XINLI WU, Ph.D., P.E.
COURSE SYLLABUS
FAQ
PENN STATE EDUCATION ABROAD PROGRAM
Class Summer 2009
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Thanks to the following hosting companies in Shanghai, and Ford in Chongqing, China:
• Summer 2012 Class China Program Itinerary
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• Experience from some of the students who took the course in the summer 2012
Simon Balean, Engineering
Engr 197A. Oh gee, all I can say is that this
program was absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!
I have learned sooo much from this program. This
program gave a detailed impression of China through a totally different
perspective. Instead of giving us a general and broad overview of China, I
got to live it and experience it first-hand. As a result, I have learned a
considerable amount about China’s history, culture, society, and environment
and its impact on engineering, not to mention I had fun doing it at all the
same time!
I cannot think of anything in this program that
was a detriment to me. Every project visited, every guest speaker listened
to, every documentary watched, and every person met was merely remarkable. I
loved how we used different means of transportation to travel. From bus, to
planes, to trains, to cruise ships, to taxis, and even on foot. Simply put,
everything made this program incredibly astounding. If I was able to change
anything about this program, I would probably squeeze in the Central Chinese
Television headquarters into the itinerary and definitely make the program a
bit longer. Sure, this engineering course amounted to a little over six
grand, but the memories made and the knowledge acquired was priceless. This
extraordinary program certainly had a huge impact on my life. Thanks Xinli
Wu!
Jake Bramande,
Engineering
I absolutely LOVED this program. I had an amazing time and learned so much!
You always told us the three things you want us to gain from this program is
first Safety, second, learn something and thirdly, have fun. Well I was
safe, learned a priceless amount of the Chinese culture and about myself,
and I made some lifelong friends and had an incredible time.
Beijing was awesome. I loved going Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the
Great Wall of China, Silk Street and all of the other stops. The only thing
I would change about Beijing was the first dinner. It was a huge culture
shock going to a hot pot dinner the very first night. The food was delicious
but I remember thinking “wow what did I get myself into” after seeing the
cook kill a live frog! It was a great learning experience about how the
Chinese eat but I would go to a less intimidating dinner the first night and
go to the hot pot the second night.
Dalian was my favorite city! It is absolutely stunning and I wish we could
have spent more than one night there! The dinner and lunch by your friends
were incredible. Visiting the CEOs office was so cool! The only suggestion
about Dalian would be to spend more time there! Xian was another great city.
Going to the Terracotta warrior’s museum is something that I will never
forget. Seeing all of those clay statues and thinking about how long it
would take to make them is mind boggling.
The cruise was such a fun experience. We really got to know each other and
bonded as classmates. Seeing the Three Gorges damn was stunning.
The engineering marvels we saw along this program
were so neat! Incredible walls-The Great Wall and the Xian city wall.
Incredible bridges- the Hangzhou Bay Bridge, and countless others along the
Yangtze River. Incredible projects, like the Three Gorges dam and the
Terracotta warriors. The best way to sum up the engineering marvels is
simple the word “incredible.”
This program was designed from top to bottom almost flawlessly. I got to see
so many cities, from huge internationally known cities like Beijing and
Shanghai, to culturally rich cities like Dalian and Xian. I got to spend
time with high school students and college students to understand the
educational culture in China. I got to experience almost every type of
transportation system China has to offer, Plane, Train, Boat, Bus, Taxi,
golf carts, cable car, bamboo raft, walking, and subway!
I guess my personal reflection on this trip is best simplified into saying
once again how much I have learned, how much fun I had, and how many new
friends I made. I learned so much about who I am and about my future plans
to travel the world. I made priceless memories and lifelong friends. Xinli,
I cannot possibly thank you enough for being such a wonderful professor. If
there is anything I can ever do to help you let me know because in my
eyes, I am in great debt to you for changing my life!
Enrolling in the study abroad program The
Cultural Impact of Engineering in China was one of the best decisions of my
life. While I was apprehensive about the cost, and losing close to a whole
month of summer at home, I am extremely glad I chose to do something
different and enroll in the class. The class was everything that I had
expected and so much more. I made great new friends that I will surely see
back at Penn State, but most of all I got to travel all across foreign
country learning about engineering and their culture.
I really loved visiting all of the engineering sites, especially the
historical ones. China has such a rich history since it has been around for
thousands of years. Because of being around for such a long time there a lot
of ancient monuments that were incredible feats of construction, such as the
Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the Terracotta Soldiers. Each of those
places were extremely impressive, to think that they were all built
centuries ago with no modern machinery is awe inspiring. The modern
engineering sites were also very impressive, such as the Three Gorges Dam,
and the Olympic Park.
One of the major things that concerned me before traveling over there was
the food. From what previous students had said, it was quite likely you
would get stomach aches. Surprisingly not only did I not have a single
problem, I actually enjoyed the food a lot more than I thought I would have.
Back home I am a very picky eater, but in China I decided to eat basically
whatever I could, the weirder the better since it would make for a good
story. Eating the different food also gave more of an insight to their
culture. Depending on which area of the country we were in there were
different types of food based upon the local agriculture such as seafood in
Dalian, or spicy food in Chongqing.
