A Blog on McConnell Center Life

When I visited the maritime university near Shanghai, I spoke with a student who really showed me the level to which individuals’ lives are calculated and determined in this country.  His conversational topics revolved primarily around how he was able to achieve high test scores and secure himself a spot in the university.  He had no concept of possible paths for his life beyond that which was laid out before him.  Speaking with some other students, it seems that the higher educational system of China locks students down into a single career path.  Transfer is possible, but only if you were first good at the path you are choosing to forsake.  But in short, what I am seeing in the students of China, or rather what I am not seeing is a soul, free and seeking fulfillment. When I inquire about feelings towards their country, I am met with responses that seem almost rehearsed.   But when I look at the faces of the others who do not respo...

Miranda Mason ('19) The way that people eat says a lot about their lives.  When my class sat down for our very first meal in Shanghai, China, this fact was obvious.  The table was round (as it seemed most of them were) and equipped with a lazy susan, so that every dish could be spun around the table within reach of everyone.  Each person takes from the central dishes with their personal chopsticks, and everyone must rely upon each other not to be selfish to make sure they receive their share.  This style of eating seems to express the culture of sharing in China.  Everyone must take their share from the same pot.  However, the idea of splitting a bill is unheard of. In China, it is a sort of honor to be the one who pays, taking the burden of others upon you.  “Going Dutch” is considered rude, as it shows insincerity in your relations with others.  The ideal method for the bill to be paid is for one person to pay the bill and someone else...

Bridget Kim ('19) During the past four weeks in Shanghai, Xi'an, and Beijing, opportunities to draw cultural comparisons have presented themselves at every turn. The food composition (dumplings, noodles, meats, and vegetables are key) and style (get ready to spin that lazy Susan around, family-style!) in these Chinese cities were expected differences, as were the clothing fashions, pollution, social cues, and currency. A lot of this preparatory information was obtained through the internet and previous travellers' tales. But as with any country, there are certain observations that are just minute enough that someone who has travelled to the country before might dismiss it in their stories; alone, these details are fairly insignificant, but stacked atop each other, they create a much more nuanced picture of general Chinese culture. Here is an attempt to record some of those details. Sometimes men of various countenances will stroll down the street with thei...

Sidney Cobb ('19) China Journal: For my blog, I would like to share the first week of my China journals. Looking back on these journals, I am reminded of how challenging my first trip abroad was, how many challenges I faced and how I have changed drastically from these first few days of the trip. I struggled with food, travel, jet lag, and social situations. However, all of these challenges helped me grow and helped me develop the confidence to travel and the desire to explore new places.   May 19 th -20 th 2018 Today I was somewhat sad to leave London, I had really enjoyed my time on the Oxford trip and I was simultaneously very excited and nervous to arrive in China. I had never been out of the US before this summer and had never been on a flight more than a couple hours long, but the flight was actually much easier and smoother than I had thought. I was really thankful that it was an overnight flight because it made it much easier to adjust ...

Miranda Mason ('19) Shanghai has the most beautifully forested streets. Along the path to any destination, between skyscrapers, in baskets in the middle of highways, and in every other nook and cranny of the urban jungle, color and texture evoke the feeling that we are strolling through a garden. The city is one of the largest in the World, but there is nowhere I can stand outside without seeing the green of life.           The beauty of Shanghai is not merely aesthetic, but also utilitarian. In a city as big as this, pollution can contribute to smog that reduces the beauty of the place. For some people, the pollutants cause illness or asthmatic reactions, a danger to citizens and visitors. Some people wear facial masks as countermeasures against the bad air. However, the city of Shanghai has enacted better countermeasures than trying to filter the air on an individual level. ...

Georgiana Sook ('19) Two days after returning from China, I started working at a summer program for high school students with entrepreneurial aspirations. Since working here I’ve been thinking a lot about how Chinese and American cultures teach kids to think about identity, success, and failure.   The Chinese culture surrounding youth promotes being the same as everyone else in all but one regard: one must strive be the best, no matter the cost. One is not encouraged to stand out unless you’re standing out by doing the same things as everyone else, only better . This cultural influence has created students who are far more hard-working than any I’ve met in the US. Our student guides explained to us that in high school, most kids study from around six in the morning until eleven or twelve at night. When asked what they do for fun, one student semi-jokingly responded, “more work.” Because of the one-child policy, which was in effect until 2016, many of the people we met...

-->  Easton Depp ('19) laughs as Isaac Feinn ('19) tries pig tail. On one of our last days in Xi’an, the scholars went to visit Yongxingfang. Yongxingfang is a food street within the historical district of the Xi’an City wall. Here, you can try over 20 different types of local Shaanxi provinces meals, dishes, and treats. Today I will be writing up my conclusion on all of them, and I will be joined by fellow critics Nicole Fielder and Isaac Feinn. In order to sample these treats, one must load up a card to spend money. It is a bit similar to an arcade, where you load real money onto a card and use the card to purchase items. After loading up our card with one hundred yuan, and buying some beverages to keep us cool, the three of us set off for our first dish: the donkey meat sandwich. The sandwich was very tough and chewy. It reminded me of a leaner burger. While this dish was an interesting experience, I don't know if I would get it again. Sec...