Re:If you have any problems with health, this site will help you!

..Real treatment of nicotine dependence. http://www.jeanpierrepascal.com/com.friend.php?xudhotmailID=16gu2

sorry!

I have been a very bad traveler. Life has been busy and so picture uploading has gotten away from me. Below are some links to the most recent sets I have uploaded (all pictures from Guangzhou and some pictures of my trip to Hong Kong so far...including a trip to Macau). Hope you all enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157627232685972/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157627108489759/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157627108536415/

Made it to Guangzhou!

Made it to the next city safely. We were expecting to have serious weather delays but our travel day was perfect. We are resting before dinner at the bottom of a mountain. We have wireless here (a rare thing) and I am watching 101 Dalmatians in Mandarin. So far so good.

More later when there is something to say.

-Gretchen

Especial para Chuck/Last Day in Chengdu

Ate this majorly tasty stuff called hot pot tonight. What is it? It's a hot pot put in the middle of your table that is heated and brought to a constant boil by a heating element built into the table. One part is non-spicy and the other is WAY spicy. Raw veggies and meats come to the table. You throw them in, they cook, you take them out, dip them in this bowl of oil/cilantro/garlic, eat, smile, repeat. Photos can be found in the link below. Ugh. So delicious.



Also, I got to tour around the city today with some students. They took me to this ridiculously gorgeous temple/monastery. Photos can be seen by clicking the link below...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157627028047539/

7/7 in Chengdu!

Here is a link to the pictures I took yesterday. We went to a Panda breeding center. Of course it was too hot for the giant pandas to be outside...but of course we could run around trying to find them and take their pictures through dirty panes of glass. Luckily, the red pandas got to stay outside. And if I have to say so myself, I think the red pandas are WAY cuter (and not just because they were the only ones outside). So check out the pics and let me know what you think or if you have any questions!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157627019462905/

This trip is going so fast and so slow at the same time. But whatever pace it seems to be going, I am just going to go with it. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but there are other times where I am sure that I am in love with this place. It is weird to feel such a broad range of emotions...

...but anyway. That is enough.

Write soon.

-G

First real day in Chengdu

Here are more pictures. Yesterday we checked out of the Sheraton and went to visit a company that makes air purifiers for hospitals and sterilizers for medical equipment. Then today we had our first lecture and then went to see a company that makes wires and cables. After that, we went to dinner and saw a Sichuan Opera style variety show. While at the dinner table, I paid to have my ears cleaned and to get a head, neck and back massage. I could get used to dinner out like that...haha. ;-) The link for the pictures is below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157627122941554/


Since my daily free time seems to be a bit short, lets try this: comment on this post with any questions you might have. I will be able to answer those much easier and quicker than if I try to sit down and do a play by play of every day.

Sorry for the Delay!

So my time here in China has been jam packed. So I am very sorry to do this to you all again...but I must re-direct you to my flickr account to see what I have been up to lately.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157627112992128/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157627113141242/




Since I cannot add descriptions for now, here is a quick Reader's Digest version:

Beijing was amazing. I cried when I left. So many nice people and a great city. Flew to Chengdu...flight got diverted to Mianyang due to weather. Hung out in the teeny airport (think of a more modern and only slightly larger version of the set on the show Wings) for a few hours. Luckily our professor found a couple of our fellow passengers there that worked for a travel agency. They were able to get us a last minute charter bus. We met a random student that rode the bus with us to help us get to the university okay. Wow. The students have been great so far. So helpful and selfless. The bus drove us the 2.5 hours to Chengdu. Once we got there, the power at the school (where we are staying) was out. So our professors decided to let us stay at a nearby Sheraton for the night. Pretty much amazing. The KLM flight crews stay at this hotel during their layovers. Checked out this morning, went on a company visit, then came back and checked into the university hotel. Its no Sheraton, but more spacious and nicer than BJTU hotel. Also there is an actual bathtub so water doesn't get on the floor when you shower. Throw in two desks with their own internet cords and you have two happy girls. Tomorrow is lecture and another company visit. Minimal details around here...seems to be the Chengdu way of life. But this city is cool and clean. Not as big and historical as Beijing, but it is growing on me. But the students here have a high standard to live up to. So far the students in these universities are so kind and generous. So welcoming...

Anyway...that's enough. I have a journal due before class tomorrow and I need to put the pedal to the metal.