Throughout the whole program I learned so much about China and its culture.
Without a doubt I would be more than willing to go back to China to study or
work. Because of this class I have decided to take Chinese 1 Spring 2013
semester. What I enjoyed most out of this trip was developing new
friendships with each and every person on the trip while experiencing
Chinese culture and engineering. Also, Xinli you’re the man and I can’t
thank you enough for the great time you showed us all throughout the class.
KEVIN PATRICK
DAZEN, Engineering
Way back in October when I first received the email for ENG 197A I gave very
little thought to the adventures that I now know I would have missed out on.
I signed up for it half expecting not to go through with the course, but
considering how it may look on a resume I continued to apply. Arriving at
Beijing international airport, the resume became the last thing on my mind.
I WAS IN CHINA. Not very many people can say that, and a trip of a lifetime
was waiting for me as soon as I saw Xinli waving his Penn State banner with
gusto.
First I must say this, Xinli is by far the coolest professor I have ever had
the fortune to spend a month with. His crazy personality provided an
atmosphere that I wholly enjoyed from May 7 all the way to June 1. But his
organization skills and ability to teach and entertain at the same time may
be the true reason we all had one of the most memorable times of our lives.
For me, my top three locations during our stay in China are (and in no
particular order) Shanghai, Beijing, and Lington (terracotta warriors). Each
of these locations had valuable information to study as well as a few places
to cut loose! Between Shanghai and Beijing I love how the old vs. new
scenario can play out. Beijing’s Forbidden City and the Great Wall are
ancient marvels that took centuries to build and span dynasties and the
terracotta soldiers show the dedication and perseverance to complete a job.
While Shanghai is the “hip” young city that everyone in the world is die to
visit or advertise in. The skyscrapers light up the Bun at night and China
becomes alive with promise for the future.
The technology that China invests in is truly remarkable from the giant
Three Gorges Dam to the maglev trains. Standing on the shore next to the
Three Gorges Dam I recalled my senior year of high school and the modern
marvels video we watched in World cultures class. I thought that that video,
or any other source of education cannot possibly do this massive project
justice. And there is a lot of that in China, engineering feats so
monumental you just have to see them with your own eyes, even the small
stuff like the Ford assembly line.
Visiting China and having the opportunity to just bask in the thousands of
years of history that has pasted and the thousands of years of history to be
made IS the highlight of my educational career. I thank Xinli Wu for his
amazing class and how he managed to show and get us to appreciate China in
just one month.
Rhoi Fajardo,
Engineering, York Campus
In May of 2012 I had the privilege of going to China on
the ENGR 197A program. I had had the interest in visiting China and had been
looking at the possibility of doing so, but it seemed out of the question
since I had reasons to focus more on looking to stay in Japan for a while. I
was thus excited when I heard about this program since it would be
convenient and also carry an academic, educational focus. As I read the
details, I saw a great trip visiting many historical and famous sites from
the old to the new, visiting quite a few cities, and having planned group
dinners, factory tours, and discussion meetings. As someone interested in
culture, engineering, natural scenery, history, and technology, this program
looked perfect.
The choice of cities definitely seemed to make a great
balance. For the more historical cities we had Beijing and Xi’an, with old,
ancient buildings and a relative proximity to two top tourist sites (Great
Wall and Terracotta Warriors). Dalian gave us a nice coastal city to visit,
and Yichang and Chongqing showed us mountainous regions and the terrain’s
influence on the design of roads, buildings, and transportation choices. In
Huangshan was saw a smaller, older areas, while Shanghai was the modern
metropolis. We even had a look at the near, eco-friendly future, by having a
drive around Dongtan.
When it came to scenic locations and views of China’s
landscapes, I saw everything I hoped for. One of my favorites was naturally
the Great Wall, outside of Beijing; was definitely impressive and there were
some truly breathtaking views of the mountains. The area around the
Terracotta Warriors was pretty nice, and the wetland reserve at Dongtan made
me feel like I was in the middle of nowhere, miles away from civilization.
However, the Three Gorges is easily my favorite, as a consistently beautiful
ride down the Yangtze. In addition, an included river tour between the
impressive cliff sides took us to areas inhabited by Miao ethnicities. The
best area was on an optional tour where we hiked along a small river to its
source at a waterfall. The river or creek had rapids as well as relatively
calm areas, and the area allowed us magnificent views of green mountains,
bamboo seas, and the waterfall.
