China

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FAV FLICKS ♥:

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WHY WE ♥ CHINA:

China was the first international trip of my life and holds a very special place in my heart ❤️. I was in a study abroad program at Jilin University in Changchun. We had the most diverse student group (shout out Rutgers) and every minute felt like a forever memory.

Yes we were taking classes but every minute was fun! I was 20 years old and every day felt like a whole new world. Walking to stores, eating at food halls and playing basketball at public parks (where everyone essentially wore Kobe jerseys) was all a thrill. We also took excursions every weekend. We went white-water rafting, visited the countryside, climbed the Great Wall of China and more.

China introduced me to travel. The best thing that it did was broaden my horizons. The country was nothing like I expected it to be. I was scared to eat Chinese food for three months (because I only knew the greasy American version that we pass for Chinese). The food was amazing! 火锅 or hotpot is still my favorite! We danced on tables at bars in Beijing and saw incredible shows.

Although I was only 20 years-old, we had a mother in our group who adopted a daughter from China. She was not a student but was able to travel with our program to introduce her five-year-old to her heritage and culture. Leaving this note in case you think you’re too old to travel with a college group! I wish I could go back!

OUR FAV♥RITE THINGS TO DO:

Dancing in Beijing

Whitewater Rafting

Eating all the Hot Pot

The Great Wall of China

KTV Karaoke

Celeb status - everyone asking to take our photo

Hong'en Temple Forest Park

Long Country-side trips

Practicing Chinese w/anyone willing to talk

A Candid Cost Calculation:

Accommodation – Much like our college dorm, we had roomates at Jilin University in our two bed, one bathroom accommodations. “Ji Da” for short, host many international students so have fun meeting new friends.

Food – As mentioned, the food was phenomenal! From mom & pop shops, fancy restaurants to food halls – ten of ten! I loved the huge lazy susans put out with a bunch of smaller (tapas-like) shareable dishes. China was the first time I ate duck (still not a huge fan of it) but everything else was amazing. Even the McDonald’s tasted farm fresh!

Transportation – Walking, taking taxis & pre-planned group trips.

Best of the Best – After a full day of surprising my husband with bday experiences and surprises, he flipped the script and pulled the ultimate surprise for me – a one-night stay in the presidential villa at the end of the iconic wooden overwater walkway. The surprise was to celebrate an accomplishment in my career. As you can see, we like to spoil each other 🥰. You can read more about this surprise in my blog – Planning Your Spouse’s Birthday Abroad.

FULL VL♥G:

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PRO TIPS ♥:

你可以试试。 It is nearly impossible to speak the language on every trip you take but you can always learn a few key phrases and give it a try. Don't expect most people to speak English here. Non-Latin languages can be hard if you never had to speak but do a little research on pronunciations (using pinyin) and have a few key phrases in your phone's notes. Even if you can't speak it perfectly, trying is usually met with confidence.

Negotiate $ There is definitely the tourist price and the locals prices at most markets. If they can tell you're a tourist you may hear $6000! No. One of my key phrases was 太贵了 (Tài guìle) or ``too expensive.`` I paired that with the walkaway method and it worked nearly every time! You will still pay a bit more as a tourist but that's okay. Most are trying to make a living, as just under seven of their dollars (yuan) is only on USD.

Do you know Beyoncé? This was the cutest most innocent question a little Chinese girl asked me, practicing her best English. Keep in mind, China doesn't see as much diversity as in the United States. You may be the first Black, White, Latin (etc) person that most people will ever see in person. A lot of people wanted to take photos with us. Don't get mad - we just smiled like celebrities and made many new friends that way.

Multi-City + Excurisions The cities will give you the best feel of everyday life. Try to visit a few cities, including Beijing. We also saw much of the Countryside with weekend excursions (we were on a school Mon - Friday schedule). We saw everything from the rich to the poor, city to nature, and it gave us a greater appreciation for the land.