Study Abroad with UNA
UNA
Silk Market Hagglin’
The silk market was beyond what I even imagined it to be. There were thousands of shops on the many floors of the huge mall/market. There were clothes, bags, scarves, jewelry, accessories, and so much more. I was on a mission for purses, along with several other girls. We haggled and argued with some very rude ladies, and some very kind ones, before we got our prizes. I got some fabulous purses and they were at a price I was pleased with. The women and men in the stores would yell, “Hey lady! Hey pretty lady! Come get … // Read more
The Great Wall
The Great Wall absolutely lived up to its name. It was the most gorgeous piece of work I have ever seen. The history, the beauty, and the spirit of China were all surrounding the entire wall. Our tour guide told us, “You are a hero in China if you climb the Great Wall.” I was beaming the entire climb. It was a difficult climb and it took me back to the fond memory of Mt. Tai. I climbed the wall with Will and stopped for many pictures along the way. It was so incredible just to be there. … // Read more
Farewell Tianjin
Our farewell dinner was so lovely and so bittersweet. I was not ready to leave China at all, especially the university. The people were so kind to us and I had made such good friends there. They served us a huge feast similar to the one served at our welcome dinner. We all laughed about memories we had made while in China and heard the final words from the university president. The food was delicious and the friendships were so very warm. Tianjin Foreign Studies University treated us like royalty and I am forever grateful.
Midnight Massages
Massages in China are absolutely nothing like massages in America. Nothing at all. There is no soothing music or lotion and hot rocks, there is hardcore massaging. When we arrived to the sketchiest place I’ve ever been, we were all escorted to six beds laying side by side. We climbed in and had our pictures taken multiple times. Our first task was to put our feet in extremely hot water. Then, each person was matched with a female to perform the massage. They started with our feet and worked up. They literally beat on my body, pushed on … // Read more
Geofrey the Suitcase
So, since I bought so many souvenirs in China, I had to have another suitcase to get it all back to America. I had planned on getting an inexpensive, designer suitcase to take my things back to America in. Things didn’t really go as planned. I had ran out of money and my credit card would not let me withdraw money. Luckily, Dr. Gordon and several other friends let me borrow money until I could pay them back in America. So, I ventured to Culture Street with David, Caleb, and Chelsea to find a cute suitcase. The struggle … // Read more
Beijing, Round 1
With a few days left in China, we made a day trip to Beijing. We got to experience Olympic Park and the 798 Art District. Beijing was a completely different world than Tianjin. It was much bigger, and much more upscale. Olympic Park is very large, and hard to cover in an hour, so we bought a ticket to see inside the Eagle’s Nest, which is where the track and field competitions took place. It was breathtaking to stand where so many incredible athletes have stood. I got my picture taken touching the track with my foot, of course. … // Read more
Tour of Haihe River and The Eye
Although all of the experiences we had in China were eventful and breathtaking, the Haihe River Tour was yet another magnificent sight to see. I honestly had to take a second just to soak it all in and really comprehend what I was getting to do. Americans love to go out on boats during the summer. It’s just an American thing to do. So, we were all naturally excited when we found out we would be traveling down the Haihe River by boat. We were even more excited when we found out we could stand up on top of … // Read more
Our Dear Friend, Helen
Helen’s Restaurant and Bar is frequented by Americans as well as visitors from all over the country. It offers delicious food, American music, and an environment that makes you feel at home even in the middle of China. We went to Helen’s several times. The first night we went, several of our cabs got lost. My cab actually got dropped off across the street and we had to basically scale a wall in the middle of the highway. Just before going to KFC for directions, we found our friends and found Helen’s. When you walk in to Helen’s, … // Read more
A Warm Cup of China
I love coffee shops. I just love them. Whenever I travel, I always make sure to visit as many coffee shops as possible. It’s just my thing. So you can imagine my joy when I discovered that there was a coffee shop on the campus we are staying at. Walan Coffee Shop has Western food and music and some amazing coffee. I came for many meals, coffee breaks, late night chats, and just to hang out and find peace in the midst of a busy trip. Although it was fairly dirty and the service was terrible, we all … // Read more
Toe Up About Confucius
Confucius is one of the most well-known philosophers in history, and we got the privilege of touring different areas related to his life. It was incredibly interesting to see the history all around me. The architecture is absolutely gorgeous. Aside from the gorgeous scenery and fascinating history around me, all I could think about was the toe I stubbed the day before. My poor little pinky toe was in so much pain. (I’m a baby, I know). It started pouring down rain, and I had forgotten my rain jacket. After getting soaked, I remembered that I … // Read more
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