As for city locations, we also had a rounded
experience. Our time in Beijing had all the essentials; Tiananmen Square,
the Forbidden City, the Olympic Green, Temple of Heaven, and Wanfujing
Street. Although I still appreciate and wanted to visit for its historical
significance and to appreciate its scale, I didn’t really enjoy the
Forbidden City until we got to the greener areas – but especially nice was
the walk up the hill at Jingshan and the view at the top, which included the
Forbidden City right below us. The Olympic park was another great highlight,
as I really enjoyed touring the Olympic Green, the Bird’s Nest, Water Cube,
and seeing some other interesting nearby building such as the Digital
Building and the Tennis Stadium. My only disappointment in Beijing was that
we didn’t get to see the CCTV tower up close, and I had really hoped for
that one. Xi’an was my favorite city, with its city wall surrounded by park
areas, and I would have enjoyed more time idly strolling around the Big Wild
Goose Pagoda North Plaza. The Three Gorges Dam was expectedly spectacular
and was even better because I didn’t know there was a park there. The
selections at Chongqing were great for seeing the architecture of the
mountain regions, with its monorails, tall bridges, and multitude of
buildings on slopes, having no real “ground floor.” It was very nice to see
the Old Street in Tunxi as well as the quieter, older residential areas
there. Finally, of course, despite my not seeing anything really special in
Shanghai, walking along the Bund and snapping pictures of Pudong, and seeing
the Shanghai World Financial Center from both a high floor of Ford China
Operations as well as its recreational park were, my top experiences in
Shanghai.
I was also happy that when it came to their level of
knowledge, believability, and quality of information, all of our tour guides
and speakers were very good. Our tour guide and driver in Beijing were
especially fun people, but the important thing was how much our tour guide
knew about the places we visited (and any other place we may have had
questions about), and I was more than satisfied and consider him one of our
better ones. Additionally, we had some CEOs, CFOs, and other such people who
graciously gave some of their time to talk to us about their experiences and
allow for questions and answers. All gave exceptional insights on various
areas and while I learned most at the presentations of Dell and Rockwell
Automation, the speech by Marin Burela, President of Chang’an Ford Mazda,
was excellent regarding cultural differences and common misconceptions by
Americans, which I hope was valuable and educational to the students.
The food experience was great. Beijing was terrible
throughout, but luckily I soon managed to judge it was probably just because
of the stink in Beijing, since it was practically impossible to
ignore, and it seems to have always affected what I thought was the flavor
of the food. Once we left and had our first meal in Dalian, I was relieved,
and started enjoying the meals. Most of them were with the entire group at
various eateries from the safer sorts of street and market foods, to high
class, hosted lunches and dinners. There were more than ample opportunities
to try a decent amount of the wide selection of food China has to offer, be
they fried scorpions, starfish, lizard and snake liquor, all kinds of
vegetables, cold noodles, Chinese fast food, juicy dumplings, mung bean
popsicles, snack packets of tiny fish, lobster, different meats (and from
body parts not as common in America), as well as experiencing the Chinese
variations at Pizza Hut, Burger King, Dairy Queen, and Chinese places
inspired by them.
Finally, since I personally have been studying both the
culture and language, I was hoping there would be good chances to talk to
people – though I was unsure how much I would get, considering my last time
abroad (in France) didn’t allow for much. Thankfully, that was also an
important part of this program – to have that kind of exchange with people.
The primary arranged events were at China University of Mining and
Technology in Beijing, and the high school in Huangshan; in both events,
everyone was pretty excited and seemed to really enjoy and get something out
of the exchange, and we definitely had a good amount of time for it. The
leisurely time at museums, malls, and tourist spots sometimes opened up
opportunities to talk to a local, or for them to talk to us. Finally,
sometimes we had the chance to talk to our hosts during a meal, and we would
always thanks and toast them. I made acquaintances and contacts of ages
roughly 16 to 50, and from the university, students who joined us at
different stages, the native Chinese who came with us, and especially
someone from the cruise, I definitely met people I’m still talking to who
will hopefully be good friends.
As I summarized on my blog: “I got to see everything
from big modern cities to small old ones, city parks to amazing mountain
vistas, the Great Wall to the Beijing National Stadium, and most outings had
the focus on engineering and architecture to learn about cultural and
historical influences. And of course, let’s not forget that the experience
included the food, the music, the TV, the streets, the markets, the people,
the culture, and the language.” I was impressed and am really glad to have
done this. This program was beyond the sort of average quality I would
expect in anything. It seemed as good as I think is realistically possible,
and I almost cannot see how it can be any better. My deep thanks to everyone
involved in making this program happen, and thank you Penn State.
Peter Lin,
Engineering
Overall, I think that this is an extremely good program. The things
that I learned through this program would have been very hard to learn
otherwise, and I certainly learned a lot. Also, it’s a great
opportunity to experience a different culture. Other benefits of the
program include meeting lots of new people and having a convenient time
frame to travel. I am very happy that I chose to do this program.
I learned a lot about the Chinese history and culture, and it would have
been much harder to learn about it without actually travelling there.
I am still mind-blown by how amazing and long the Chinese history is.
I also learned a lot about how Chinese people behave, and what their
traditional manners and customs are. Learning these things on site
really teaches you well, since everyone around you practices that type of
culture. I also learned a lot about how engineering is used in China,
and how they are using and developing the latest technology. Since we got
to visit many companies in China, I got to see for myself how they do a lot
of their procedures. A lot of representatives from the companies spoke
with us, and I learned a lot from them about what I might need to do after I
graduate college. The amount of things learned on this trip is truly
phenomenal, and a lot of it will stick to me for a lifetime. Not only
that, but this was all done in less than a month!
