Week #11: Blogging CHINA ROAD, Chapters 8-15

This assignment is due by Sunday night, November 6. No credit will be given for late posts.



After reading CHINA ROAD, Chapters 8-15, share FIVE specific insights Gifford makes about Chinese culture that you find important, and ONE specific question you have after finishing the reading.

Please use 2-3 sentences for each observation, and cite page numbers, so we can all follow your thinking.

Post your reading response below, as part of this blog thread.

Xie Xie,

Dr. W

Week #10: Blogging CHINA ROAD, Chapters 1-7 (plus Introduction)

This assignment is due by Sunday night, October 30. No credit will be given for late posts.



After reading CHINA ROAD, Introduction - Chapter 7, share FIVE specific insights Gifford makes about Chinese culture that you find important, and ONE specific question you have after finishing the reading.

Please use 2-3 sentences for each observation, and cite page numbers, so we can all follow your thinking.

Post your reading response below, as part of this blog thread.

Xie Xie,

Dr. W

VLOG PROJECT #2: Preparing your pre-travel “MYCHINA” personal blog app.

This assignment is due by Sunday, October 30 at midnight. No credit will be given for late posts.



At your personal blog, create a MYCHINA blog entry, comprised of (at least) 5-7 sentences of text, 1 photo, and 1 video embed, in which you research and share a new, novel and interesting piece or bit of Chinese history, contemporary culture, or popular media. Please focus on Beijing, as we have 2 open days to plan sightseeing events for!

BEIJING BOUND-->OUR November 17-25, 2011 China Mojo Trip ITINERARY!

Ni Hao and Greetings, China Mojo friends and family members!



On behalf of our two China Mojo trip adult co-organizers - the Admissions Office's Catherine Bergeron-Radoux and the CORE division's Dr. Rob Williams - welcome to our China Mojo trip page.


Catherine tearing it up at the rock gym.


Rob at the top of a mountain pass in western China's Qinghai province.

Know that, as prepared as our students are for this China adventure, through our readings, films, blog posts, and discussions, there is no substitute for actual "in country" experience.

We are excited to explore as much of greater Beijing as we can in the relatively short time we have overseas.

Note: All China Mojo students have signed a contract detailing expectations and behavioral norms for our trip. We will be reviewing the contract one more time the day before we leave for Beijing.

In the event of an emergency, please click on this link for a complete STUDY ABROAD emergency phone tree.

Here's everything you need to know for our trip to Beijing!

DEPARTURE (Thursday, November 17):

Continental CO # 4917 leaves Burlington, VT @ 6:00 am; lands in Newark, NJ @ 7:30 am.
Continental CO #89 leaves Newark, NJ @ 11:40 am; lands in Beijing, China @ 2:35 pm on Friday, Nov 18.

HOTEL

We'll be staying @ the Jade Garden Hotel, #1 Nanheyan St., Dongcheng District, Beijing for seven nights.

ITINERARY:

Friday, 11/18 pm: Arrive in Beijing and settle into our hotel. Neighborhood exploration and hot pot dinner.

Saturday, 11/19: Exploring downtown Beijing - Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and Pearl Market.

Sunday, 11/20: Exploring downtown Beijing - neighborhood HuTong tour, Summer Palace, Hong Hai Lake.

Monday, 11/21: Great Wall of China Tour--> Day #1/Badaling, Juyonogguan, Mutianyu.
Hotel check-out & pick-up by our English-speaking tour guide and air-conditioned coach in the morning around 8:00, take a full day Great Wall hiking to Badaling Section, Juyongguan Section and Mutianyu Section. Hiking on these sections will be around 6 hours. Tour will finish at 5:00 pm. Then drive 1.5 hours to get back to your hotel in the city. Meal: Lunch.

Tuesday, 11/22: OPEN DAY.

Wednesday, 11/23: Great Wall of China Tour-->Day #2/Hiking from Gubeikou to Jinshanling
Hotel pick-up at 8:00 in the morning, then drive for 2.5-3 hours to Gubeikou Great Wall, upon arrival, short breaks first. Then start to hiking for 4 hours to Jinshanling Great wall (9.5 miles). Along the hike, you will enjoy seeing the beautiful landscape of the mountain and the wall itself, in addition, there’re few visitors hike along this section, you will not see many tourist here. Late lunch will be arranged at Jinshanling Village. After lunch, if you’d like, you can continue hike a little bit from Jinshanling to Simatai. Then get back to the city. You will be transferred back to your hotel approximately at 6:30 pm. Lovely tour ends!
Meal: Lunch.

Thursday, 11/24: OPEN DAY.

Friday: Final Beijing wrap-up; pack for the airport.

RETURN (Friday, November 25):

Continental CO # 850 leaves Beijing, China @ 5:25 pm; lands in Newark, NJ @ 4:20 pm.
Continental CO #3707 leaves Newark, NJ @ 6:41; lands in Burlington, VT @ 9:39 pm.

BUDGET per STUDENT:

$1300 - Round Trip Air Fare
$240 - VISA application
$450 - 7 nights at Beijing's Jade Garden Hotel
$480 - 7 days of per diem (meals, gifts)
$200 - 2 days on the Great Wall of China
$50 - Beijing taxi and Forbidden City tickets
------
$2,720.00.

Xie Xie, and here's to an epic adventure in China!

Week #9: Blogging "Postcards from Tomorrow Square" (Essays #4-6)

This assignment is due by Sunday night, October 23 @ midnight. No credit will be given for late posts.



After reading essays #FOUR-SIX in Fallows' book plus this article - "The $1.4 TRILLION DOLLAR QUESTION," capture THREE specific observations and ONE specific question you have for EACH OF THESE FOUR essays.

Focus on how each essay sheds light on an emerging 21st century China - what do you learn?

Xie Xie+Hen Hao!

Week #8: Blogging COUNTRY DRIVING, Part 3

This assignment is due by Sunday night, October 16. No credit will be given for late posts.



After reading COUNTRY DRIVING, Part 3, share FIVE specific insights Hessler makes about driving and Chinese culture that you find important, and ONE specific question you have after finishing the reading.

Please use 2-3 sentences for each observation, and cite page numbers, so we can all follow your thinking.

Post your reading response below, as part of this blog thread.

Xie Xie,

Dr. W

IN CLASS VIDEO: TED Talk-->Yang Lan on "The Generation That Is Reshaping China"

Week #7: Blogging COUNTRY DRIVING, Part 2

This assignment is due by Tuesday night, October 11. No credit will be given for late posts.



After reading COUNTRY DRIVING, Part 2, share FIVE specific insights Hessler makes about driving and Chinese culture that you find important, and ONE specific question you have after finishing the reading.

Please use 2-3 sentences for each observation, and cite page numbers, so we can all follow your thinking.

Post your reading response below, as part of this blog thread.

Xie Xie,

Dr. W