| WOW. I think that is the only word that can be used to
describe my experience thus far. It has been a crazy first two and
half weeks. The first few days in Ann Arbor went by really slowly,
mostly because we were all really anxious to get to China but it did
help us to bond really well and now we have all become accustom to
each other, I think it is fair to say we have become really comfortable
with each other. Coming to China I was so worried about the language
barrier and the fact that I am a vegetarian and would not be able to
eat. The whole being a vegetarian fear in China was basically gone
after are first day in China. There are really so many dishes for vegetarians
it is some what ridiculous but for the most part it has been really
great. The first week we were always together as a group that I really
never had to worry about getting around on my own once I spent all
that time in a group you start to learn and become more independent. So far it has been great not having to worry about waking up and getting to the lab because it has pretty much been a vacation up until this point. The only things we have been really doing have been sightseeing and eating a lot of great food. Also, we cannot forget about the language and culture class we have every morning for the first two weeks. They start to feel like somewhat of a hassle to wake up for but they are really helpful. Coming from a background of knowing absolutely no Chinese, not even knowing what Ni Hao meant, I have really learned a few phrases that allow me feel a bit of confidence walking around the city alone. Today was actually the first day we actually started really getting into the research aspect. I met with my mentor today and learned a lot about the projects that he has in his lab. There are so many projects I am still thinking about which ones I want to do. Well I think that is pretty much it for my first blog I just hope I am able to keep up with it every day or maybe every week. |
 Amanda
Berry |
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One can only imagine what they just witnessed. |
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Going out for shopping and some dinner. |
| Alright, so I've been really bad with this... I'll get a full update eventually, I promise. However, for right now, here goes: Brenden and I just had our first group lunch with the professor and the chemical biology group. Everyone's really friendly and it seems like we'll all get along just fine. Professor Zhao was educated in the United States so his English is fantastic. Everyone else seems a little bit nervous about using the English they know but when they try they do just fine. The computer I'll be using in the will be entirely in Chinese. This should be interesting as my ability to read and write Chinese is still very poor. However, I’m eager to learn. I’ve already made huge strides in just these first two weeks in China. I’m leaving for Xi’an today with the “unofficial” group of cheapskates who decided to organize our own trip. We’ll see if I survive the weekend. Brenden and I start work on Monday. I’m looking forward to it. |  Adam
Woodruff |
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I wonder what is on the menu? |
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| After getting off the plane almost a week ago and spending every waking moment soaking in every aspect of the city, I still cannot believe I am in China and I will be here for the next two months. I definitely did not envision China in the way I have been experiencing it. The lifestyle here is very different and hospitable. There are the occasional occurrences where foreigners definitely get pointed out in the crowd but the city and the people are just so great it really does not matter. When we first arrived in Beijing I was very overwhelmed with the lack of english and the craziness of the city, however, the way the first two weeks of the program are structured in China definitely helped me to assimilate and become more accustom with the lifestyle and become more comfortable getting around on my own. I was very worried about me not having any experience with the Chinese language when I came here but the language classes definitely helped me to extent. I think the best thing was just going around and exploring the city with a chinese dictionary and phrase book to find my way around. We have around seven people who speak pretty fluent chinese so they are able to help but it after trying to speak Chinese a few times on your own you definitely become less shy and feel a lot more comfortable going to the grocery store or using the bus alone. That was definitely my greatest fear coming to China, because not being able to communicate does make you feel a little helpless but the language classes gave me a base to start at and then I was a lot more comfortable. One of the best things that we did at the beginning was definitely having us spend soo much time together as a group in Ann Arbor and during the first two weeks in China. Even though we have only known each other for two weeks now we all get along really well and have all become accustom to being around each other. At first it seems easy to start to dread the culture and language classes that take place almost every day in the morning but once you really start to spend more time in China you start to appreciate them more. During the first week in China I noticed a lot of workers who seemed like they had a harder lifestyle then a lot of the people we spend time with at Peking University but I never really fully thought about it that much. We had a culture class on migrant workers and after that I started to become a lot more aware of the people and lifestyle around me. When I first came here it took a while to adjust to the idea that I was going to be in a foreign country for so long but after that you start to realize how different the lifestyle and the people are. I also started to appreciate China and the culture a lot more. It was a really eye opening lecture, and one I definitely hope future Michigan students get to hear. As far as enjoying China and becoming more comfortable with living the city it really is not as hard as I though it would be. After spending soo much time as a group I have become a lot more comfortable getting around on my own. That really was my biggest worry and in truth it was one of the easiest things to get used to. So far the experience has been great and I am really excited for the weeks to come. I still can not believe we have been here for almost two weeks, it is already going by really fast I am just trying to soak up every ounce of China as possible! | Amanda