Another reason why I think this program is so great is because it’s only one
month in the summer. A lot of the time, study abroad programs require
you to miss an entire semester at school. That can be good because you
really get to understand the culture in whatever place you are studying, but
not all of us are willing to make that commitment. However, just
because we don’t want to miss a semester doesn’t mean we don’t want to study
abroad. The way this program is structured fits perfectly for that.
Not only do we not have to miss the fall or spring semesters, but we still
have a lot of the summer available afterwards too. A lot of students
are really tight on time with the many programs they are involved with, so I
think the fact that this program is relatively short is actually a very good
thing. Also, just because the program is short does not mean it is not
worth it. Like I said earlier, I learned a ton of new things on this
trip, and a lot of those things will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Besides learning a lot through this program, I also got to make a ton of new
friends. I didn’t know anyone going to China with me before we left,
and now I feel that I am good friends with every single one of them.
Penn State is a community, and I think that it’s important to get to know
other people at the university, especially those in the same college.
As a matter of fact, I think that it’s important to get to know and
understand people all over the world. In the real world, everyone is
going to be working with other people, so it’s very crucial that we know,
understand, and respect one another. If we are all good friends with
one another, it’ll be much easier to accomplish the goal.
This program is extremely worth it. The time spent in China might be
relatively short, but that does not mean it isn’t valuable. The amount
of things to learn and friends to make will last a lifetime. Also, the
flexibility of the program is great for students, especially those with busy
schedules. Overall, this is a great program and I definitely think
that it should be continued in the future.
Kamran Mahmud
For me, this course was one of the most rewarding
things I have ever done. I almost didn’t end up taking the course. I was
very undecided about it. It was completely by chance that I spontaneously
decided to take it and I am very glad I did. I learned so much about the
Chinese culture and how engineering is related to it.
The most important thing to note was that the program
for the course was planned very well. We saw Beijing, Dalian, Xian,
Chongqing, Huangshan, and Shanghai all in the span of three weeks. Most
people never get to see these cities in their whole entire life! Each place
had its own charm. Beijing was more historical. There, you could learn about
China’s history and how it got to where it is today. Xian was much more
modern and clean, but not nearly as touristy. Then Shanghai was in a class
completely of its own. It was like going to the Chinese Manhattan. The
superb scheduling of the program allowed us to stay in each city just long
enough to learn a little bit about it and then we would move on to the next
place.
I personally feel very lucky that I was selected for
this course because otherwise, I would never have had this experience. Now I
can say that I have been to China and I have experienced a whole new culture
which is completely unlike anything I've ever seen before. I also had the
chance to make many new friends with the other students in the course that I
otherwise would never have met because Penn State has so many campuses and I
was the only one from mine.
I think it’s very beneficial to anyone to take this
course over the summer because it’s not so long that it consumes your whole
summer, but it’s just long enough to have a meaningful experience. It helps
especially with engineering students because now I can say that I have been
to China which is a huge contender in the engineering world. We were able to
visit some engineering companies that gave us insight into how things are
operated in China. To be able to understand that puts you very far ahead
when it comes to career opportunities. If necessary, I would even consider
working here for some time. The Chinese people are just so warm and
welcoming to Americans that sometimes you even feel like you are taking
advantage of them, but they are more than happy to do anything to please
you.
In conclusion, I have absolutely nothing bad to say
about this program. I am very lucky to have had this experience and I would
recommend it to anyone considering going abroad to study. It can change the
way you think about a people that you may have ever seen on TV. I know it
did for me because we have Chinese people in America, but to see them in
their element operating in their culture is something else entirely and
definitely worth seeing. This course will open your eyes to things that you
never thought possible.
After a 6-hour lay over and reaching the Beijing
airport 10 hours before everyone else, I was ready about ready to stop
traveling and start touring. The China program was definitely not what I was
expecting before I got on the flight. Even though I went through the
itinerary many times, I was not expecting such a travel packed program. This
turned out to be my biggest thrill throughout the program, the amount and
variety of places we visited. If I had gone to China outside the program,
such as with family, I would not have gotten to experience the Chinese
culture as closely as I did during the program.
This program took me to some cities I had never heard
of before such as Chongqing which turned out to be huge city with over 31
million people. The program also introduced us to the education system in
China such as the University and Middle School visits. I never thought I
would have been so fascinated by talking to students studying English at
different levels and backgrounds. I enjoyed these visits almost more than
the Great Wall and other engineering projects. However there was also some
places we visited that I did not see much significance to such as the Tiger
Park and Amusement Park in Dalian.
The trip was very well planned out and there was not a
second where I felt like the program was too long. This program was
definitely a life experience and I couldn’t be happier to have gotten the
opportunity to go. I learned so much about the culture and the incredible
engineering projects in China. For my first study abroad, this program set
the bar high.
