security in Shanghai. Retirement age in China is dependent on job and gender. Women with management positions can legally retire at 55, while other women workers can retire at 50 and all men have to wait until 60.

Mr. Bau told us that Social Security payments are determined by the monthly average income in the city that is paying. The average monthly income in Shanghai is currently 2,892 Yuan. Mr. Bau gave us a lot of useful information for comparison with the current U.S. social security system.

After a brief break we had a lecture about the Shanghai stock exchange with Mr. Wang who we met at the Shanghai Stock Exchange the day before. Vincent Wang earned his Ph. D in Boston. He is currently a top financial analyst on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Mr. Wang is another alumni from West Virginia University. During is lecture he went through the history and current trends of the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

At the conclusion of this lecture we moved downstairs for a traditional Chinese dinner with all of our Shanghai guides. For Wendy and Healthy it was our last time together.

During this dinner we experienced a cultural tradition to cheers those you respect with Gombay, or bottoms up. Our Chinese friends taught us how to show respect by attempting to keep your glass lower than that of the individual you are gombaying with.

This activity let the Americans and Chinese become better friends by giving us an opportunity to meet and visit on a personal level. The Chinese cultural is one with great depth, so far we have all been able to experience many aspects of the culture.

Julie, Wendy, Danielle, Healthy and Madam Wong.

Justin and Madam Wong

Jacky and Ryan pose for a picture while mingling.

The cook staff was able to watch us during the banquet.

The girls pose for a picture with the director of the center Mr. Wang Yong Rong.

Dr. Chow and Dr. Riley show our thanks with a gift for Madam Wong at the end of our dinner.

Madam Wong, Kristen, Laura, Healthy and Wendy say their goodbyes back at the hotel.

After our banquet we headed back for the hotel. Some students went out to explore Shanghai while other took advantage of the Chinese spa in the hotel. After three wonderful days in Shanghai, tomorrow we move on the Hangzou for a day.

Day Two- Pudong Area

We began the day on the East side of the city in Pudong,

by the Oriental TV tower. This is the most famous

landmark in Shanghai. It is the one piece of architecture

that people worldwide recognize as unique to Shanghai.

Dr. Riley, Dr. McIntyre, and Dr. France stop for a picture outside the tower with two of our Chinese tour guides, Wendy and Healthy who are with us for the week . These women have been very helpful in explaining the many differences between the country and the city.

The fountains and flag poles that stood along the courtyard of the tour's entrance way.

Located in the first globe of the tower is a restaurant, in the second globe at 263 meters up there is a sightseeing deck. This gives visitors 360* access to the city skyline. Today we were unable to see very far due to a large about of smog in the air.

Brett, Rob, Brandy, Adam, Codie, Danielle, and Lindsay sit

with the Shanghai expo mascot that was located outside

of the tour. These statues can be found all over the city,

to promote the expo that will be held in the near future.

Mark and Dr. Riley discuss the significance of the TV

tower to Shanghai. The professors were along helping to

guide us in our learning of the Chinese culture.

Lindsay gives the mascot a high five for good luck in our adventures.

A few shots of the veiw of Shanghai from 263 meters up in the Pearl Tower.

A group stops to to pose for a picture in front of the windows in the tower.

This picture captures the construction of a building

complex in the city. They first build all the foundations

then construct the buildings

John, Cliff and Rob talk with a local elder and Julie while enjoying the view in the tower.

Throughout China we have experienced many of the locals

taking pictures of us. Here Justin, Chris, Ryan, Nikola and

Jackie stop to pose for a shot together.

Ryan poses with two of our tour guides for the week, Michael and Julie.

Adam seeks advice from our tour guide within the Pearl Tower.

Dr. Riley helps answer questions for Danielle and Codie.

On the ground floor of the tower was the Shanghai Folk Museum. This was an elaborate set up of the cities historical events. The museum took us through every era of the past through stage sets and a number of rooms displaying the history.

Dr. McIntyre describes the use of the wedding chair to Jessica.

This ornate object takes ten years to make. The one in the Folk

Muesem was over 700 years old.

Caitlin, Danielle, Adam, Lindsay, Brandy, Codi

and Nikola pose for a picture in

front of the famous Shanghai Tower.

The group stop before head off to our next

stop for a group picture on the

steps in front of the Pearl Tower.

Next Dr. Chow took us on a walk through the financial

district of Shanghai. We were able to see first hand the

magnificent architecture of Shanghai. The tallest building in

Shanghai stands 87 stories high.