Berry |
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After an early Saturday morning pick-up and flight to Xi'an, the group has about an hour's ride to the city. |
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There was a whole lotta sleepin' going on. |
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Wowowow! What can I say -- it was definitely worth getting stopped several times at the airport for "random checks" to be here in Beijing right this very moment! I am loving every second of it. I am really amazed at how I knew almost no one at the beginning of this trip, but I have been instantly bonding with EVERYone here so far. And I am EXTREMELY grateful for the AWESOME rooms we have here -- TWO flat screen LCD TV's, hardwood floors, kitchen, large living room, nice bathroom etc. etc. I was really surprised by it!! I haven't experienced much of a culture shock until 2 days ago when I realized that I can't rely on the fluent speakers in the group every time I need something. And my attempts to speak Chinese to the natives have been hilarious so far -- I either use the phrases from our language course, draw pictures, or use gestures for them to understand. I've been laughed at so many times by waitresses, cashiers, and other salespeople when I attempt to communicate with them! They really appreciate that I am trying to learn the language though :) Bargaining has been INSANE...it has been one of the most exciting experiences here so far!! From the "What's your final price?" to the insults they yell at you when you give them a price that is "too low" it has been veryyyy interesting!! Haha. Beijing night life is beautiful -- lights, music, and people everywhere. This city is always alive! =D And the activities we do as a group - like climbing the Great Wall, watching the Acrobat show, etc. -- help us experience the culture. As far as meeting my mentor yet, I haven't, but we've planned to meet this week! I need to get ready to shift gears as next week rolls by because we'll start researching very soon, which is the main reason for this visit to China! ^_____^ |
 Mike
Kheir |
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At the Terra Cotta Warrior foundry. |
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... and shops. |
| The traffic in Beijing is like playing Frogger. Even if you wait for the green light, you are not guaranteed a carefree stroll across the street. In Beijing, it is one lane at a time. The drivers here are ruthless, and the bikes, mopeds and rikshas do not follow any laws of traffic. Therefore, it is best to always walk in groups. Same goes for biking. You will see large groups of bikers gathering together to cross the street. It is kind of overwhelming at first, especially at the intersection towards Beida (PKU). I have seen about 50 bikes coming towards me all at once. Even on the sidewalk one needs to take care of the cars. SERIOUSLY. Don't worry, they will honk, but if you don't get out of their way they get impatient. Your in a big city, and constantly being aware of the traffic is necessary. But you get so used to it that it becomes second nature. |  Ellinor
Schmidt |
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Saturday June 13, 2009 was a special day to visit the terra cotta warriors. This marked the opening of the third-ever excavation of this active archeological site. And at 1 PM, when we arrived, it just happened to be the 'grand enveiling' for the press corps. You can see them, and the crowds, over at the over side of the pit. |
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Emperor Lomont and his warriors. |
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The new excavation. |
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Freshly unearthed warrior. |
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Posing with the farmer who was there in 1974 when digging the well where the soldiers were found. |
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Easily counts as the creepiest thing you will see in Xi'an |
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Scientists standing by the analytical chemistry chart for the composition of the bronze artifacts. |
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The Hua Qing Hot Springs. |
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On Sunday, it was a beautiful early morning outing to the fully intact Xi'an city wall. |
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For 20 RMB (ca $3) you can rent a bike for 100 minutes and circumnavigate the 8.5 miles. |
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Later... in (literally "in") the 1000-jet dancing water fountain show, on the plaza of the Wild Goose Pagoda. |
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Next: the Buddhist temple surrounding the Big WIld Goose Pagoda. |
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The view from the pagoda. |
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An empty bottle of Pomegranade liquer. |
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A meet-up between the two groups that went to Xi'an this weekend at the Great Mosque. |
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Actually, there were three groups, including the group that stayed in Beijing. They went to see the Temple of Heaven, among other sites. The open park around the Temple of Heaven is filled with regular folks - a community of people playing cards, singing, dancing, playing music, playing games... |
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... including Americans who teach their own native dance moves. |
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Temple of Heaven, We're standing in the emperor's spot. Only one person is supposed to go on at a time, but hahaha we just wanted a quick group photo |
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PANDAS!! @ Beijing Zoo |
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"MORE PANDASSSZZZ!! with me :)" |
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Program Directors:
Prof. Brian P. Coppola (UM) bcoppola@umich.edu
Prof. Zi-Chen LI (PKU) zcli@pku.edu.cn
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