Erik
Martin
Through connection to the internet, it is hard to miss any of the
developments in today’s fast paced global society. We hear of
international events and news almost as soon as they happen. Quick
blurs on the news inform us in short of the day’s events but never really
have much to say on the matter. It is easy to not know more than name
of a project or event and maybe the country of its location. One
almost never has the opportunity to experience these man made marvels in
person. Study abroad programs, such as ENGR 097A: The Cultural Impact
on Engineering in China, provide an easy and affordable means to be a part
of these historical events.
But this course was not merely a sightseeing
trip. Throughout our journey we had numerous local tour guides who
were able to answer any and all of our questions. Our guides were also
able to give us a cultural insight into the projects and show our group how
they were viewed from the eyes of the people who were affected by such great
undertakings.
This course has afforded me the opportunity to
experience the numerous wonders of China as well as some of the ground
breaking technical projects that its people have set out to complete.
During my three week stay, I was able to observe such projects as the Three
Gorges Damn, the Hangzhou Bay Bridge, the Great Wall of China, and many
more. All of these sites, both modern and ancient, were great
technical undertakings of their time and through this program I was able to
be a part of their history.
Altoona Campus
This program was a once in a lifetime event that I will remember forever.
I have already talked about the program with so many people, and I have not
even been home a month. The memories that I have from this program
will last forever and I know I will keep thinking about it for a very long
time. It will be something that I will be able to tell my kids and
grandkids about. My parents and grandparents ask about the program all
the time and they all want to know everything I did while I was over in
China. I can’t even begin to imagine to be able to tell people about
everything that I did because I did so much.
The program was a great time. We got to see some things that many
people only dream of seeing at some point in their lives. I feel so
lucky to have been part of the program and had the experiences that I had,
while I was in China. I saw things in China that I had been learning
about and reading about since I first started going to school. Ancient
things like the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors, and the Forbidden City.
I was also able to see things that are more modern and have had a huge
impact on the world. The thing that fell into this second category was
the Olympic Village and all of the different areas that events were held in
during the Beijing Games. I spent days in the summer of 2008 seeing
all of the places and never did I dream that I would be standing in the same
place that those events took place in.
I don’t think that everything has fully hit me with how much I was able to
see and able to be part of because of the program. I find myself going
through my day and realizing how much I saw because I begin to compare what
I saw to what goes on around me. I would never have had some of the
experiences that I had while in China if I would have gone to China alone.
I had some of the best times of my life and I will never forget them.
I will remember the friends I made, the people I met, and all of the
experiences that I had during the program.
CHELSEA MEAGHAN
MCDERMOTT, Engineering
On the plane flying to China I was thinking to myself,
“Why am I doing this? I don’t know anyone going on the trip, and I’m missing
out on things happening at home.” I don’t believe that I have ever made a
better choice in my entire life. The trip to China was the most amazing
experience. I had the time of my life. I made friends that I will always
remember. Never in a million years did I dream I would ever get the chance
to walk The Great Wall of China. I would have to say that was one of the
most exhilarating feelings. I loved traveling from city to city. I feel as
though I was able to experience all of China and not just a part of it.
One of my favorite days of the entire trip was the day
we all went for a hike to a waterfall during a cruise excursion. The scenery
was breathtaking. The waterfall was absolutely stunning. It was as if we had
wandered into a little slice of heaven. On the way back to the cruise we
stopped at an attraction where you can row yourself on bamboo rafts. We all
rented one and Grace, Carolina and I got into a water fight with some other
kids there. They jumped on our raft and tipped it over and we all fell in
clothes and all. The river was so refreshing, it had been so hot hiking to
the waterfall. We all laughed so hard. I laughed so hard I couldn’t get back
on the raft. It was a great ending to a fantastic day.
One of my favorite speakers that we visited was Marron
from Ford-Changan Auto. He was such an inspirational speaker. He made me
feel as though I could do anything as long as I tried my hardest. Play hard
work hard. He said that if you never dare to open the door how will you ever
know what is waiting for you on the other side. One of my favorite quotes
from Marron would have to be “show me a man who has never made a mistake and
I will show you a man who has never lived.” Marron is a successful man who
has worked all over the world with a loving family, he has it all because he
wasn’t afraid to take chances and make mistakes. I also enjoyed meeting the
CFO of Ford China Operations. It is very encouraging to meet Penn State
alumni who are so successful. Meeting these two men made me consider
pursuing a career in China.
Overall I could not have asked for a better trip to
China. My family and friends are tired of hearing about the trip of a life
time. It’s hard to convey in words how extraordinary it really was. When
Xinli told me that some of the kids cried when they had to leave each other
I thought he was crazy. When I had to leave my friends that last day I
teared up. I will remember my trip to China for the rest of my life. If a
student were to come up to me and ask me about this program, I would not
hesitate to tell them to apply because it will be the best decision they
ever make.
Maria Poluch,
Engineering
Looking back on my time in China, I’d say it was probably the best month of
my life. It definitely changed me and my outlook on the world. Legitimately.
This experience gave me a new appreciation for not only the Chinese culture,
but all cultures. China is so different from America in so many ways. It was
like I was living a different life, from the buildings to the food to the
toilets.
