tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38606614359115094802024-03-05T07:16:47.158-08:00J-Term China 2013 TCMDr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-89628258085073408312013-01-29T13:29:00.000-08:002013-02-02T13:30:01.207-08:00The Great Wall - Last day in BeijingOur last day in Beijing was jammed packed but full of excitement and anticipation as we were going out to see the Great Wall today! We started off the tour with a trip out to the Ming Tombs and the Spirit Way. This is a tomb designed by one of the last emperors of the Ming Dynasty that was built. We had a chance to quickly tour only one of the tombs because on our way out to the tombs, our bus was involved in a fender-bender. As I was sitting in the front, I saw that the car infront of us slammed on it's break for no apparent reason. Our tour guide said that in Beijing, people can sometimes bribe a police officer to get a drivers license in order to cirmumvent the lengthy process of learning how to drive. The tour guide said that the man driving the car in front of us was a new driver and had just bought his car (a Chevrolet SUV of some type). Poor man, our bus had minor damage, but the whole back of his SUV was smashed. After waiting for about 1 hour we changed buses and continued on our trip out to the Ming Tomb. <br />
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The Ming Tombs had a very European feel to the design. I wondered if this emperor toured Europe and wanted to design his eternal resting place to mimic the avenues of Europe. The Spirit Way is a long 2+ km way that is lined with weeping whillows and statues of all sorts of animals and giant soldiers guarding the way. At the beginning of this long avenue is a giant turtle that is meant to signify longevity. <br />
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After this, you enter the actual tomb. Although there are several emperors buried in the area, the largest of the tombs is the one we visited. The following pictures show how big of an area these tombs are.<br />
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After our quick visit to the tombs, we stopped at another government run Cloissone factory. I had no idea that people actually have to hammer out, cut, and place each small part of copper and fix it on the vase. Then, another person has to fill it in with the different color paints/glazes. The process seemed very detailed and an art form all to itself. No wonder the prizes were so high! <br />
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We ended the day by climbing the Great Wall. The steps were uneven, and worn by the number of visitors that the wall sees each year. I couldn't help but pause and remember what our tour guide said about the wall also being the largest tomb ever built. This is because as the wall was being built, workers who died while building it were entumbed in the actual wall. Although the day was cloudy and cold, it added a peaceful and serene feel to the visit. Many of us climbed up into the top of the towers through a very narrow and steep stair case and took some pretty great pictures of the surrounding country side. To think that this structure is the only man-made structure that can be seen by the naked eye from space seemed incredible. Although I went up to the second tower, many of the students went much further. I felt it was an honor being able to visit this area, take a moment to honor the people who died making the wall, and have a chance to climb the structure without being rushed or crowded like I have been told it is during the summer months. What a fantastic ending to a great trip!<br />
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Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0Great Wall of China, 慕田峪村 Huairou, 北京市 China40.4299544 116.5679362999999314.9079199 75.259342299999929 65.9519889 157.87653029999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-85572277932996893162013-01-28T01:04:00.000-08:002013-02-02T14:04:56.020-08:00Beijing, China - Day 3 by Kiara Revilla<br />
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<span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Monday
1/28/2013</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Today was
by no means a busy day but it was definitely an eventful day. We started out
with the luxury of getting up a little later then usual (meeting at 9:30!). Our
breakfast was the usual mix of fried rice, toast, and fried duck eggs. The
first stop was the art district. With our early start most if the streets were
deserted and we got to look around all by ourselves. The streets were filled
with modern art as well as traditional Chinese art. You could see things from
graffiti of a giant squid on the walls as well as men in black to statues if
giant caged dinosaurs and sharks devouring chairs. It was fun to walk around
and I wish we had more time to explore the vastness of it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Our next
stop was our last and most exciting official stop of the day. All dressed up we
made our way to the embassy. The process turned out to be a little bit
difficult. We got to the front gate and first turned over our passports to get
our visitor passes. Next we went through security which is a lot like airport security
only here when you turn over your electronics you don't get them until you
leave. So sadly we progressed on short our cameras but plus some escorts. The
embassy itself was set up very uniquely. It was kind of a hybrid of a jail and
a maze. They told us this was partly due to the fact that the building needed
to be able to withstand a bomb. The interior design was beautiful, there was no
shortage of art on the walls. One of my personal favorites, and I think many
others, was the bathrooms! They were perfectly western completed with western
toilets, toilet paper, and dyson hand blades. Since we were a little early we
were able to stop at the commissary and pick up some favorite foods that we
haven't seen in a month. I personally got some flaming hot Cheetos. Our escort
next brought us up to see the medical clinic. This clinic was basically the
same kind of clinic that we are used to seeing back home. It was interesting to
compare and talk to a nurse that works there. But we had to run to make it to our
appointment on time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">We made
it to our conference room and all excitedly waited around the table. After a
few minutes of patiently waiting Ambassador Gary Locke made his entrance. He
politely asked about our trip thus far and our studies abroad. Then with a
change if pace he talked to us about how western presence and practice of
medicine is greatly needed in a place like China. He attested to the poor set
up of the healthcare system and how it needs some work. He gave an example that
if you walk into a hospital and you are having a heart attack you will not
receive health care until you have paid for the service. Yes, if you are a
citizen you will have health insurance but the coverage is minimal and the
patients almost always have to pay cash up front for services. It was a unique
experience that we are all very grateful for. We got the pleasure to talk to
him about PLU. He praised our school and applauded us for going to a liberal
arts school. He too felt that it is so important to receive a broad education
to help you become a world citizen. We obviously agreed with him. To conclude
our visit we pulled our PLU banner out and took a picture with him (which we
will hopefully be receiving in a couple of weeks once it makes its way through
security to us). I feel very lucky for the opportunity for an experience like
this. It was a great way to start the wrap up of our trip. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">-Kiara
Revilla </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: #0400; mso-bidi-language: X-NONE; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: #0400;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-91414306913949765282013-01-27T12:29:00.000-08:002013-02-02T12:40:55.938-08:00Beth Iovino Blog<span style="font-size: large;">In the morning, our group toured a traditional Buddhist temple called the Lamu Temple. The temple holds a Guinness World Record for having the largest Buddha carved out of a single piece of wood. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our group then toured another silk factory where we were shown the raw material used to make the silk products and given a demonstration on the quality of the products produced in a government factory. One of the interesting aspects we learned is that the cocoon that the moth makes is really hard when dry. However, they boil it for over 2 hours to get it soft. This way the pupa inside can be removed and the silk stretched out on a wooden mold shown below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We then drove to a government pearl factory where we were shown how to tell the difference between a real pearl and a fake pearl. Real pearls when rubbed together make a pearl powder. We also learned that it takes over 3 years to have an oyster ready to produce pearls and each oyster can produce more than 30+ pearls!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our next stop was at the oldest part of Beijing where we were given a tour via a rickshaw ride. During this ride, we passed a frozen river where we joined the locals out on the ice for some great photos. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After dinner, the group took in a Kung Fu show. The stunts and acrobatics were amazing. The show demonstrated the dedication needed to acquire and build the skills required in this ancient art form. Several of the students took advantage of the opportunity to take photos with the Kung Fu artists featured in the show.</span> <br />
Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.90403 116.4075259999999638.352720999999995 113.82573899999996 41.455339 118.98931299999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-78940420807895980042013-01-25T21:19:00.000-08:002013-02-02T12:41:35.110-08:00Blog 1/25/2013 Annalisa Pedersen<div style="-webkit-comremoved-by-webmail-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-comremoved-by-webmail-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">
