We just finished our last full week of classes--this time next week, most of us will on our way home (except me, I don't actually leave until Tuesday, but that's besides the point). This week was predictably busy between wrapping up our classwork, tai chi and paper cutting lessons, an acrobatics show on Thursday, and our last trip to Zhujiajiao yesterday. We also took smaller personal trips to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery (the largest Starbucks in the world) and to see the Bund at night, which was packed with tourists on a Friday, but was worth the crowds.
Classes are keeping us busy, but are going well, and we still have plenty of free time to explore Shanghai on our own. Next week, we have the writing portion of our final on Monday followed by a cumulative test and speaking presentation on Thursday, and while it's a lot to keep track of, I don't think any of us feel unprepared. Friday is the last day of the program, so no classes--just a closing ceremony and then time to pack and start heading out. As excited as I am to be home, I'm not exactly looking forward to leaving, but in general I think we could all use a month without academics before we're back on campus.
I feel a little extra devoting a full paragraph to it, but if you ever get the chance to visit, you'll know what I mean--this Starbucks is huge. It has two stories, three different bars serving various kinds of coffee and cocktails, a separate station each for tea and pastries, and assembly line machinery where you can watch coffee beans being roasted and bagged. I don't even drink coffee and it was pretty overwhelming; I don't know about you guys, but before this, I've never once been to a Starbucks that provides maps of the premises. It was also pricey, but whether or not you're a big coffee fan, I think it was worth the visit.
The highlight of the week was our trip to Zhujiajiao, a water town not far from Shanghai. It was the shortest trip of the program, partially because of an incoming typhoon this weekend, but we were still able to see Kezhi Garden, a nearby temple, and lots of tourist shopping streets with a variety of food and different types of stores. Much of the city was lined with canals and rivers, a little like Suzhou, which was interesting to see. The temple was also worth visiting--it's still an active temple, so there were a number of people there and incense burning in the main areas. The red tags hanging from the trees are wishes for things like academic or job-related success, good health, longevity, or prosperity, each with a four-character phrase on them and a name or family name at the top. Overall, Zhujiajiao was a fun place to visit before the program ends, so I would definitely recommend if you're ever in the area.
Well, I guess that about sums up this week--it's hard to believe the program ends so soon. Next week will be mostly just finals and visiting the last few places we hope to see before heading back to the U.S., but I'm hoping to make a final post of advice on studying abroad to China on the off-chance that someone finds that helpful. In any case, thanks for reading if you've made it this far and I'll be back next week for the last post of the blog. 谢谢！