My China experience began with a day trip to Tiananmen Square and the
Forbidden City. This is when it really hit me for the first time how much
history places a part in the Chinese tradition. Seeing the amazing
architectural feats that the Chinese accomplished thousands of years ago
blew me away. When I thought it couldn’t get much better than that, the next
day we went to the Great Wall. I became a hero that day (In China you can
only be considered a hero if you have climb the Great Wall). Honestly
though, it was a trek. That thing is steeper than it looks in pictures. But
still, the view from the top was truly moving. To be standing and seeing
something that hundreds of people worked was awesome. The mountains were
gorgeous and standing looking out at the rest of the wall was definitely a
snapshot of a lifetime. Then we went to snack street which was an
interesting experience. I ate a fried scorpion. Yeah. Crazy. The real
surprise is that the scorpion end up not even being the weirdest thing I ate
on the trip. Nothing can really top hot pot bull’s penis. But those are
memories I can only think back and laugh at myself for. They just remind me
of al the fun things I did in China. Our tour guide Mike made my time in
Beijing even better by not only narrating Chinese history, but also becoming
a friend. From there we traveled to Dalian where I was blown away by the
mountains overlooking the ocean at Tiger Park. We also got to travel to
Lintong and see the Terracotta Warriors Museum. That was crazy. The chinese
civilization was so technologically advanced thousands of years ago. Seeing
these kinds of monuments really changed my outlook on history. I now more
fully appreciate the effect the past can have on the future, which is a big
part of Chinese culture. After the cruise, it was nice to have the days slow
down a bit while we were on the cruise. I loved just sitting on the deck at
night and watching the mountains roll by with random lights from little
towns. It was definitely one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been in
my life. Chongqing hosts the Three Gorges Dam, which just showed to me that
the Chinese have been continuing their tradition of immense engineering
structures even thousands of years later.
Next came one of my favorite parts of the trip, having dinner at Xinli’s
parents’ house and visiting a high school Xinli’s sister runs. These are
experiences that not many other Americans have. I got to see a Chinese
village and have delicious food cooked in their house. These two experiences
touched me differently than the rest of the tip because they opened my eyes
to the lives of other people. It showed me that around the world, every
person’s daily routine is unique. For the high school students in China, a
school day runs from 7:00 am to 10:30 pm, and I complained about going to
school from 8:00 to 3:00. That’s a huge difference. I don’t think one way of
life is better or worse, they are just different. Acknowledging the
difference is the important part. These situations reflect the big picture.
It is not America versus China, but America and China. Too many people try
to compare the two countries. The cultures are so totally different that
they really can’t be compared. In China, you have a civilization that
has been around since before Christ. Its a history and tradition that does
take more time to change to ‘newer’ ways of life (like social rights, etc.),
but the history must be acknowledged. The Chinese now have so much more
freedom than they did years ago, they have been changing. America, on the
other hand, is a younger country that was formed out a freedom. Freedom is
the backbone of America and so yes, we do have more social rights than the
Chinese. Being created with diversity, we still do have many social issues
with racism and prejudice much more than the Chinese. But I don’t think
anyone can say that one country is better than the other. One can only say
that these countries are very different.
China changed the way I think about things and how I approach life. This was
a once in a life time program and I can’t thank Xinli enough for letting me
come. I ate some crazy thing and pushed boundaries in my life I never
thought I would. From now on I will do what I did on this trip and make the
most of every opportunity I’m given. I started as a girl who just wanted to
travel to another cool country, and came back with a family of friends I
know I will have for a while and knowledge that positively changed who I am
and how I will approach the world.
Thanks Xinli!! :)
Jamie Sweeney,
Engineering
This program was so incredible. It completely opened my eyes to an entirely
different culture and tradition, and changed my outlook on life. I saw so
much, learned so much, experienced so much, and had so much fun.
The program was structured with many different outings scheduled in a day,
especially in the beginning. However, I never found this overwhelming.
Having the unique opportunity to be in China I wanted to make the most of it
and experience all I could in the short time I was there. Therefore I was
happy that I felt my time was being used effectively and efficiently, as we
had many different types of outings scheduled for each day. At the same time
I didn’t find the fast pace overwhelming. It was the perfect balance of
structure and free time so that I never felt inundated, yet never felt
purposeless. Furthermore, if there was ever something that the group found
particularly interesting, we never felt rushed as our professor was very
understanding and flexible to our requests for more time.
There was also a good combination of different types of outings throughout a
given day. There was touring at incredible landmarks such as the Forbidden
City, Temple of Heaven Park, and the Great Wall, but also more formal
educational visits to places such as the National Museum of China, the
Terracotta Warriors Museum, and the Three Gorges Dam Museum.
At the same time there were opportunities for us to take our learning into
our own hands. We were able to ask questions of Chinese students to learn
more about whatever we found interesting during our visit to the University
of Mining and Technology and a Chinese high school. In fact, in my opinion
these visits were some of the most rewarding because the learning really
came alive as I could really get to know someone from a vastly different
culture and discover what was important to them.