Today we arrived in Beijing. We have heard many things about Beijing. The shopping reputation had mixed reviews, some said it was good and some bad. The women are supposed to be less beautiful and stylish then Chengdu. Apartments are supposed to be enormously expensive. Our first tour guide, Lisa, told us that Beijing is known as the largest parking lot in the world. </div>
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We also heard and worried about the pollution levels. The news has been reporting that pollution levels in Beijing are currently at record high. As we got off the plane the smog did not appear to be worse then what we have seen. But after a few hours many of us are complaining of gunk in our throats. People are not wearing masks as much as Xian, which is surprising. Many of us are wearing masks. </div>
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Beijing does feel more modernized and less foreign. We see more other foreign people and we are stared at much less. From what we have seen so far there are more English speakers. </div>
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Our hotel was nice, a pleasant change from our less nice (but not awful) room accommodations in Chengdu. The wifi is a perfect connection. Speaking with family members on a clear connection is a relief. </div>
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Our dinner was fantastic. The chicken and beef tasted normal like home. Beijing food feels more western and less spicy. Some of us are excited and some are disappointed.</div>
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After dinner we went to another opera. Our favorite parts were the plate spinners and the Kung foo. There were pictures on the wall of many important political figures that had been there before. </div>
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Annalisa Pedersen</div>
Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-25064027221233288932013-01-25T00:43:00.000-08:002013-02-01T01:02:32.781-08:00Day 1 Beijing by Angela KernOur first full day in Beijing was undeniably busy; we were going, going, going all day long. We got to sleep in until about 8:30 and didn't leave until nine. I was practically grateful because we haven't really had a moment to catch our breaths since we landed in Xi'an, it's just been one thing after another without any breaks in between. Being constantly busy is, if a little draining, something I wouldn't trade for the world! We have had so many opportunities to experience unique and exciting adventures, I'm glad to say that we have hit most of the things you're supposed to do here as well as experiencing many unique moments. <br />
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When we arrived at our first stop, Tienanmen Square, I was in awe. The history of the place makes standing in the middle of the square overwhelming. Everyone is bustling and taking photos on the same ground where deadly fights fought for entertainment during the Ming and Ching dynasties, where hundreds of college students were killed during the ten year cultural revolution. I grew up hearing about the bravery of those young adults and I know that Tienanmen was the focal point of the cultural revolution here in China. The dark history of the square is starkly contrasted by the capitalist attitude that now predominates. Everyone was either selling or buying something there, not surprising for China. I liked the juxtaposition, it allowed you to really visualize the modern, past, and ancient China. China is definitely a mixture of the two; you find the latest architecture in the entire world right next to sites with enough history that people travel from all over the world to see them. <br />
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From the square we entered the Forbidden City where the emperor stayed during the later Chinese dynasties. It was incredibly large. The enormous city was built with 9999.5 rooms because heaven was said to have 10,000 rooms. Although the emperor thought he was close to the status of a good, he didn't want to offend them by having the same number of rooms in his house. He was also a little paranoid and built a 50 meter most and an impenetrable most around his city to keep invaders out. He even built the ground of the city 7 meters deep of brick precariously placed so they would collapse of an assassin tried to dig under the city. Most emperors had between 10,000 and 20,000 concubines at any given time. No other men were allowed to have relations with these women, and as an added precaution, the emperor only employed eunuchs. The city was very private and as you walk further back, it becomes more private. In the front, the emperor would entertain audiences, but in the back only his favorite concubines could stay. The whole universe pretty much revolved around this emperor. <br />
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All of the buildings were very beautiful and the time were elegant. We mostly saw rooms meant for concubines and were told that the emperor hardly ever slept in his own (larger) room; he had an affinity for the grandiose.</div>
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The Forbidden City want exactly what I was expecting, but it was awe-inspiring if simply for the fact that it let us better understand the dynamics of the royalty in ancient China.<br />
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Next we made our way to the Temple of Heaven. It's another Buddhist temple, but it was much bigger and more ornate than what we've seen previously. There was a pavilion with nine tears leading up to a white circular platform. If you stand in the middle of it, legend says that you get to make one wish. I won't tell you all what my wish was, but I think this one may work because the power of Buddha was behind it. The walkway up to the main temple had a granite row up the middle of it. During dynastic China, only the emperor could walk straight up the middle. We all walked up that way and felt very regal. The actual temple was definitely the coolest ones I've seen yet. It was designed so that the monks could talk to each other at opposite ends of the temple courtyard. The wall around the temple is circular and you can hear people from the opposite end, about 200 meters away, when they are talking in a normal voice. The temple itself was similar to the others we've been to, with the obligatory big statue of Buddha in the middle. These temples are incredibly beautiful and serene. <br />
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After the temple, we went to an acrobat show. It was incredible! All of the people were so talented, I can't figure out why they didn't all go to the Olympics. Seriously, they were doing tricks that I had never even thought of. One guy balanced on a ladder with another guy and a little girl on his back. He then proceeded to pick up two other little girls while balancing solely on his two small metal ends of the ladder. There was another whole group of girls twirling the plates. They spun plates on long sticks and did tricks, never letting even one plate fall. They climbed on each other, did walk-overs, and one girl bent over backwards to grab a flower out of a bucket with her teeth. There was a couple that did the ribbon dancing like they do in Los Vegas where they have two thick banners of silk coming from the ceiling and the dancers wrap themselves in it and then fly over the stage while dancing. It was beautiful to watch, but a little frightening, too. There was one point where the woman wrapped a rope around her neck and then was hoisted into the air while spinning at about a thousand rpms. The most amazing of all, though, was the motorcycles in the big round cage. These crazy Chinese people rode their motorcycles in a round cage and fit five motorcycles in there. Every time they came out to add another bike, the entire audience went insane! They were certainly dare devils. We had one more show left, a traditional Beijing opera. While I'm glad I had the chance to try it, Beijing opera certainly is not for everyone. After watching the insane motocross, the shrill and slow-moving opera was an altogether different experience. We all really liked the fact that there were subtitles in English! The actors were really talented. One of the stories was about a sword fight in the dark. Both men were turning flips and practicing complicated sword play while singing, it was impressive. The opera was worth going...once. <br />
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Beijing is a huge city full of life, there is just so much to see. I can't wait to see more of the city and explore the area. </div>
Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0Beijing, China39.90403 116.4075259999999639.90403 116.40752599999996 39.90403 116.40752599999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-53905702790070210002013-01-24T23:55:00.000-08:002013-01-31T23:57:13.187-08:00Blog Rose and Meilea Jan 20-24th
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sunday, January 20th, we headed out
from the hotel and spa at 8am. We made our first stop at a Buddhist.The temple
was set in a forest area with rocks and trees. We had a short walk from the
parking lot toward the temple. At the temple there were altars set up for
various gods and Buddha. There were different temple buildings which were on
different levels that ascended up. At one of the areas there was a monk tending
the altar and some of us gave a donation then we got a gift. Most of us got a
CD with music of the monks chanting. They played some of the music over a
speaker and it was very peaceful and relaxing. After we finished at the temple
we headed to a tour of a factory. Barb was friends with the owner of the
company back in the US. She was able to set up a tour of the factory were they
made organic pesticides and food preservatives. The factory was large and had
many different buildings for offices and processing of products. After the tour
we had lunch then headed to the silk factory. We were able to have a tour and
learn about how silk was </span><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">
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</w:wrap></v:path></v:imagedata></v:stroke></v:fill></v:shape><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">made from silk worms. </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monday January 21st, we had lecture with Dr.
