It’s hard to believe we’re already at the halfway mark of our program. Over the past week, our students have become great friends, had many new experiences, and taken more selfies than we can keep track of. Since getting back from Nanxun, we’ve checked out some more awesome spots in Shanghai, including Jing’an Temple, Tian Zi Fang, the financial district, and a dim sum restaurant. We also met with a group of Chinese high school students who talked about academic life in China and then gave them the daunting task of taking two sheets of paper and trying to raise money with them. Our groups students got creative and sold dances, hugs, and selfies, collectively raising around 300 RMB, which we donated to a charity that is trying to build a road in Kenya.
This afternoon, we’ll head out to the former French Concession where we’ll be taking a group cooking class and visiting a Chinese vegetable market. It’ll be a good chance for the students to learn more about the foods they’ve been eating this week. For dinner, our guest speaker will discuss how American restaurants enter and succeed in the Chinese market.
Tomorrow we escape to the luscious bamboo forests of Anji, a good chance for the students (and leaders) to relax and reconnect with nature. We’ll go on some good hikes, enjoy some refreshing swims, eat some great food, and even check out a Hello Kitty-themed amusement park. We’ll be back soon!
-Joanna and Ben
