Our last full day in Shanghai and China

Well, the end of our trip finally came today, and for the first time the weather was a little questionable. The periods of rain did change our plans a little, but we definitely made the most out of the day and did the majority of what we set out to do. We started today early because we had to make a long trip out of Shanghai to the Suzhou Province.

As our guide stated, the Suzhou Province is a small area of China, with only around 6 million to 8 million people. Clearly size is a relative matter when speaking about population in China. Our first stop in Suzhou was the Suzhou Museum. The visit was an incredible time for a few of us, or at least the few who were able to discover the full extent of the museum. What ended up happening was that the majority of the group walked through an area that would be a typical museum in the US, in the sense that it had displays of art and historical objects. However, many did not find another area that allowed you to walk through a site of stunning old buildings. Constructed in the classic Chinese architectural style, these buildings included an opera hall, a chapel, residences, and peaceful gardens. The rain even helped to give the area a unique mood of calmness. I found the area to be even more calming and enjoyable than the Yuyuan Gardens that we visited earlier in the week.

Our group then went to the number one silk manufacturing company in Shanghai. This experience was unique from other company visits because we were actually allowed to walk through the manufacturing floor and witness how the process of silk production was conducted from start to finish. We were allowed to take pictures and stand right next to the workers as they did their jobs. A few students even were allowed to help out in the manufacturing process. With the tour completed, we then were allowed to shop in a large store of all silk goods that were actually real and of high quality which was a nice change from our experience with fake markets.

After lunch at a nice restaurant that the group went to Zhu Jia Jiao village back in Shanghai. What is different about this village is that is considered to be a water village because of the vast network of canals, bridges, and waterways. For this reason, it is nicknamed the Venice of the Far East. We were able to squeeze in a boat ride around Zhu Jia Jiao before dark, and then we headed for the bus. With these experiences under our belts, we returned to the hotel before going to our farewell dinner. This last dinner was actually at a German restaurant on the water at the Bund. We knew we were still in China, however, and we shared or last moments together as a group for a full day in China.

Tomorrow we fly back to the US in time for Christmas. Wish us a safe journey, and I'll likely try to continue to blog for a bit until my thoughts are complete and pictures are posted. Be sure to check in periodically for any updates, and feel free to make comments or questions about anything you'd like to know.

This trip has proved to be an experience of a lifetime, and has been very successful in both expanding my understanding of a different culture and increasing my knowledge about how business is conducted in other countries. As I said in the beginning, I have had very limited travel experience, and this trip was a large accomplishment for me in expanding my horizons. I think the trip has also proven the success that can be achieved through taking students abroad. The experience gained on these trips can never be replicated in the classroom. I thank you for reading up on my perspective of the trip, and I hope I've been able to hold your interest throughout. We've certainly been busy, and to cover all my thoughts and experiences along the way was impossible, but I hope I've given you a big enough taste to keep you satisfied. I'll be in touch. I wish safe journeys for where ever life may take you, but don't pass up an opportunity to travel if you have one. Your eyes can always be opened wider.