Peng in the morning and he lectured on Tuina or massage techniques. The lecture
focused on kneading and percussion manipulations. We were able to practice
massage techniques on each other which is an enjoyable experience. While
practicing our techniques for massage Dr. Peng a.k.a Tuina master would share
words of wisdom like "relax" and "no pain no gain". The
massage in China are different from US ones because they us lots more force in
massage and pain is a positive sensation. In the afternoon lecture we had Dr.
Zhang and she lecture on acupuncture. We were able to practice insertion of the
needles. The instructor gave us some napkins and acupuncture needles to
practices our techniques. It is important to hold the needle properly and </span></span><v:shape id="_x0000_s1027" strokeweight="1pt" style="height: 222.8pt; margin-left: 319.15pt; margin-top: 16.35pt; mso-position-horizontal-relative: margin; mso-position-vertical-relative: line; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 12pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 12pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 12pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 12pt; position: absolute; width: 167.1pt; z-index: 251656704;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">
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angle. We all enjoyed the hands on learning. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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<span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Tuesday January 22nd, we had
clinical in the morning in Tuina (massage) and acupuncture clinics. We split up
into our different clinical groups and observed various clinics treating
patients with massage and acupuncture. In clinical we were able to receive and
practice acupuncture on fellow students. In the afternoon we had lecture with
Dr. Peng and the lecture focused on TCM therapies like moxibustion, cupping,
and ear acupuncture. Before lecture we had the opportunity to practice
acupuncture on each other. Moxibustion is a therapy where a plant herb is
burned over the skin directly or indirectly. This therapy is meant to warm
meridians, disperse cold,support yang, and resolve stagnation of the blood.
Cupping is a therapy method which uses<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a
jar or cup is attached to the skin surface to </span></span><v:shape id="_x0000_s1030" strokeweight="1pt" style="height: 223.55pt; margin-left: -23.35pt; margin-top: -12pt; mso-position-horizontal-relative: margin; mso-position-vertical-relative: line; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 12pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 12pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 12pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 12pt; position: absolute; width: 167.65pt; z-index: 251659776;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">
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</w:wrap></v:path></v:imagedata></v:stroke></v:fill></span></v:shape><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">cause local suction through
negative pressure created by heat. Ear acupuncture or otopuncture is a therapy
method using small needle or herb patches on ear to stimulate otopoints. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Wednesday January 23rd,
we had a short day only with a morning lecture which was a continuation of
Tuina massage techniques. The majority of the lecture consisted of hands on
learning and practicing the techniques on one another. Following the morning
lecture we all got together to celebrate Angela's birthday at a local karaoke
restaurant. We enjoyed a few hours of signing songs of all kinds and eating a
delicious birthday cake ordered specially for the birthday girl. </span><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";">After the celebration,
everyone went their separate ways to eat dinner, journal, and read for the next
day's lecture.</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Thursday January 24th, was our last
day of learning about traditional Chinese medicine and we finished it up with
another lecture about Tuina massage techniques. It was a great end to our class
time here in Chengdu. Closing ceremony was in the afternoon following lunch and
was a time that many of us could not believe to have come so soon. It felt like
just yesterday that we all sat in the same room for opening ceremony, so to be
back in the same spot was a bittersweet feeling. The professors and
coordinators of our program surprised us with a CD gift of pictures from our
entire stay at the university. Everyone was very appreciate to receive such a
meaningful gift that captured the memories we will keep forever from this trip.
Each student was also awarded a certificate of completion for the course and was
involved in many more pictures to capture </span></span><v:shape id="_x0000_s1029" strokeweight="1pt" style="height: 187.05pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 20.35pt; mso-position-horizontal-relative: margin; mso-position-vertical-relative: line; mso-wrap-distance-bottom: 12pt; mso-wrap-distance-left: 12pt; mso-wrap-distance-right: 12pt; mso-wrap-distance-top: 12pt; position: absolute; width: 249.4pt; z-index: 251658752;" type="#_x0000_t75"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">
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</w:wrap></v:path></v:imagedata></v:stroke></v:fill></span></v:shape><span style="mso-hansi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS";"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">our last moments in Chengdu.
