Category Archives: Uncategorized

Patriotism. Innovation. Inclusiveness. Virtue. These words greet travelers stepping out of the Beijing Capital International Airport terminal, constituting the four pillars of the “Beijing Spirit” that supposedly permeates the city. Emblazoned across billboards, bridges, and street signs throughout Beijing, they … Continue reading →

There are a lot of underwhelming experiences in life. Our expectations, inflated by an industry of peddlers, are dashed on a continual basis. The food we eat never matches the pictures on the menu, the phones we use break down … Continue reading →

Being neither Chinese nor American, I feel like I can identify with both sides and at least try to understand their culture clash. On one hand, both China and Brazil are developing countries, “BRICS,” effectively still in the Third World … Continue reading →

I often think of globalization in terms of material goods. I picture the all-too familiar iconic golden “M,” juxtaposed with not-so-familiar Chinese characters, or the Starbucks emblem posted on traditional Asian architecture. Upon arriving in Beijing though, I quickly realized … Continue reading →

Most Americans would agree that Chinese is a pretty difficult language to learn, especially for people who have had little to no exposure to character-based writing systems or tonal nuances in spoken language. A native English speaker, I worked and … Continue reading →

Crammed into a subway car so packed that it makes New York’s 6 train seem like a private limousine, I began to grasp just how many people live in Beijing. With a population of around 8 million people, my hometown … Continue reading →

Tiananmen Square. In America, it’s not just a raw word. It’s fully cooked and grilled, squared into an entire concept, an argument, a thesis if you will. For Americans, it evokes the image of Deng Xiaoping, the supposedly pragmatic and … Continue reading →

Yesterday afternoon we met Professor Zhan Zhongle, the deputy director of the Center for Public Law Studies from Peking University, for a talk on the societal impacts of the one-child policy. We had already had a similar discussion with a … Continue reading →

Two days ago on Dec. 29, a lot happened.  We all arrived (Cynthia and Li arrived, the last two) and moved into our three suites of three (Jess and Haley are a unit). Sorry for not updating for the past … Continue reading →

Three of us – Jessica, Haley, and I – arrived yesterday in Beijing! We were picked up by two members of Peking University’s AIESEC branch, Kooki and Justin, who patiently waited for over an hour as we navigated Chinese customs. … Continue reading →