Sorry that I haven't been able to post anything about Beijing. My hotel's internet service is messed up, and I'm having to use vtunnel to get around the Chinese firewall that blocks Blogspot.
Beijing is great. It's raining today, but we're going to be inside doing some volunteer work for the conference, so no big deal.
Yesterday I went to the Forbidden City and Tian'anmen Square. It's really cool. I'm pressed for time right now, though, so I can't talk about it too much.
Pictures later, I promise!
Until then,
Matthew
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Well, in three hours, I will be on the train to Beijing to attend the International Youth Summit on Environmental and Climate Change (IYSECC) hosted by Tsinghua University and Beijing University, China's two best schools. I'm pretty excited about it.
What I am not excited about, however, is missing the Harry Potter 6 premier. I've been planning since last year to see it in Qingdao. Fail. They sold out while I was standing in line. Monday will be here soon, though. Aw.
I'm ready to get to Beijing. My camera is charged, so expect some exciting pictures.
Until then,
Matthew
What I am not excited about, however, is missing the Harry Potter 6 premier. I've been planning since last year to see it in Qingdao. Fail. They sold out while I was standing in line. Monday will be here soon, though. Aw.
I'm ready to get to Beijing. My camera is charged, so expect some exciting pictures.
Until then,
Matthew
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Buying tickets
Today, I rode two buses about 16 stops to buy the very last train ticket to Beijing on Wednesday. Sadly, I couldn't buy the one I wanted, so I'm arriving in Beijing about 8 hours ahead of schedule. Oops. I guess that just means one more night in Beijing (which I won't complain about).
This week will probably be pretty boring. We have a test tomorrow, and class everyday until Wednesday, but then it's off to Beijing for the environmental conference.
Since this week will be uneventful until Wednesday, I'll share what a normal day is like for an American studying in China. Since I'm studying for tomorrow's test right now, I got take-out from the restaurant next to my dorm. It was 5元 (approximately $0.73) and is definitely going to fill me up.
This is what one of my textbooks (plural) looks like.
That article is about the closing of the second annual China-America Strategic Economic Forum, or something to that effect.
More about that later.
Until then,
Matthew
This week will probably be pretty boring. We have a test tomorrow, and class everyday until Wednesday, but then it's off to Beijing for the environmental conference.
Since this week will be uneventful until Wednesday, I'll share what a normal day is like for an American studying in China. Since I'm studying for tomorrow's test right now, I got take-out from the restaurant next to my dorm. It was 5元 (approximately $0.73) and is definitely going to fill me up.
This is what one of my textbooks (plural) looks like.
That article is about the closing of the second annual China-America Strategic Economic Forum, or something to that effect.
More about that later.
Until then,
Matthew
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Chinese opera and the countryside
Today, instead of going to class, we participated in a culture activity. We went to Jiaozhou, a small town about an hour away from Qingdao, where we watched a few performances of traditional Chinese opera.
This is me with some of the performers.
After mingling, we ate a horrible lunch at a restaurant that smelled like dead seafood.
Then, we went to a school where some children performed a fan dance for us.
After that, we visited a farming village. There, we toured a typical country house and the family's peach/apple orchard.
This is me with some of the performers.
After mingling, we ate a horrible lunch at a restaurant that smelled like dead seafood.
Then, we went to a school where some children performed a fan dance for us.
After that, we visited a farming village. There, we toured a typical country house and the family's peach/apple orchard.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
I'm back!
China has gone a little overboard with it's internet filtering, so we're using Ole Miss' secure VPN to get around the "Great Firewall."
For the first month of my stay in China, you can visit this site. From now on, I'll be posting here, on this blog (if all goes as planned, that is).
Woohoo!
For the first month of my stay in China, you can visit this site. From now on, I'll be posting here, on this blog (if all goes as planned, that is).
Woohoo!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Goodbye America
Well, the time has finally arrived. In a few short hours, I will be leaving Memphis for Detroit, and then at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon, I will be sitting on a plane headed for Shanghai.
I'm excited. And I'll post the first picture of China I take whenever I get a chance.
再见美国，我已经想你。
I'm excited. And I'll post the first picture of China I take whenever I get a chance.
再见美国，我已经想你。
Monday, June 1, 2009
Nerves
Well I started to get the impression yesterday that I shouldn't be taking this trip to China. My sister knocked my Blackberry in the swimming pool and then my computer cord broke. Then I saw the moon and the sun in the same sky, a black owl and the face of Guan Yu (关羽) on one of my Baked Lays.
Basically, I was seeing a lot of bad omens that all pointed to me not going to China.
Today, however, was better. I got a new computer cord, my BBerry came on and the screen worked, the sun went down and the moon came up, the only bird I saw was Pete the cockatoo and all of my chips were yellow, round and faceless (except the Doritos, thankfully - it was, however, also faceless).
So now I'm comfortable again with running off to the Orient, which is good since my plane leaves in less than 4 days.
Now all I have to worry about is North Korea, but maybe they won't get too crazy.
再见,
马舒凯
***UPDATE*** (too many stars? oops)
At the behest of the People, my friend Jennings has started a blog. It can be found by clicking anywhere in these two sentences.
Basically, I was seeing a lot of bad omens that all pointed to me not going to China.
Today, however, was better. I got a new computer cord, my BBerry came on and the screen worked, the sun went down and the moon came up, the only bird I saw was Pete the cockatoo and all of my chips were yellow, round and faceless (except the Doritos, thankfully - it was, however, also faceless).
So now I'm comfortable again with running off to the Orient, which is good since my plane leaves in less than 4 days.
Now all I have to worry about is North Korea, but maybe they won't get too crazy.
再见,
马舒凯
***UPDATE*** (too many stars? oops)
At the behest of the People, my friend Jennings has started a blog. It can be found by clicking anywhere in these two sentences.
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