Following the closing ceremony, everyone got in their last minute shopping at
the local shops and then<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>headed off to
pack up their belongings and abundance of souvenirs that were purchased during
our stay. We altogether pretty much bought out China and will be bringing it
home with us to say the least.</span></span></div>
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Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com1Chengdu, Sichuan, China30.658601 104.0648559999999630.658601 104.06485599999996 30.658601 104.06485599999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-80514126121002084332013-01-21T22:33:00.000-08:002013-01-31T23:40:25.332-08:00Stephen Koistinen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After an eventful first 2 weeks being in China I've already learned so much. Experiencing the differences between American and Chinese societies and lifestyles has been the most interesting part. It's been such an incredible trip so far and we are only halfway through!<br />
We started off this week with something that everyone was looking forward to: the Chengdu Panda Research Center! As we drove away from the city, we were able to get a little bit of rest before we arrived at the center. Still, it was apparent after the first half hour that there was a significant difference between the city of Chengdu and the more rural areas. After passing construction areas and broken down buildings for several minutes we ended passing endless fields of crops and dirt that seemed a little desolate, which makes sense with the seasonal weather. As we passed through the ever-present smog, we finally, reached the facility and got an idea of just how large the center was. It felt more like a zoo than a research facility! While areas of the place were under construction, we everyone was bright-eyed at the forests of bamboo planted specifically for the facility. Through the front gates and we were already seeing one of the buildings that held a museum and gift shop full of panda dolls, hats, sweaters, and other knick-knacks. We hopped on little trolleys that took us through the giant sanctuary to where the main pandas were held. The ride felt somewhat like the beginning of Jurassic Park, without all of the deadly dinosaurs. Once we arrived at the end of the ride, we were able to already see several pandas in their own ideal environments, that catered to all the needs of the pandas, including food, shelter, trees to climb, water to drink and caretakers to help them bathe and to play with them. <br />
The first one we saw was actually getting washed by one of the caretakers and right after putting the cub down, it walked over to a nearby tree and began to climb it! Everyone, myself included got our cameras out as fast as we could and snapped several pictures of the little guy. After a minute or so, he climbed back down and went off to get a drink in his little watering hole. As we moved on we spotted several adult pandas in a slightly larger area, all of which seemed to be living up to their reputations for being the laziest kind of bear. They were scattered, some laying on large decks made of large bamboo rickets, while others were up balancing in the trees. From here, we were able to see a small indoor facility with cages, play pens, and incubators for baby pandas to be handled by professional veterinarians that work specifically with pandas. Sadly, we didn't see any newborns while we were there, since they more often breed during the early spring and give birth in the late summer and early fall. From here, we went down towards another area of the park, where a small indoor theater showed a short documentary of panda lifestyle, eating habits, breeding and birthing has evolved over the last few millennia and discussed how the Chengdu research center came about and how well it treats the incoming pandas and what breakthroughs they've made over the last several years, especially in the process of breeding and artificial breeding of the pandas to continue their existence and save them from extinction. After the short film, we wander through to the other main group of animals, also called the "red pandas" due to their red fur, though they look more like a raccoon than a panda bear. Technically, they aren't even in the same taxonomic family as the panda! After we wander a bit more and saw the small lake that held several colorful Gobi fish and black swans, we were able to have a quick lunch at the bamboo-themed restaurant within the center. Even some of the food we bought had parts of the bamboo plants that pandas ate, in order to feel more authentic. Overall, the food and experience was fun and memorable. Sadly, due to the degree in panda populations and dwindling amounts of funding they were getting from the government, the facility was charging people 2400 yuan, equal to roughly 400 American dollars to be ale to get their picture taken while holding a young panda cub, which none of the students could afford. After we left the research center, with souvenirs and gifts bought and packed in our bags, we headed on our way back to Chengdu, but not before taking a quick stop at one of the local markets for some sight-seeing and bartering. After a few hours we headed back to our hotel and relaxed for the night. <br />
The next morning, we started off class bright and early, with lectures about the etiology and pathology of diseases within the bounds of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This discussed some very vague factors, such as "Wind, Summer-Heat, Dampness, Cold, Dryness, and Fire." While these seem like just words to us, rather than actual pathogens that could causes disease, many people within the population believe in the theories of TCM. It was also discussed that internal injury can occur from the overwhelming of specific emotions, such as joy, sadness, grief, or fright. After learning these concepts, we began learning about acupuncture and its entire theory. While it was difficult understanding our interpreter who was speaking for the teacher, the stuff that we were learning about acupoints and moxibustion was extremely interesting and very complex. It is easy to say we all left class a bit frazzled from that lecture. <br />
We decided it would be best to get some food that reminded us of home. So after a few blocks of walking we found the supermarket and a local McDonald's and scarfed down on some burgers and fries! I have to say, they definitely hit the spot. <br />
The next day, we spent the morning in clinicals, where my group was able to see each kind of TCM procedure, including acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal paste, massaging, and cupping. All of these techniques were used over the course of several different patients between the in-patient and out-patient area of the acupuncture clinic behind the hospital. It was truly incredible to see patients that suffered from paralysis and Bell's palsy being treated with these alternative treatments that are becoming more and more common throughout the world. We saw a single older patient, a man that appeared to be in his late 50's, who received several different treatments within an hour of the previous one, including moxibustion, acupuncture, herbal paste, and even vitamin injections into his face. It was actually one of my first experiences in a clinic, being able to see patients being worked with directly, since I am not truly a nursing student, which was an incredible opportunity within itself. During the last few minutes of our time in the out-patient area, we had one of the students who had been practicing acupuncture for the last few years to place a needle into each of our hands since we had never experienced it yet. The feeling was very odd, to say the least. It did not hurt piercing the skin, but it did give off a feeling that the area it was poking had swelled within my hand. <br />
After our lunch break, we returned to a new professor who discussed to us the various meridians and collaterals within the body. This was by far the most difficult lecture that we've had during our stay in Chengdu, not only for the fact that the material was much more in depth than previous lectures, but also the trouble that we were having with the interpreters trying to keep up with the professor's pace of teaching.<br />
On Wednesday, we woke up to darkness in our hotel from the power being shut off, which, we were told, was done so that they could check all the electrical wiring in the building. Whatever the case was, we arrived a few minutes late to the bus, as we were spending the day at one of the first government-funded nursing homes in Chengdu, which housed fifty senior citizens, though it could hold up to a hundred. After receiving a warm welcome, our one of our professors, Dr. Guerrero, gave a lecture on the comparisons of Eastern and Western medical care toward the elderly for the next several decades. It was nice to see information being offered to the nursing staff that may help them in the coming years as health care may change in China. After her lecture, we were able to walk around the facility and receive some first-hand accounts by the seniors on how comfortably they were living. From what it sounds like, they had a fairly well-established relationship with the workers and nurses there. They all said that they were treated very well and still had an amount of independence that they were happy to have. After this point, we were able to play table tennis in the recreational area with some of the staff and then go to get some previews of the moxibustion and foot bathing techniques that they use for the elderly people there. It felt that they were being treated very well and were enjoying their time there while receiving some well-deserved care when required. Eventually we were able to buy a few trinkets from the facility before leaving for the hotel. We still have a long trip ahead of us, and I can't wait to return home with all of these incredible stories and items of memorabilia! Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-13697448976108582422013-01-19T00:15:00.000-08:002013-02-01T00:41:34.252-08:00Angela Kern's Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<!-- Columns Splitters (resizing columns) -->Saturday morning we got up to go on a hike at the beautiful Qing Cheng mountain. It is a very important mountain in the Taoist religion,there are temples for worship along the trail. It is also a very important mountain to TCM because practitioners used to go there to study the concepts of yin and yang.