I also really enjoyed the company visits. The Ford assembly plant in
Chongching was incredible and so interesting to see firsthand as cars were
being built before our eyes. Also it was fascinating to learn more about the
governments influence in many major companies through a visit to the CEO and
CFO of Ford. They also taught us a lot about the Chinese economy, especially
the market for cars, and the tremendous opportunity for growth still today.
The visits to Dell and Rockwell Automation were eye opening as well and
offered a true glimpse into the engineering practices in China.
On a personal level, this program taught me so much about engineering, and
Chinese history, but it also taught me to be more adventurous. To try new
things when given the opportunity as it might not come around again. I tried
so many different foods which I will proudly brag to have eaten for the rest
of my life.
Furthermore, the group of people I was with really made my experience what
it was. We were all very different people yet we bonded over the incredible
things we learned and sights we saw. An integral part of us all connecting,
however, was our professor. He brought us all together and encouraged us to
share our thoughts and learn from each other. He was so knowledgeable about
every site we visited throughout the program and could offer valuable
insight into the Chinese culture and way of life.
When thinking about what I would change about this program, given the
opportunity I can’t think of a thing. We saw it all: cities, rural areas,
rich and poor. Applying for this program was one of the best decisions of my
life.
Ryan Trees
This experience/ program simply cannot be put into
words of how eye-opening, amazing, and informational it was for me. I was
hesitant before coming to China, thinking I would be homesick, be thrown off
by a new routine, and simply be thrown completely off guard. To my surprise
going to China to study the vast variety did just the opposite. In Beijing,
out first visited city, it attracted me to the vast buildings and how tall
they were despite the unique design. Every city we visited from then on out
held to that mold of large building so creatively done. In all cities
visited, I became more and more intrigued in how they were designed and
wanted to see more! The history of China, which dates much farther back than
that of the United States or almost any country, was another subject that
interested me and made me realize how stable China is because of it.
Millions of artifacts that tell China’s history are throughout every city in
countless museums. This experience opened my eyes to how different Chines
people are compared to Americans, and I say that in a complimentary way in
favor of the Chinese. What it boils down to in my eyes is that Americans are
spoiled while one the other hand the Chinese have this quality that forms
strong bonds with people they meet, which makes them so friendly. The fact
that I had never traveled outside of the country before, flown by myself, or
not known the native language, did not matter at all! They welcomed all of
us with great hospitality and warm smiles and sometimes some crazy looks
when we bargained an “absurd” price. The people I met through this
experience, even though we are all very different, honestly made my stay in
China that much better and that much more fun! Coming to China having no
clue what to expect, did not matter because the whole experience was one
that not only made me think in a different way or learn some different
material about my major, but it also prepared me for the future, with
stories to remember until I die. This experience also has taught me a little
bit more about myself and has helped me grow more as an independent college
student! This has been an all around THE greatest experience I’ve had in my
lifetime and probably will be at the top of my list always! That is why I
want to go back later to see the results of the mass construction and study
the engineering aspect again on my own sometime within the next 5 to 10
years!
Benjamin Buck
Visnesky, Engineering
For some people, taking risks and trying new things and experiences can be a
huge challenge. I know that for myself, I used to be a person who preferred to simply
stick to a routine rather than go out of my way in an effort to try new things. Upon
entering college, however, I decided to change this attitude towards new experiences in
an attempt to take advantage of everything that a university like Penn State has to offer. I
started small, simply joining various clubs and activities in order to make new friends and
become involved in the university community. Then I decided to pledge a fraternity in an
effort to become a part of something bigger than myself. The biggest, and best, decision
that I have made thus far, though, has easily been the decision to enroll in the China
Program, ENGR 197A.
At first, the only reason I wanted to take this class was because I wanted to travel
outside of the country. Having never been outside of the United States, my goal was to
experience a different culture. After learning more about the program and talking to Dr.
Wu, however, I realized that this program would be much more than an opportunity to
visit
another country; this would be an opportunity to learn about and experience firsthand
a completely different culture.From the moment I left my house to head to the airport until the moment I landed
again in Pittsburgh, this program was truly one of the most amazing experiences of my
life. After reaching Beijing, the program was a whirlwind of experiencing cultural
sensations. I really enjoyed starting the program off with the hot-pot dinner. Less than
an hour after leaving Beijing International, the class was already dining on freshly
decapitated frog and snake soaked liquor – what an introduction into Chinese culture!
From there, nearly everything the class did was in some way eye opening or different
compared to what we, as Americans, were used to. Seeing things like the Great Wall and
the Terracotta Soldiers was truly amazing, and are places that need to be experienced,
rather than about in a text book, in order to fully appreciate their true grandeur. Going to
museums, such as the National Museum of China in Beijing and the Three Gorges
Museum in Chongqing, were awesome to see because they allowed us as students to
explore and learn about the culture and history of China on our own and at our own pace.
There were some truly amazing things to see.
One of my favorite parts of the program was the cruise through the Three Gorges.