First Day of School

Oooh wee! what a day! School, lunch, school, HouHai Lake for dinner, boats, walking around, etc...too bad I didn't have my camera for ANY of it. So no pics to post for today. I think we are thinking about going back to HouHai so I will go back prepared!

But more specifically, we had two lectures today at BJTU. One about Business and Product Strategy for Foreign Funded Companies and one about Employee Relations and Chinese Philosophy. They were each two hours and I was surprised that I didn't fall asleep! The first professor was somewhat interesting but he was nice so it made up for the language barriers and the sort of slow pace of the lecture. The second professor was definitely stricter but her lecture did have some good information as well. Nonetheless, I have good notes.

Between the two lectures we had a 2 hour and 45 minute lunch. LOVE IT! Definitely wish I could get away with that back in the states...so Andrew B., Mark C., Leah, Matt B., Matt F., Mark E., Josh and I all went to lunch. A bit of a struggle but well worth it. We originally wanted street food, but once we approached the one we wanted, the lady scooted us into an actual restaurant. We tried to tell her we wanted to eat outside, but it didn't work out. So we just went with it and ate off of the menus. The food was pretty good and SO CHEAP.  The total bill was 96 Yuan...then divided equally among the group to be 11 Yuan each...which is not even TWO AMERICAN DOLLARS. Yes, you heard it. We ate a huge family style delicious Chinese lunch for less than what 2 five piece chicken nugget sets cost from Wendy's.

So after we finished the second lecture, we ran back to the hotel on campus and got ready to go to HouHai Lake area. SO BEAUTIFUL! As I mentioned I didn't really know what was happening so I was camera-less. So sad. But it gives me a reason to go back. So after some dinner, a boat ride on the lake and some more walking and hanging out, it was time to come back. This girl always needs a good night's rest. After all, I have school again in the morning and then a visit to the Summer Palace.

If you want some more info about HouHai or Summer Palace, check these wikipedia posts...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houhai

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Palace

Well that is enough for now. Room organization and bed are both calling...

Write soon.

-G  

Pictures from yesterday (6/26)

So it turns out I do not hate this flickr thing...so I am going to keep rolling with it. Once again, I need to find the time later to add descriptions and such so be patient. I am going to spend a little time adding info to the set I posted two nights ago...

ENJOY!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157626926915019/

-G

PICTURES!

I am too dead right now to explain what I did today. So for now, I refer you to a flickr account I made where I will upload all of my pictures...hope you like it! I stayed up to get this done... (COUGHguiltCOUGH)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35503188@N06/sets/72157626918970349/


All for now...

-G

Special post just for Chuck

So Chuck asked two pretty good questions in my last post...so I figured I'd take a sec and answer them for you all...

"What's your room at the University like? Had any exciting meals yet?"

1-The hotel at the university is nice (chandeliers and marble in the lobby, etc)...except for one HUGE thing...the beds. Absolutely the hardest bed I have ever slept on...I already hurt after the first night. But I am glad there is just enough space for my and Megan (my roommate during the trip)'s stuff which is good. Sometimes non-American hotels might lack the space...which I can understand because you don't need to be hanging out in your room. But when you have two girls with a fair amount of baggage, space is key. Also, its nice to know we can really unpack here and get (somewhat) comfortable because we won't be moving for 8 days.

2-As far as exciting meals go...I have had one so far: breakfast. Yesterday morning Mark and I stumbled upon a little pastry shop called "Holiland"...sort of like a place where you could go buy pan dulce. You get a tray and tongs and load up. I LOVE pastry breakfast in China. Really delicious but not overloaded with sugar like in the US. Other than that we have just been snacking on foods from the convenience store (like wasabi peas, chips, lemon wafers, etc). But that does remind me of something wonderful about this country...they make it so easy and affordable to buy bottled water here. I can buy a 1.5L bottle of water for 3RMB...which is basically 50 cents. Amazing. Love it. Since Mark and I are now settled in the group and aren't moving around so much, I hope to be excited about something else besides 50 cent water going forward. Once I am,  I will let you know.

Today is the day we go see Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. Charging up the camera so I can post tons o pics!

Enough for now.

-G

Beijing Jiaotong!