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We drove about an hour and a half outside the city on a bumpy road through farmland. It was still fairly urbanized, but it was nice to get out of the city for a few hours. The mountain was 1,260 meters tall, which ended up being about a two hour climb. The nice thing was that at each of the temples along the way had shopping... Buddhist prayer beads and small statutes and of course panda hats. So I had a pretty legitimate excuse to stop and rest. </div>
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Whenever I did stop, I was amazed by the amazing sights. Although the smog does not lift even outside the city, we could see for quite a ways into the valley and we were surrounded by mountains. The smog gave the whole place an eerie and mystic quality, almost like a higher power intended the mountain to be a place of study and worship. The temples were ornate with large statues of deities.</div>
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I have absolutely no idea how they moved the materials for the structures up there. Perhaps in a similar manner to the one they use to get water and materials up there to sell to the thirsty tourists: I saw several men with huge packs including several cases of water on their backs. In fact, the Chinese in general seem to have great aptitude for climbing in less-than-ideal situations. I saw a woman doing the endless status that almost dropped made with a chubby toddler strapped to her back and countless brave (or stupid) women wearing heels, not willing to abandon their dedication to fashion even for a hike. It was pretty embarrassing to stop for a break only to be passed by a woman wearing four extra inches, and I was very impressed.<br />
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We made it to the top after a couple hours, and boy was that tough<br />
hike worth it! There was a huge status at the top in a temple with<br />
thousands of red ribbon tied in the banister around it for good luck. They have been carried up there by believers for years. There was also a large fence with too many locks to count attached to it. Newly wed couples (or I guess really confident unmarried couples) can come up with a set of locks and when they reach the top, they lock them together and throw the key as far as they can. As long as their locks remain, they are guaranteed not to separate. Back in the day, people had to walk into the forest and try to find their key if they wanted a divorce. That's probably why some poor sucker invented lock-cutters. We sat on the top to have our lunch, and then planned to take the tram back down to rest our tired legs. When we got down to the tram station, though, it was closed. We ended up walking down another way, and it was really beautiful. The vegetation was integrating...like nothing I've seen before. We also saw a beautiful lake. The best part was that it was less crowded than our original path we went up so we could make the trek down quickly.<br />
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When we got back, we had about two hours before the Szechaun <br />
opera. I didn't really get dressed up fancy because I determined that a nap was more important. When we got there, I felt like my nice jeans fit in just fine. The opera was nothing like I expected it to be; it seemed more like a talent show than what we would consider an opera. There were people who played random instruments, sang, and had other (pretty weird) talents. On of the coolest was the guy that did shadow puppets with his hands. He did a horse running at different speeds, an owl,all sorts of beautiful birds, dogs and cats, and many other scenes. It was pretty incredible to watch him work with his hands. I never thought I would say this, but his shadow puppetry was a true art form.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">There was also a girl that juggled and threw huge pots and talked on<br />her feet, made more impressive by the fact that she probably weighs 80 pounds soaking wet. One man played a traditional Chinese instrumentthat sounded like an annoying bird call which he was able to replicate by blowing into his hands and then again through his lips. It was absolutely hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing, and he was probably my favorite dude of all! There were a bunch of people who would change masks seemingly magically. A man balanced a bowl of fire in his bald head through all sorts of tricks. There were so many different things going on, I loved it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New;">The weirdest thing was that you could have someone clean your ears while you watched the opera. It was such an unusual experience for us, and a chance to just laugh and enjoy ourselves for a couple of </span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">hours!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZ0nm6Y3PwF4DqbX0s1kEYdOXKep5u4J5Pm5ApwNU716sdxdxGacPH59CtFlqtpWCu6OGvGwv4Ml1CnMMPiU5sG_SXZsFw2y6GQzxafmH4s8qvRzHhDc9OV5NogP04gPnvrR7hJQehng/s1600/China+2013+c+220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZ0nm6Y3PwF4DqbX0s1kEYdOXKep5u4J5Pm5ApwNU716sdxdxGacPH59CtFlqtpWCu6OGvGwv4Ml1CnMMPiU5sG_SXZsFw2y6GQzxafmH4s8qvRzHhDc9OV5NogP04gPnvrR7hJQehng/s1600/China+2013+c+220.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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When we got home, we decided to go out to a club...you're only in<br />China once, right? Almost our whole group went, and we had to take<br />three taxis to get there. We went to this club strip and wandered<br />around like lost puppies until someone originally from New Orleans<br />happened upon us and invited us into a club where he already has a<br />table. We met a lot of different types of people there, there was<br />another group from North Carolina as well as some medical students from India. We all had a lot of fun dancing on the platforms, and I think we were a shock to the Chinese people who were there. They were very reserved with absolutely no facial expression whole they danced. What a shocker to have a bunch of excited Americans come in to tear the place up! It was a really long, wonderful day. I was so glad to feel well, but also very glad to fall into bed at the end of the night.</span>Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0Qingcheng Outer Mountain, Dujiangyan, China,30.844787 103.5641600000000230.844787 103.56416000000002 30.844787 103.56416000000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-1605838793740348872013-01-17T02:20:00.000-08:002013-02-01T02:21:35.556-08:00January 17 - 19 by Krystal Shanks & Annalisa Pedersen<div style="-webkit-comremoved-by-webmail-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-comremoved-by-webmail-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Noteworthy; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">
1/17/2013 Tuesday</div>
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In the afternoon we had another acupuncture lecturer. We have a better translator now, so it was much easier to understand.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-comremoved-by-webmail-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-comremoved-by-webmail-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); font-family: Noteworthy; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Today we went shopping. As one of the biggest shoppers in the trip, I am writing a quick Bargaining in China - A Guide to Shopping. </span><br />
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1. The goal is to get the item cheaper then a Chinese person has to pay. You know your the master when you get to this point.</div>
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2. If you love it, buy it. You might not see it again or have time to go back.</div>
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3. I think the store owners practice their sad faces for your price offers. Stay confident and remember your not a bad person. </div>
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4. Learn from them - make sad faces and say "please, please, please!"</div>
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5. Most of the time they don't let you try on clothes. XL china = XS America. Be careful with sizes. Try it on without asking. Foreign people do silly things all the time.</div>
