What a spectacular day!  Reter, the HR Director for China and my boss, took Roy, my other boss, and I to his home town of Suzhou.  We were picked up by the company driver in the morning; and Roy, Reter, Reter's mother, and I all set off for Suzhou.  Upon arriving, Reter took Roy and I...

This was the best way I could possibly imagine to spend my 21st Birthday! I decided prior to coming to China that XiAn was one place that I had to go, especially after learning about the Terra Cotta Soldiers in my History of China course.

So, being the way I am, I had everything planned out! I figured...

In America, this wonderful aquarium would be hit with so many lawsuits that it would be forced to close. You go into this aquarium and instantly go upstairs to the shark area.  In this area you walk under and through the tanks to an area where you can actually touch the sharks!  For most of...

Went out for the night with my two boses...

THERE IS A TYPHOON HITTING SHANGHAI!!!

It has been raining for nearly 24 hours, 40mph winds, and at least a foot of standing water in the roads!!! AHHHHH

I knew it was bad when the taxi driver asked me "Ni keyi bu keyi you yong" - translation = can you swim?

Now when I look at the weather on the internet...it...

So Hangzhou is a beautiful city that has been known as a resort village for Chinese people for over a hundred years.  It is srounded by a big river and then the West Lake!  Although it is a three hour drive away from Shanghai, the air is not even clear there! It is unbelievable. ...

There is not much new in Shanghai.  I went shopping on Nanjing Dong Lu today with my boss (Roy) and one of my coworkers (Chris).  It was a wopping 95 degrees and I was dying; but it did not seem to phase the Chinese people at all.  My only impressions from shopping was that Shanghainese...

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So I am slowly getting acquainted with this montrous city...or at least the few areas that I have explored. I still managed to get lost today while trying to find a bookstore.  I found the store just fine, but then got on the wrong bus and had to take three metros just to get home. ...

I took another tour today to Zhouzhuang (The Water Village) and Suzhou. I was only with 3 other people, so it was very intimate and a nice, small group.  We began by driving to Zhouzhuang.  I still remain terrfied by driving in China!

Zhouzhuang (our first stop) is said to be China's...

I have survived my first day of sight-seeing.  In the morning I was the only one on the guided tour, so I got a one-on-one experience.  It was spectacular because the tour guide kept giving me her opinion and side stories of her experiences. 

In the morning, we started out by going to...

I am currently residing in East China Normal Univeristy dormitories.  To find out more: http://www.ecnu.edu.cn/2005english/English.htm.  I live in the international student dormitories (but I believe I am sharing the floor with the Chinese professors). 

My single is nicer than...

After a mere 20 hours of flying, going through airports, and dealing with customs in two different countries, I have finally arrived in Shanghai.  So my first impressions...

The Chinese government does a great job at making tourists believe that Chins is a prestigious, modern state.  I have...