So today Mark and I moved out of our hostel and into the university hotel at Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU). This campus is huge and there is a lot of green space, lakes, as well as pedestrian friendly roads (pictures soon). But what really caught me off guard is that there seems to be less use of English here than over where our hostel was (we moved from the NE side of Beijing to the NW side). For a university where we are told that many students know English I just figured I would hear it a bit more. Also, with as much Mandarin I have tried to learn, it is just not sinking in like I would want it to. I feel out of place and like a deer in headlights...even more than any other time I have been here. I really wish I knew this language more. It's not that I expect to hear English everywhere I go...it was just that we were told that a lot of people would speak English. I hope that once everyone else gets here, it will feel a bit better. The other weird part about this school is that it feels so far from the city. We luckily stumbled upon a small convenience store so I stocked up on some random snacks in case of hunger-related emergencies.

Tomorrow is the first day of the program through UC. We are going to the Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square. Hopefully it is less smoggy than when Mark and I went yesterday...none of the pictures I took then were worthy of posting. Then on Sunday we are going to the Great Wall. After that starts a busy week of lectures at BJTU and visits at various companies in the city.

Well, that seems like enough for now...

-G

SMOG!

Just to give you an idea of how bad the pollution is here...

I am here safe

Finally made it to the hostel in Beijing and we are absolutely dead. Going out to buy insane amounts of bottled water and some food and then coming back and sleeping for a long time. The internet here is terrible and the VPN we were told we could rely on is being fussy (thanks UC). So I am actually posting this via e-mail from my Yahoo account...oh wow. Such a travel back in time technology-wise. So because of that, I have no pictures for you all right now...I miss Google products already.

It is insanely smoggy here that you cannot see the sun...but it is definitely there because you can feel the HEAT!!! Preparing myself for lots of sweat...

Called the parents and got to speak to them for a bit which was good. It's always just best to call asap so they don't have brain hemorrhages.

Anyway, that's enough. More later.

-G

So Canadian!!!

Trying to kill some time before we leave at 1pm. It took forever to find outlets near tables and options for food.

Engines turning on!!!

It's time for Toronto!!!

-Gretchen

In the car to CLE!!!

It's go time!!!

-Gretchen

In the Car!!!

Mark and I are in the car to Cleveland and the weather is absolutely atrocious...ugh! The rain isn't so bad. It's just when someone gets in front of you and the spray from their car makes everything worse...

Nothing like starting this trip on a slightly interesting note...cross your fingers that this is the biggest annoyance we encounter...

More later. :-)

-Gretchen

It's Getting So Close!

So our flight takes off Tuesday morning and I am feeling a big mixture of emotions (anxious, nervous, excited, etc).

Packing my bags has been the most challenging assignment of them all...normal US airlines have a policy where each checked bag must weigh less than 50 pounds. I am not having any issues with that. But when we fly between cities in China, the limit is 44 pounds. But the English translations on these websites are not clear so I don't know if it means 44 pounds per bag or 44 in total. Those are two very different limits. So we will see when we get to our flight from Beijing to Chengdu as to what the rule REALLY is. Cross your fingers it's the first of those two options.

Well since I haven't even gotten there yet, that's enough for today.

Talk soon!

-Gretchen

34 days!

Only 34 more days left and Mark and I are booking hostels in Beijing and Hong Kong today. Just another thing that gets us one step closer to being there!

I'll share more when there is more to share...

59 days!

Little tasks are falling into place that is making this countdown slowly but surely melt away.

-Mandarin lessons have started up and I am really glad. Now that I have had the time to be introduced to the basics, I have realized that I really enjoy it and I want to pursue learning this more even after I get back in July. Isn't it odd how its the things that we really care about are the things that make us want to learn?

-My Chinese visa came in the mail and its just another reminder of how grateful I am for the experiences I have had so far in life. To have to get another visa because my other one has expired is a nice burden to have.

-For one of the classes I will earn credit for in China we have to do a group presentation on one of the four cities we will be visiting during the trip (Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou or Hong Kong). I got put on the Beijing team and it will definitely be an interesting city to research with more than enough options of extra things to do while we are there.

-I'm really just anxious to go. To be able to spend a week in each city will be really nice because it will allow us to get comfortable with each place. To hopefully not get lost too much, to become familiar with the surroundings and to not have to unpack all the darn time. I'm also excited to fly with airlines that I have never experienced before. I know we are flying Air Canada but I do not know what airlines we are using between each of the cities. It's always so neat to experience the differences between service, style, etc.

Well that's enough for now...I'm not out of the woods that is Spring Quarter...yet.