Before becoming a professor at West Virginia University

Dr. Chow lived in the financial district of Shanghai near where

we were walking. He was very familar with our surroundings.

We stopped at the park in the center of the financial district

to take in the scenery. Shanghai is attempting to incorporate

more green spaces into their city in hopes of save the enviroment.

Tim, Ryan, Justin and Will pose for a picture in

front of the skyscrapers of Shanghai.

There was a large park with green yards, yet

there were signs posted to keep off the grass.

This sign reads do not cross the line.

Codie, Danielle, Caitlin, Brett, and Brandy enjoy the

break in the park.

Dr. Chow describes his experiences to Adam and Nikola.

Dr. France and Dr. McIntyre talk with Wendy in

order to learn more about Shanghai.

A different view of the tallest building in the skyline.

Shanghai skyline from the financial district.

We ended our walk at the Shanghai stock exchange where

we were greeted by another WVU Alumni who is currently

an employee of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. He will be

lecturing us on June 3rd about Social Security in China.

After a quick meeting we piled back on the bus and headed

for the Brand Mall of Shanghai where we sat down for a

traditional round table dinner. We again were served over

10 dishes. The food was delicious, even better than the day before.

After lunch we were given a bus tour through the Pudong

area on our way to Wal-Mart.

Yes we all traveled half way around the world to visit a

Wal-Mart, and it was surprisingly interesting. This

experience gave us first hand knowledge of the difference

culture can have on a store. While the makeup

of the store was the same, what we found inside

was very different. This was an enlightening opportunity.

Here our students look at a number of sea cucumbers

and soft shell crabs that were for sale.

Chris points out the frogs that were in an

aquariums for sale to be eaten.

Their foods, are completely different from

that of American tastes, but Wal-Mart

offers a 200% guarantee on all live products.

Another amazing piece of architecture found in Shanghai.

After Wal-Mart we were taken back to the hotel for a few free

hours to nap and freshen up for our night tour of Shanghai.

This is the view from our hotel.

For dinner this evening we took a boat tour of

the Huangpu River. We were given the VIP

treatment with our own floor of the boat.

Justin and Wendy take a chance to get their picture taken on the boat.

Some shots of the Pudong skyline at night.

Adam poses in front of the glowing Pearl Tower

There were a number of boat tours. The river had a lot of

boat traffic the entire day.

The Bund from the river.

Kristen, Mrs. Wong, Healthy, Julie, Danielle, Wendy and

I pose for a picture on the deck of the boat.

Rob, Kristen, Justin, Danielle and Ryan enjoy the

scenery on the Huangpu River.

Dr. Chow, John, Mark and Cliff spent their evening

discussing the trip and what we had experienced so far.

Dr. McIntyre, Dr. France and Mrs. Wong in front of Pudong.

Julie, Healthy, Wendy Danielle, Dr. McIntyre, Dr. France,

Kristen and Mrs. Wong.

Nikola and Adam in front of the night skyline.

Nikola, Kristen, Jacob, Codie and Brandy relax on the stern of the ship.

Danielle, Evelyn, Jessica and Megan.

Jennifer and Healthy

A few group shots before we docked the boat.

Day One

We started our first day in Shanghai with a traditional American breakfast in our hotel restaurant. The food was delicious, and just what we all needed to start off the excursion of the day. We all caught the bus at 9AM and were off to begin our exploration of Shanghai.

Our first stop was at the Shanghai Urban Development Center.

Here we met up with our tour guide named Even, she showed us through the exhibits of the center.

Even started off the tour with a history lesson on the City of Shanghai. She described how the city developed and many of the reasons behind the development.

Next we moved upstairs where they had a model of the plan for Shanghai's future. The model span across the entire 3rd floor of the center. There were two floors from which you could view the model.

From the first floor you could be closer to see the detail of the plans. Cliff, Stephanie, Bridget, Kristen and Adam stop for a picture in front of the Shanghai model.

Once moving up to the next floor, our tour guide was able to show us the different areas of the city through a light show. As she discussed different areas the model would illuminate, making it easier for us to see exactly what she was describing.

Next we moved onto the exhibit about the Shanghai and Pudong Airports. The illuminated floor was a map that displayed where the airplanes fly to and from.

Dr. Riley discusses the Shanghai International Airport model with Cliff and Chris. This model was made much like the large city model we viewed before. Even was able to discuss the plans for the growth of the airport, by using this model.

