Sightseeing

The next two weeks we toured everything Shanghai had to offer, seeing sights such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Yu Gardens, the Jin Mao Tower and Suzhou. Suzhou is a small city a few hours outside of Shanghai known for it’s beautiful gardens and stone bridges. My favorite part of Shanghai was our two-hour river cruise down the Huangpu River because we were able to see the spectacular architecture on the Bund. The Bund is known as the area alongside the Huangpu River, where Shanghai’s modern architecture lights up at night. It’s a very impressive place because the area was farmland just a few years ago. Offices, museums, restaurants and hotels were recently built and cover the entire area. I was blown away by the sight of the bund at night and couldn’t believe all the lights and activity that came with it.

After two weeks in Shanghai we flew to Beijing, the capital of China. Despite the mass amounts of people and visible pollution problems, the city appeared to be ready for the 2008 Olympics. Advertisements, shops and promotions were everywhere, including some of the nation’s most historical landmarks. We visited sites, such as Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall of China, all of which had some Olympic paraphernalia.

I was surprised at the amount of advertisements in these famous places because I felt that it ruined the historical feel of the monuments. For example, at Tienanmen Square, a place where thousands of students died in protest of the communist takeover, it didn’t feel as powerful with a 2008 Olympics countdown clock overhead. I found the Great Wall, one of the oldest historical sites in the world, less effective because of the “One World. One Dream” billboard right next to it. It all felt too commercial.

I don’t think the Chinese were bothered by this because they are so excited to host the Olympics. Many of the people I talked to feel the Olympics are a way for China to prove itself to the world. The Olympic advertisements and promotions are only temporary and therefore, many do not mind. Since the announcement of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the city has done major reconstruction and clean-up, which has also pleased many of its residents. They view the Olympics as an opportunity to show the world what they are made of.

First Taste

When arriving in Shanghai, our visas were stamped and we were ready to roam around the country. My two communication teachers from the University of Dayton were at the airport to meet us along with ten students from China. UD has an exchange program with Shanghai Normal University. Therefore, we were able to talk and go on excursions with Chinese students our age.

We settled into our hotel and decided to grab some dinner at a local restaurant. We quickly learned that the Chinese eat dinner very differently. We each tried to order our own dishes, as we do in America, but to our surprise, we realized that in China one person orders courses for the entire table. So my teacher tried to order our meal. However, since we couldn’t read Chinese characters, it was often hard to understand what we were ordering. Many menus had pictures of the dishes, which made our choices a little easier.

The food in China is not the same as the Chinese food we order take out from. At most restaurants, they use live fish to boil and cook for your meal. They also use less fried food and sauces with their dinner. Even fried rice is considered a dessert on their menus. Most of the food was very appetizing, if you could get past what you were actually eating. Duck, eel, shark fin, and ox balls are generally not something I would order in America, but the experience was one I will never forget.

2008 China Excursion

During the school year, I made the decision to study abroad in Shanghai and Beijing, China. Although I had the options of Europe and Australia, Asia seemed to be more of a culturally different and life-changing experience. Studying abroad was always something I had an interest in doing because it’s a great opportunity to understand cultures outside your own. It’s also a great way to earn extra college credit by traveling to places you may never be able to see again.

To prepare for China I bought books about what to expect and some basic Mandarin language books. I also registered for a visa to enter the country. This process was a lot harder than I had thought it would be. Everyone in the group was issued their visa except for another girl and I. We found out quickly that China had stopped issuing visas to Americans for the Olympics. However, after my congressman, Joe Knollenberg, wrote a letter to the Chinese Embassy, we were permitted to enter the country.

I was both nervous and excited to leave for China. I knew I would be thrown into a completely different culture, but was excited for the challenge. Only five other students at the University of Dayton shared my enthusiasm, and soon in mid-June we boarded a fourteen-hour flight to Shanghai, China.

Ni Hao (Hello in Mandarin)

I’m Meaghan Cleary, the new intern at Eisbrenner Public Relations. I will be entering my senior year at the University of Dayton (Go Flyers!) as a public relations major and marketing minor. I currently live in Bloomfield Hills, where I graduated from Marian High School in 2005.

I really like staying active by playing tennis and swimming. I also love to travel and be with my friends and family. At Dayton I stay very active on campus. I am Vice President of Event Planning in my sorority, Pi Beta Phi. There, I also write articles for our national newsletter, The Arrow. IABC is another group I work closely with as the program manager.

Joining groups and clubs are one of the most important parts of college. It doesn’t have to be in Greek life and it doesn’t need to be a sport. Joining any group is a great way to meet new people and start new relationships. It also helps to stay busy and find something that interests you.

So what brings me to Eisbrenner?

I studied abroad in China this summer and researched information on how Eisbrenner can explore the economically booming markets there. Because their clients are mostly auto manufacturers, I took a deep look into China’s emerging automotive industry. I’m also here to help with any tasks they may need. I am really looking for real life work experience before I enter the real world next year.