Officially Official

So it turns out these two guys I know are going on this trip (Mark and Andrew). It is always nice to have people you really know and trust their traveling skills and competencies because, let's face it, not all people are born travelers. But I know that we are so that makes things much more comforting.

We have been on the hunt for good ticket prices for I cannot tell you how long. In the estimated budget the school gave us, they instructed us to expect to spend $1400 on a ticket. That figure is very out of date. Looking online most places you could not find a ticket cheaper than $2100. As previously mentioned, I had a bunch of SkyMiles I could have used to bring that $2100 ticket down to a $1600 ticket. But it was still a swift kick in the pants and the itineraries were complicated and would probably be really annoying. That was, until today. I struck the motherload. I found tickets on Travelocity WITH TAX for $1470. As Liz Lemon would say, "what the what???" Air Canada flights with one layover on the way there and two on the way back. I was so happy that we didn't just give up. It took a lot of hard searching. A lot of those travel websites have agreements with certain airlines to claim they are the cheapest option when they really are not. **Travel Tip: Don't be afraid to narrow your search to specific airlines because then you can look at them one by one and know which one really is the cheapest.

So this means that Mark and I will drive to Cleveland, stay at his parents' house and his mom will take us to the airport the following morning. No paying to park, nothing! And it will be nice because it will be just us. I really don't care for traveling in large groups. We will have three weeks to hang out with these people so I think that will be enough. Large groups make things logistically more complicated so avoiding that when possible will be a plus.

On a wonderful note, my beautiful TravelPro bag got a companion (as you can see in the photo). A deep red tote to carry on the plane. The color combo is rather chic if I say so myself. Now all I need to find is a luggage strap and I will be set to go. I already have the perfect luggage tag. It's a Victorinox (Swiss Army) tag that will pay to bring your bag back to you should you be separated. Instead of having your name on it, it has an ID# and a phone number for the person to call. They call the number and then Victorinox arranges to get the bag back to me. AMAZING.

Well that's enough for now. I have gotten a lot accomplished today and it is time for some serious vegging out.

Official Acceptance!

So I got my official acceptance email from Lee yesterday. I am definitely on my way to China. As a celebration, I got a brand new chestnut 26" Travelpro Crew 7 bag (because I don't think I could last 3 weeks in a 22" carry on...). So happy to have a Travelpro bag that isn't black. Thank goodness for online outlets that sell discontinued lines for much cheaper prices. Thanks Dad for the gift!

Interview Success

So I had my interview with Lee, the Director of International Programs for the UC College of Business, this morning. Today is her birthday. Luckily it was gross out today. If I had to go to work on my birthday, I would at least want it to be ugly outside (which it is) so I wouldn't be mad about having to be inside at work all day. We chatted for a bit and the whole thing sort of got me pumped up about actually going on this trip. Only 10 people have applied and it is being led by one of the Operations Management professors and we are going to go on a lot of factory tours. I love factories! The vibe I got from Lee today is that all she has to do is check with my reference and then I am good to go. Then, during next quarter we will be taking Chinese classes to get ready. It will be nice to freshen up on my "zhong wen" (how to say Chinese in Chinese). I can already say "liar!" and "I don't care," two things I imagine I will use a lot while I am there...haha. I'm so excited! The only thing is that this ticket is getting muy expensive (and with all of this political unrest in the Middle East, people are predicting that fuel prices will shoot up). So what was supposed to be a $1400 ticket is slowly (but surely) rounding the corner to being a $2000 ticket. But, luckily I have some Delta SkyMiles I can cash in to save a bit of money. I was going to save them and take a trip somewhere and just relax after graduation...but it looks like I'm gonna have to put on my big girl pants and use the miles on the necessary purchase rather than the fun one. But it is what it is. Life sucks and then you die (or something to that extent).

There is still a little bit of time until things start to get a more intense in preparing for all of this. I already know two students going on this trip so that's good. It can be tricky going on study abroad trips like this. Three straight weeks with the same people. But I'm not going to not go on this trip just because I might get a little burnt out from the people. Any of that unpleasantness will be largely outweighed by the experience itself.

I've Given Birth!

Waaa! Waaa! I have officially created my blog in preparation of my upcoming trip to China. I have my interview with the International Programs Director tomorrow to finalize my application. Therefore, there is not much to blog about for right now.

So for the time being, I am going to go back to focusing on school and finding a job. If you can help me out with succeeding in either of those categories, please feel free to leave a comment below...