This blog is going to be done in parts and the story will develop over time to share all our experiences, even after we get back so I can tell the full story and have time and energy to write it all.
Shanghai at night
Tuesday June 10
We have two days to explore Shanghai before we start our training, Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, we made the most of it.
After arriving on Monday afternoon, we relaxed in our hotel and slept. Because of jet lag and sleeping in the afternoon, we both woke up early on Tuesday morning. I woke up at 4:50am and couldn’t go back to sleep. I started my day with some yoga and email.
At 8am, we went down for the breakfast buffet. It was a mix of European and Chinese options. We tried a few Chinese choices, but stuck mostly to eggs and toast and tea.
We were supposed to meet our university host, Dr. Yang for lunch at 11:30. We decided to explore our neighborhood a little and see if we could find an ATM. We accomplished both tasks and got back the hotel to meet three students who took us to lunch. Dr. Yang was finishing a morning of defenses for Master’s theses.
At lunch, we talked with the students about what we wanted to see and do in Shanghai. Our graduate student assistant, Xiaoqing, gave us a great list of activities, shopping, and restaurants to try, in addition to suggestions for food that was unique to Shanghai. We handed them the list. We didn’t realize that we would do almost all of the tourist attractions in one day. That is how we got to 25,000 steps. As a teaser for next time, at the end of the day, my phone pedometer said that we walked 25,570 steps or 11.3 miles.
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Shanghai during the day from my hotel
Today, Thursday (June 12), we started the training at ECNU that we came to do. We think it went well, but was very strenuous for everyone because it was a lot of new information for our participants and intense training for us. We have two and one half days of training left before we leave for home. It is time for bed as we have another big day tomorrow.
Stop eating eggs and toasts. You can get those back here. Be adventurous!! Try fried cockroaches if they offer you those!! (I have never had them and don’t have any desire to have them either.. but I want you to try them so you can tell me what they taste like!) Can’t wait to hear more!