Caitlin, Brandy, Codi, Rob, and Danielle pose for a picture in front of the airport model with one of our Chinese tour guides.

Before leaving the Urban development center the girls and some of the guys stop for a picture in front of some Shanghai skyscrapers.

The Urban Development Center is dedicated to improving the way of life in Shanghai. During our tour of the center we saw a number of future projections, including a virtual 360* video tour. The center is based on the idea "Better City Better Life" this statement was displayed throughout the building.

After touring the Urban Development Center we walked down the street and met on the corner. Here Dr. Chow described the "promenade" type street we were about to explore called Najing Road.

At this time we were given an hour to window shop on Najing Road. This was a test of our Chinese, as we encountered a number of sales men and women attempting to sell products off the street.

During this time a few of the students tried some of the local fresh fruits; types of produce that is not available in the United States.

The streets were very busy, but we all managed to find our way back around noon, just in time to start off towards our restaurant for lunch.

After a ten minute walk we arrived at our authentic Chinese restaurant, Lao Zheng Xing. Here we were fed like royalty with an abundance of 15 dishes, and a number of appetizers.

We split off into four tables in order to follow Chinese tradition.

After stuffing ourselves with food, we made a quick stop for a group picture, then it was off to our next stop.

Bridget and Kristen pose with the gold lion outside a Chinese hotel in Shanghai

Our next stop was a tour of the beautiful Yu Garden. We had two tour guides to take us through the elaborate maze of garden. We were told that the gardens themselves dated back only 400 years, while many of the statues were over 800 years old.

Bridget, Kristen and I stopped for a picture by in the Yu Garden.

After a long day of walking Chris, Jacob, Jimmy and Cliff take a seat, while they take in the scenery of the gardens.

Mark, Evelyn, Rob, and Jackie enjoying the time sitting by the pond.

Nikola discussing the fish of that garden with our Shanghai tour guide. The coy fish our good luck in the Chinese culture.

Part of the group taking a minute off their feet.

Jacob, Danielle, and Bridget stop for a picture in the ornate doorway.

Codi takes the opportunity to catch her surroundings on film.

The Chinese architecture is such a site to see. The tour

through the garden was the highlight of the day's trip.

As we made our way through the crowd back to the bus, this boat was in a pond just outside the garden walls. We left the garden with one more stop on the itinerary.

Final stop of the day was the Bailan West Mall, where we have two West Virginia University Alumnae working behind the scenes. One of the women is the President of the mall. This mall was designed by an American company, and is one of the largest of its kind in China.

The Alumna gave us a presentation on the background of the Mall. After this we were given a tour through the shops, and then back on the bus. It was 6 PM and the group was exhausted as jet lag began to catch up. The students headed back to the hotel to take naps, get cleaned up and then head out in Shanghai to find dinner.

The Longest Day of Our Trip

Our trip began early as the bus departed Morgantown with the majority of us on board at 5:30AM headed for Pittsburgh International Airport. After a surprisingly hassle free check in, we boarded our first flight bound for Detroit at about 9:30AM. The group then had a three hour layover where we could enjoy our last bit of American culture and food for the next few weeks.

Around 1:20PM we began to board our second plane for the longest leg of the trip, 14 hours to Tokyo, Japan. After a small delay due to a double seat assignment, we officially began chasing the sun as we left U.S. ground headed for the adventure ahead around 3PM. The flight was as nice as a 14 hours excursion can be, aside from quite a bit of turbulence, a few sick passengers and no movies to entertain us, due to "technological difficulties" we still survived. We arrived in Tokyo around 5PM their time, but for all of us it was the middle of the night.

After deplaning so they could refuel and clean the airplane, we had a short stay, then back on the jet and off to Shanghai. We arrived in Shanghai around 9PM, (9AM back in Morgantown) so at this point we had been traveling for over 24 hours. The 31 of us made it through customs with all our bags flawlessly. I would have to say that so far the trip is going well.

We were greeted by Dr. Chow and Dr. Riley, just outside the gate, where we regrouped and marched on to the bus. After a 50 minute bus ride we arrived at the Hua Ting Guest House where the students will be staying for the next few days.

We were greeted by our hosts with Papa Johns pizza and Coca-Cola. After far too many hours of traveling, we have all arrived in Shanghai in one piece with all our belongings. Tomorrow will be another exciting day for us all, but for now it is 1AM in Shanghai (which is really 1PM in the afternoon on the east coast) and time for some rest. Just an update on our travels for the first day, much more to follow.....