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6. Travel in groups. Bargain for your friends. It's easier to stay strong with other's support.</div>
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7. Watch out for impulse buys. Everything is so cheap, it's easy to end up with too much stuff!</div>
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8. I'm a big fan of vendors on the sidewalk, they usually have cheaper prices since they have no shop overhead. It is better to carry small bills and give those to them.</div>
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9. I've made my best deals at closing time. The vendors want to go home and make one last buck.</div>
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10. For deciding what to offer: look at the item, decide what is is worth in American dollars (ex: that hat is worth no more then 10 bucks) Change that to Chinese yuan and offer 10 to 20% less.</div>
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11. Quality products that are guaranteed authentic are at the factory stores. But these places can be expensive. I wish I had prepared myself with the values of jade, pearls, and silk. Scratch jade on glass to tell its real, it will scratch the glass. To tell if pearls are real scratch them together and they will make a powder. If you are lucky and know these tricks you can buy jewelry in the markets for much cheaper then factories. </div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Clinical Day<br />We were paired up with different doctors to observe tuina and acupuncture. In my clinical group we were allowed to practice tuina on each other, but the highlight was when the doctor gave us </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">acupuncture in Large Intestine 4. The picture below is a patient getting both acupuncture and cupping at the sametime in the clinic.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2013/01/19<br />Giant Buddha Day!</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Today we had to get up super early because we were leaving at 7 am. We were told to bring some snacks becuase we were in for a long day. Daisy told us the drive to the Buddha was going to be about 3 hours so we had some time to catch up on some sleep.</span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The first stop was at a tea shop that had some food vendor around. The food was a big hit because most of us did not eat breakfast. We found some meat buns that were super tasty and pretty cheap (6 for 10 Yuan, only wierd thing about the purchase was you had to buy 6 of them at a time, you could not buy them individually).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The next stop was the crystal factory. There were a lot of really nice pieces to look at during the tour. One of the pieces was about 3 1/2 feet tall that the tour guide said was always 15° colder than the atmosphere. He was right, it was pretty cold. Although it is a government shop the employees were still willing to bargain. Some people got really good deals on very pretty jewlery. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />-<br />Next we had lunch, it was alright. Nothing to brag about, but the bathroom situation was interesting. There was a main door to the street, but the stalls inside had no doors (squatty potty). Not a lot of privacy.<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hike to the Buddha:<br />This hike was nothing like the mountain hike. We started with a temple and then walked down a very steep staircase down to the feet of the Buddha. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The size was IMPRESSIVE! Oh my goodness, it was big. It really makes you wonder how long it took to carve a Buddha in the side of a hill on the water. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We had some great photo opportunities throughout the whole thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Saturday Spa for Chinese Water Therapy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We arrived at the hotel, which was probably the nicest hotel we have stayed in on our trip. The dinner was also one of the most interesting. It included chicken feet, egg plant, a full fish ( with head), melon gel bars, seaweed, fried tea leaves, and bean curd (that we thought was lung), 2 soups (broth paste, and spicy noodle); they just kept bringing out food. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The spa was a hot springs. We were all tired and excited to relax. We found the massage center. Most of us got foot massages and some got back and neck massages. The massages were traditional Chinese tunia. The tuina practitioners were extremely skilled. Some of us were cringing in pain from our foot massages. </span></div>
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Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0Leshan, Sichuan, China29.552106 103.7655680000000329.552106 103.76556800000003 29.552106 103.76556800000003tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-40800377767060932932013-01-11T22:34:00.000-08:002013-01-31T23:37:20.010-08:00Katie Blanchard Jan. 20th, 2013.<div>
Tuesday, Jan 8</div>
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Today we had our first full day of classes. We have class for three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon with a three hour lunch break in between. We're starting to learn the basics of Traditional Chinese Medicine and are figuring out very quickly that it is completely different from what we think of as medical practice. It was a pretty long day and many of us took advantage of the long lunch break to enjoy afternoon naps. We are continuing to explore the city and looking forward to all the new learning experience we will have during our stay in Chengdu. </div>
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Wednesday, Jan 9</div>
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We were able to explore the herbal market this afternoon to see the large variety of herbs that are used for treating diseases with Chinese medicine. It was bigger than any of us ever could imagine! There were some pretty typical herbs, like saffron, and some not so typical, like dried scorpions. Many of us decided to buy some saffron to enjoy when we get home. After the market, we headed to the TCM museum to learn about the history of Traditional Chinese Medicine. They had many artifacts, like ancient surgical tools, that we were able to learn about. When we had finished at the museum we went out for a "family dinner" at a place where we ate hot pot. It is similar to fondue, where there is a big pot in the middle of the table, and it was separated into two sections, one spicy and one mild sauce where you put in meat and vegetables to cook. The mild side had an entire fish in the boiling oil which was a little concerning at first but thankfully it didn't have a fishy taste at all. It was a great time just to hang out and get to know each other. We really are like a family here and have definitely made some lifelong friendships. </div>
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Thursday, Jan 10</div>
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Most of us had a pretty relaxed day today. It was another long day of classes and we are starting to get into a pretty regular schedule. In class we talked about diagnosing the different diseases by looking at the tongue. For instance, if the tongue is dark red instead of light red then the person may be diagnosed with "excessive heat" and cooling herbs would be prescribed to balance out the heat. The homework load is beginning to increase and we are all working hard to understand the Chinese method of curing diseases. </div>
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Friday, Jan 11</div>
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We had our first clinical experience this morning! Most of us observed a lot of tongue inspections and pulse taking. One thing that many of us discovered is that patient privacy is not as big of a concern here and there may be multiple people in one examination room trying to talk to the doctor. Another interesting thing is that adult children will often come in for their patents and tell the doctor their parents' symptoms and proceed to obtain a prescription without the patient ever being seen by the doctor. After class, we all went to the ancient market and picked out supplies to learn calligraphy. Calligraphy is an incredibly difficult Chinese art from which takes many years of practice so, needless to say, none of us were that great at it. Our teacher for the lesson showed us some of his paintings and many people ordered paintings from him. We are looking forward to seeing his finished products! We are also excited for all the fun things that we have planned for the coming weekend. </div>