We started by seeing the Three Gorges Dam, which is incredibly large and cannot really
be comprehended until it is seen in person. Actually traveling through the gorges was
equally amazing because the views were so astounding and breathtaking. Many people
think of China as an ugly, smoggy country, but that misconception is shattered with a few
nights on the Yangtze River. In addition to the cruise itself, the excursions were also
amazing to experience. For example, when we got on the skiff boats and were rowed
through a very narrow part of the gorges.
Another of my favorite aspects of the program was seeing how items are bought
and sold in China. Whereas in America, if a vendor says that an item costs a certain
amount, which is what the consumer is forced to pay, in China nearly all prices for
everything are negotiable. This is mostly because vendors want you to buy their goods
rather than go to another vendor down the street to get the same item for less, but
regardless, it is an amazing facet of Chinese culture that definitely took some getting used
to. Seeing people on the street in every city that the program took us to was also
somewhat of a culture shock. I don’t think that a person is even allowed to sell goods on
the street without some sort of permit in America, but in China, if you can afford to buy
goods to sell, it seems that you are more than welcome to sell them anywhere you please.
From paper fans to knock-off Rolexes, just about anything can be found on the street.
I’m glad that we were able to see this because I think it says a lot about how people find a
way to make a living in any way possible.
My favorite aspect of the program, the aspect which I believe separates it from
other study abroad programs, was how the class was able to travel to many different cities
throughout China and how we were able to use nearly every form of transportation to do
so. Two overnight trains, two plane rides, plenty of bus rides, a multiple-night cruise,
and a high-speed train. In twenty-four days, I was able to experience more forms of
transportation than I had experienced in the previous eighteen years of my life. Getting
to see so many of the cities in China was incredible. It was interesting to see how each
was different, yet shared similar characteristics and traits. It also sets this study abroad
program apart from others because it allows the students to experience, as a part of the
program, much more of a country’s culture than just a single host city could accomplish.
I can honestly say there was nothing that I did not like about this program. It was
the best experience of my life thus far, and there isn’t anything I would change, except
for perhaps extending the duration of the program. Upon returning home, I found that
living in America seemed very boring compared to living and travelling in China. It is
one of my dreams now to go back someday and compare the China I experienced to the
one that the future will hold. With all of the development and industrialization occurring
there, future China will surely be very different from how I will remember it.
Thank you again, Xinli, for giving me the opportunity to be apart of this program.
It is an experience that I will never forget, and one that has broadened my horizons as
both an engineering student and as a person.
Edgar Yip,
Mechanical Engineering
Like many other students on the trip, I almost decided not go on the study
abroad program. I was a senior applying for what seemed like a class
designed for freshmen. For me, choosing to take summer classes or applying
for a summer internship would have been just as beneficial to my
undergraduate career. However, after spending three weeks in China exploring
the country and learning about engineering and culture, I can say with
confidence that deciding to go on the trip was one of the best decisions I
have made. The experience was beyond enriching and I have no regrets.
One can never fully grasp the feeling of a place until you have actually
been there. With China, it is the same. Climbing the Great Wall, standing
aside the Three Gorges Dam, riding on the Yangtze River and exploring
different cities in China will definitely become lasting memories. Some of
the key important things for me were exploring companies in China and seeing
how they operate. Touring and learning about the Changan Ford Mazda Auto car
factory in Chongqing was an excellent supplement to my studies at school.
Meeting with Marin Burelo, the CEO from Changan Ford Mazda Auto, and
listening to his speech about China was also an enriching experience in
itself. He noted that around 70% of Ford’s growth in the near future is
predicted to occur in the Asia region. Even though it is only one company,
it is still a statement to the growth and development of China. The fact
that he also noted that the quality of the cars developed in Chongqing are
either equivalent or better quality than those made in the United States, is
also huge statement to the work ethic of the Chinese people.
Although not part of the trip’s itinerary, it was a great pleasure going to
the PIRO restaurant and bar and meeting the manager, Charles Zheng. As he
himself is a Penn State Alum, all of us students received a very warm
welcome. Being on the other side of the world in Shanghai, and seeing other
Penn Staters is also, without a doubt, one of my most memorable experiences.
You get a really good feeling just by knowing that the Penn State alumni
network is that huge and expansive. Even Howard Welsh, the CFO of Ford
China, also graduated as an engineering student at Penn State before he
chose to pursue a career in finance. Furthermore, he had noted that his
engineering degree has given him great respect in business dealings over the
years. Hearing that also does a great deal to reinforce my determination to
pursue an engineering career.
In conclusion, the engineering program in China was one of the most
enriching experiences of my life. It served to really open up my mind to
China and the world in general. This experience really helped me towards
becoming a World Class engineer that Penn State engineers should be. In the
end, I have also decided I would most definitely consider pursuing
professional work in China in the future. Working in China and being a part
of the rapid growth of one of the fastest developing countries would be an
unforgettable experience.
Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you or your company is looking for a way to help our students become
educated about this ever-challenging world of globalization, please contact
the professor of this course for information about sponsoring this course.
Your sponsorship will greatly benefit both our students and your company!