When in China, do not be afraid to speak out and make friends! There are many times when the people of the Chinese culture may come off as a little rude or standoff-ish. The reality behind that is that they are really shy. They may not speak very good English or may not speak English at all and they may not want to be embarrassed. It will be totally up to you whether … [Read more...] about International Smiles

It has already been an entire month here in China. ONE WHOLE MONTH on the other side of the world! The differences between China and America are vast. One of the most helpful classes in realizing this is Philosophy with Karel, who is our mentor/teacher/employer while we are in China. We use this time to explore the thoughts about culture and discuss our experiences and our … [Read more...] about One Big Game of Charades

I absolutely hated living out of a suitcase, so saying that I was excited to finally fly to Dalian is an understatement. I walked into the Beijing airport with my over packed suitcases and a smile, but little did I know that I was missing one thing: my cell phone. Panic began to set in as I frantically searched through my backpack, hoping it was somehow in there. Unfortunately, … [Read more...] about Dalian: Our Home Away From Home

I’ll begin by informing you that when they say it will be a fourteen-hour flight, it will FEEL like a fourteen-hour flight. I must admit, I had spent plenty of time getting ready for this flight in the weeks before I left. I wanted to be ready, but even with all the time I spent getting ready, I was still not, and never would have been prepared. As every minute passed I was … [Read more...] about Because It’s China!

Before heading off to China, I didn't know what to expect. There were so many things going on in my head about things I heard; some positive, some negative. But I did not let that discourage me. I've always been an extremely adventurous person, so overall I was more excited than anything. The 14 hour flight may have been the thing I stressed out about the most, but it turned … [Read more...] about 1 in 6 Million!