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Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0Chengdu, Sichuan, China30.658601 104.0648559999999628.912339 101.48306899999996 32.404863 106.64664299999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-46170253703577875842013-01-02T16:16:00.000-08:002013-01-31T23:36:04.866-08:00Xian, January 2, 2013.
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January 2, 2013</div>
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Today marked the beginning of an
exciting tour within Xi’an. We started with visiting the Banpo Museum which
lasted roughly two hours. This museum was constructed on the grounds of the
actual archeological site predating 4,000 B.C. (over 6,000 years old). The
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Touring the
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skeletal remains of the Banpo villagers. The village was a matriarchal society
where the men served roles of support. Daily activities consisted of food
storage, basket weaving and pottery making. Although this civilization was
ancient they had developed an ingenious way of collecting water through gravity
based jugs, constructed one of the first kilns, and dug a moat for protection.</div>
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exciting to see the ruins of such an ancient civilization, especially when
considering that our nation is merely 300 years old and this one is over 6000
years old. The museum was well lit and open with reconstructed models allowing
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very cold in the museum as most of their buildings are open to the outdoors and
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Our next stop was the Terra Cotta Warrior Museum. The tour
guide was excellent in taking us to a factory where we could buy cheap replicas
and learn about how they were made thousands of years ago. We then went to the
museum that was built over the archeological site. The ancient warriors were
discovered on accident by Chinese farmers in 1974. Since then, archaeologists
have recovered over 8 thousand warriors in three major pits that were dug up
but they are not done uncovering the ancient relics! In summary the warriors
were made to protect Emperor Qin<u> </u>in the afterlife. He was the most
powerful emperor in China that managed to unite the 6 warring states. We
learned about this history while watching a 360 degree theatrical display of
the emperor’s reign. Seeing this incredible exhibit was breath taking as the
mere size of pit 1 rivals that of Quest field. It is considered the 8<sup>th</sup>
wonder of the world. Walking around the periphery took nearly a half an hour as
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We ate lunch at the museum which offered a very nice medley
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drinks including pomegranate, seahorse, saffron and ginseng wolfberry wine. </div>
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Later, we had a different drink experience and finalized our
Terracotta Warriors adventure by sitting in a teahouse where the servers
presented us with a tea tasting of many different teas and gave us handouts in
English which discussed the health benefits for each type of tea. What a
relaxing ending to the busy day!</div>
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Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0Xi'an, Shaanxi, China34.341568 108.9401749999999532.6609615 106.35838799999995 36.022174500000006 111.52196199999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-90467107827300506992013-01-01T16:19:00.000-08:002013-01-31T23:38:12.335-08:00Arriving In Seoul. K BlanchardWe arrived in Korea late tonight and barely got checked in to our hotel<br />
when I saw my cousins kiwook and kiwoon. They were waiting patiently for me<br />
to drop my luggage off and then whisper me off for a night with my family<br />
in-laws. They were so excited to see me and all of us piled into one car.<br />
My two cousins had studied at WSU and acted as interpreters for me. They<br />
took me to this great Korean BBQ restaurant. The first thing that I noticed<br />
was the toilet controls were all in Korean! I didn't know what to push and<br />
how to use it! It was an interesting experience to say the least. Before<br />
sitting for dinner everyone took off their shoes and the seats were on the<br />
floor. The BBQ pits were built into the table and the food kept coming and<br />
coming! My family wanted me to try everything! BBQ, pumpkin salad, sushi<br />
dishes, soups and teas!<br />
<br />
After dinner we went to my uncle Yong Sous house, he lives in a large city<br />
just outside of Seoul. The house was a small apartment with only two rooms.<br />
There was living room that also served as a dinning room and as soon as we<br />
got there my aunt went to pealing fruit and having me try everything! Five<br />
people lived in this small apartment it was much different than our living<br />
arrangements at home. There were two refrigerators, one they used for<br />
kimchi. My cousins baby slept with him and his wife and was always held :)<br />
even in the car. I was shown around and measured for a traditional Korean<br />
dress then packed back into the car.<br />
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My cousins drove me to downtown Seoul and we toured through the city and<br />
through a night market. It was huge and had lots of street vendors selling<br />
anything and everything you could want. Lines and lines of food vendors as<br />
well. The sides of the market was lined with high end shops and huge<br />
advertisement signs. I tried some fried pancakes, they were so yummy!<br />
<br />
After the market we headed to a cable car that took us up the mountain. As<br />
we rode up we say all the new year fireworks and the lights from the city.<br />
It was one of the best new years ever! When we got up to the top of this<br />
small mountain you could see down to the city, it was huge! There was one<br />
whole wall dedicated to locks. My cousins told me that couples bring locks<br />
up to this point and lock theirs together onto the wall and then throw away<br />
the key. This means you will be 'locked' together forever :) All kinds of<br />
people were up there celebrating the new year! It was an amazing view and a<br />
great night with my family! Though very cold!<br />
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When I got back to the hotel I discovered the amazing sauna in the shower!<br />
It was wonderful after a cold night. The room was amazing! Heated floors<br />
and toilet... Sauna! I was in heaven and though I was only in my room for a<br />
few short hours that night I enjoyed every minute!<br />
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There was a nice layout for breakfast that included Korean soup and eggs. I<br />
ate toast and cereal though. I knew I would be missing it when I got to<br />
china. When we were finished eating the hotel staff washed our dishes for<br />
us right behind the food. I felt bad giving her my plate to wash but she<br />
insisted.<br />
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Katie Ann Blanchard Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0Seoul, South Korea37.566535 126.9779691999999637.1637705 126.33252219999996 37.969299500000005 127.62341619999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-88689787870168248532012-12-31T12:18:00.001-08:002012-12-31T12:18:29.074-08:00New Years BlessingThis is a great quote for New Years day 2013...<br />
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The Circle of Time</div>
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(Author Unknown)</div>
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"Look well of today... for it is the Life of Life. In its brief course lie all the variations an realities of your life, the bliss of growth, the glory of action ad the splendor of beauty. For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow a vision, but today <u><strong>well lived</strong></u> makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, every tomorrow a vision of hope. For time is but a scene in the eternal drama. So look well of today and let that be your resolution as you wake each morning and salute a New Dawn."</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04787939419736854540noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-10663640056853698142012-12-31T11:44:00.000-08:002012-12-31T11:51:48.716-08:00Traveling!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Pacific Lutheran University, J-Term 2013, Traditional Chinese Medicine students and faculty. Everybody is packed and anxious to begin our journey. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHtcvMcJTQoHfcrsPkZpi9zusVQWXsCqi6-SxlAsDv0KYyjklpIBmPmEyeA-OjvcrdQKK1Bp2US0yAhZ4F-Qi3kYyMNhOcxrROGagWZ10BsBfRt0hWgXmRusl55aW8zqRKP4mdxoD2zM/s1600/P1020732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHtcvMcJTQoHfcrsPkZpi9zusVQWXsCqi6-SxlAsDv0KYyjklpIBmPmEyeA-OjvcrdQKK1Bp2US0yAhZ4F-Qi3kYyMNhOcxrROGagWZ10BsBfRt0hWgXmRusl55aW8zqRKP4mdxoD2zM/s1600/P1020732.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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We have made our first leg of the journey today. The students were all packed and ready to go and we arrived safe and sound in Incheon, Korea. The flight on Korean Airlines was amazing; the best service I have ever received :))!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBmWe4Qxo8R_Pli_hLOu4vDxBMsact7hVbFSzUEEuXsHICJi-JLCHpMkga3bP_Gf42h5pXC8pRA3AB6oVXIzIc1hAEKmf8jmJz2S9aoi57F0Nmwjerq-XS9aVARjNIo7lKX5ndTSN4hc/s1600/P1020739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBmWe4Qxo8R_Pli_hLOu4vDxBMsact7hVbFSzUEEuXsHICJi-JLCHpMkga3bP_Gf42h5pXC8pRA3AB6oVXIzIc1hAEKmf8jmJz2S9aoi57F0Nmwjerq-XS9aVARjNIo7lKX5ndTSN4hc/s1600/P1020739.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Although our flight was long, the on-board activities were varied. One could sit and watch recently released movies right from the screen in front of you, play a variety of video games, track how fast the plane was moving and altitude, pin-point the exact location of the plane on a world map, and you could see how much longer one had until we arrived at our destination - so nobody asked me, "how much longer until we get there?" </div>
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The picture below is taken in the Incheon, Korea Airport immediately after we landed. We are all feeling a bit tired but ready to start our adventure and studies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFnqa12-Zn6c7XnSNCTJORLXEtgoZI67ZSSHQB6A8lFKplKpNIhOKL0qUgX0WS_9U-e0m9foHhw25hWYGBjp7SBpqqWipQjx_ijUxVjboFXMpv5iV8Z5xaeTOpuSiEUL5JzosLHm_3DI/s1600/100_0747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFnqa12-Zn6c7XnSNCTJORLXEtgoZI67ZSSHQB6A8lFKplKpNIhOKL0qUgX0WS_9U-e0m9foHhw25hWYGBjp7SBpqqWipQjx_ijUxVjboFXMpv5iV8Z5xaeTOpuSiEUL5JzosLHm_3DI/s1600/100_0747.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Once we got through customs, we were welcomed by the biggest chandelier I have ever seen! It was so beautiful, that this picture doesn't seem to give it justice. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqvlPIa3YRWLyoTaZByWWuMIJD2Y-VURCswljdgysAaLn7_WZWLYwq1kHUNDd8kSGnq07qASVYFAQ7Mx-oP4l6Looce9AW2PL_tbzU3zATaBlmHPI6S1GcrnLaZAGGv1rRMayxrjQ1Ts/s1600/100_0748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqvlPIa3YRWLyoTaZByWWuMIJD2Y-VURCswljdgysAaLn7_WZWLYwq1kHUNDd8kSGnq07qASVYFAQ7Mx-oP4l6Looce9AW2PL_tbzU3zATaBlmHPI6S1GcrnLaZAGGv1rRMayxrjQ1Ts/s1600/100_0748.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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UFO or giant beetle? This is on-top of one of the terminals at the Incheon Airport. I'm not sure what the purpose of it is...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0FdIOLgj0bezvUi0BrvxgPieuE-V3jNMnB3ohgsMs6dj6Rf-hcJBI8d4QLz4qFLeuRx2sb-1yWtj_zR07LDHLL10vVPc78A3tE5l_7hFV-E8C7ewXCarJveQm3haZJtRXxgBo9sGZdY/s1600/100_0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0FdIOLgj0bezvUi0BrvxgPieuE-V3jNMnB3ohgsMs6dj6Rf-hcJBI8d4QLz4qFLeuRx2sb-1yWtj_zR07LDHLL10vVPc78A3tE5l_7hFV-E8C7ewXCarJveQm3haZJtRXxgBo9sGZdY/s1600/100_0749.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Scenes from around the Hotel Queen...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KwmGwRHeQ0z8SjtT_luVcl-26-1goi9cMJNxygwXtcRrI_3Foj8k-KxoBnDsGYwOprmZ9uevz7txBo7WpBayW3Jm72BHnoh1XSzJOqPwNSLbAomO_04S562eqhEVNOHXoD_HqVQIKM8/s1600/100_0752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3KwmGwRHeQ0z8SjtT_luVcl-26-1goi9cMJNxygwXtcRrI_3Foj8k-KxoBnDsGYwOprmZ9uevz7txBo7WpBayW3Jm72BHnoh1XSzJOqPwNSLbAomO_04S562eqhEVNOHXoD_HqVQIKM8/s1600/100_0752.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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A welcoming sign...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzsMkW22NB3vVQLs__pQjIRJ70E-VlGJAUoqiGviiLIMHsBNhOa_KC3mWvlWdUeMdSixT_kEwoPSAQo3cZD70wdgRWseOhaonyhpK6cZ_-nU7YzS-zwWDuIBRnyrhAQ1Qh5RcUWjPiWg/s1600/P1020742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzsMkW22NB3vVQLs__pQjIRJ70E-VlGJAUoqiGviiLIMHsBNhOa_KC3mWvlWdUeMdSixT_kEwoPSAQo3cZD70wdgRWseOhaonyhpK6cZ_-nU7YzS-zwWDuIBRnyrhAQ1Qh5RcUWjPiWg/s1600/P1020742.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Barb Olson in Incheon, Korea</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB89S-Ijoam7kEM9v4MkzOOy2E_SQmUlxmUM3BIg-Oh6P3wMXQ73Y9AoIZUtIoJcICzwVWfb9NTbXVr8wTDlTHpqjUnbpIIiXEyLwZvv_U2fEHWDWoVDJzXGYjco8PdjuaNUsj1c6YabA/s1600/P1020743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB89S-Ijoam7kEM9v4MkzOOy2E_SQmUlxmUM3BIg-Oh6P3wMXQ73Y9AoIZUtIoJcICzwVWfb9NTbXVr8wTDlTHpqjUnbpIIiXEyLwZvv_U2fEHWDWoVDJzXGYjco8PdjuaNUsj1c6YabA/s1600/P1020743.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFnqa12-Zn6c7XnSNCTJORLXEtgoZI67ZSSHQB6A8lFKplKpNIhOKL0qUgX0WS_9U-e0m9foHhw25hWYGBjp7SBpqqWipQjx_ijUxVjboFXMpv5iV8Z5xaeTOpuSiEUL5JzosLHm_3DI/s1600/100_0747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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More restaurants and businesses in the area...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge76j2hNl_n-r0JCW8WWfev9l2ocHLynuCkyZCOPh1vCzqmtzjhAN87v0Is58BpeTMf1PE6SIsgpNPhPu4IkgPGTozGrE4CfbbmUBJr7MmWQ-1ZNRPyGmxG4X6Y5D61tJmrt1ZSAieTeQ/s1600/100_0753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge76j2hNl_n-r0JCW8WWfev9l2ocHLynuCkyZCOPh1vCzqmtzjhAN87v0Is58BpeTMf1PE6SIsgpNPhPu4IkgPGTozGrE4CfbbmUBJr7MmWQ-1ZNRPyGmxG4X6Y5D61tJmrt1ZSAieTeQ/s1600/100_0753.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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These are interesting fresh seafood items one could purchase and have cooked...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPyjcwk3_CXpTwPD-wQUhWVwO5nqYyGF3luAnepqR_tzEnweDjzS5oSQB1RHytuwJ5aGx-jI7OPzEttHrUU7NAffQ0Iuw4dxkwyVnYVInp_iCQqhqIV6nZG0SaWUQBcwJL_-g3Nxnqsk/s1600/P1020746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPyjcwk3_CXpTwPD-wQUhWVwO5nqYyGF3luAnepqR_tzEnweDjzS5oSQB1RHytuwJ5aGx-jI7OPzEttHrUU7NAffQ0Iuw4dxkwyVnYVInp_iCQqhqIV6nZG0SaWUQBcwJL_-g3Nxnqsk/s1600/P1020746.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-20221323310243677912012-12-29T19:34:00.001-08:002012-12-31T11:46:11.509-08:00Twas the Night before ChinaTwas the night before travel, when all through the house,<br />
Not a calm feeling could be found, not even from the spouse.<br />
The bags were packed by the door with care,<br />
In hopes that Korean Air would soon take me there.<br />
<br />
The students were nestled all snug in their beds,<br />
While visions of tea-leaves danced in their heads.<br />
And Barb in her kerchie and Lorena dressed in white,<br />
Had just settled their brains in preparation for a long 12 hour flight.<br />
<br />
<br />Krystal Shankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04616319616206160697noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3860661435911509480.post-35598648775605185772012-12-09T20:40:00.000-08:002012-12-09T20:40:07.845-08:00Travel DocumentsIt's official! I have my passport with an official Chinese government visa! Preparations are under way for the trip. I've already opened up the course for the students and set up the gradebook. This week, I will learn all of the ins and outs of the bookkeeping part of the trip. Luckily I know how to use a spreadsheet pretty well. Dr. Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18192380684472491094noreply@blogger.com1