Great Wall

(I wrote this in March 2012 and wasn't able to post it thanks to the other Chinese wall- the Great FIREwall.  Seemed a shame to just delete it, so here you go!)

The first time I visited China, we were lucky enough to visit the Wall, but I feel like that is an experience you should never pass up. Since this was Patti's first time here, I suggested we spend our "recover from the long flight" day at the Wall.

Here is the sign at the entrance to the section of the Wall we visited:

I must admit, I do not remember what section of the Wall I visited the first time (and I have not done any research to find that answer), but I do know this was a different section because unlike my first visit, we had to take a ski lift up to the actual wall. This meant we were able to have a fun toboggan ride down at the end!

The Wall itself is amazing and if you only have one day in Beijing, I would suggest visiting the Wall over some of the other historical locations.

The Great Journey Begins!

(yes I know that I am playing catch up- China and Google do not always play nice, making it harder to stay in touch)

I left Harrisonburg around noon on Monday the 5th. With my long list of things to do before starting a trip of this length (not to mention that pesky bug I was fighting on top of my already full pre-trip schedule), it's actually amazing I was ready on time. It certainly would not have happened if I was driving myself to the airport- knowing that I had to be ready at a pre-determined pick-up time was wonderful motivation. I think I managed to accomplish everything I needed- we'll see when I get home though! I was able to leave my house pretty neat, with all my laundry done & put away and clean sheets on my bed, so I felt pretty accomplished!

My other big accomplishment was being able to fit everything I thought I would need into my standard carry-on bag. I'm working on a post of my tips, not that anyone else would be crazy enough to try that, it is pretty satisfying to see the reactions to my small (but solidly packed) bag!

I was actually very lucky both on my first flight from Dulles to Detroit and my second from Detroit to Beijing. On the first flight, I ended up with a row of two seats to myself. I did almost leave my passport behind on the plane (oops!) but I still had plenty of time to relax in the Delta lounge before my long flight. That's where I was incredibly lucky- I had a row of three seats all to myself! That flight is about 13 hours, so having space to stretch out is much appreciated. I think that is the only reason I ended up sleeping for about a 7 hour stretch- very unusual for me on a plane! I actually had a whole list of movies I wanted to watch, so I was a little disappointed to see the time when I woke up! I know I needed the rest though, so I'm glad I was able to get it.

When I arrived in Beijing, it was about 11 pm, so the airport was pretty empty. We all worked our way through Customs and while some people had to wait for their luggage, I was able to walk right out to the waiting hotel car.

A colleague from another Virginia school was also attending the event in Beijing, so I had a note with her room information waiting when I arrived at the hotel. It's always nice to know there is someone familiar around. Luckily my brain recognized it was night time, so after a little settling into my room, I was able to fall asleep fairly quickly.

Next up- visiting a section of the Great Wall!

It's official!

My flights are booked, (most of) my hotels are reserved and now my passport is back in my hands with the required visas for my Asian Adventure!  Since I leave in less than a month, it's nice to cross these big items off my to-do list.

I start in Beijing and head to Zhengzhou second.  From there I go to Vietnam- Hanoi followed by Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).  Then it's back to China- Xi'an, Wuhan and Guangzhou.  I wrap up the trip with a few days on Guam. Altogether I'll be gone about 27 days, my longest work trip so far!

I still have lots of little details to take care of- notify my credit card companies that I'll be abroad, make sure my cell phone will work properly (love having a global ready phone!), pay bills, oh, and of course, pack! The end result of my packing is usually pretty organized but the process is fairly chaotic. I start with pulling out everything I think I might want, then try to pare it back down to the actual necessities.  My biggest packing challenge for this trip will be the temperature extremes- it is currently 16F in Beijing and 81F on Guam. I'm a fan of layers, so that will help, but this is a pretty broad range of climates!  My mom will actually be meeting me on Guam- I'm hoping I can send a few things that I won't need earlier in the trip with her to make some more room in my suitcase.  Anyone else have any good packing tips?

I'm a little concerned about how the beginning of Daylight Savings time will affect me, but I'm hoping I can absorb the change in my overall adjustment. What's one more hour when you are already 12-18 hours off of your usual time zone?

My mom gave me the purple cover for my passport a few years ago. Not only is it my favorite color, but it allows me to blend in with other nationalities waiting for Customs.  Of course as soon as I open my mouth, it's obvious I am American, but I like to think that until that point, people may wonder where I'm from. Maybe that's just because I like to guess where others are from, so I assume other people play the same game!

Three of my destinations are new for me, so I'm looking forward to seeing what those cities have to offer.  Guam is technically not new, but since I have no memories of it, it should be pretty exciting to see where I was born. I really have a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that this will be my fourth time to Vietnam. I'm even staying in hotels I have stayed in before so there will be a real sense of familiarity. Crazy to find that comfort on the other side of the world! My first trip to China included two of the biggest cultural attractions in Beijing- the Great Wall and the Forbidden City and we drove past several of the main Olympic venues last fall and I shopped at the Silk Market so I'll have to find something new to explore.

Aside from finishing preparations for this trip, I also have a quick trip to Alabama for a conference next week, a major event for work the day after I get back from Alabama and bridesmaid dress shopping in DC with one of my best friends two days before my flight leaves.  Hmm, now that I think about it, maybe I should start that packing now!!

Fraser Suites, Seoul

(I just found this post in my drafts folder, not sure why it didn't go up before, but better late than never, right?)

These are pictures from all the rooms in my suite...it was so big, I didn't know what to do with myself! I'll put a link to the hotel at the bottom, in case you want to see more about it!

This was the master bedroom in the suite...some people in our group didn't realize this room even existed in their suites, so they slept on the twin bed in the second bedroom!




The suite had an office...in case you didn't have quite enough room elsewhere!

Entryway, door to office on left, close on right.

Funny story about the washer/dryer...as many of you will recognize, it is just like what I had in my first post-grad apartment...well I asked around and it doesn't work any better here in Seoul than it did in Harrisonburg! I guess it really is just meant for Europe!



http://seoul.frasershospitality.com/

Spring Travel

I'm gearing up for my next big trip- China, Vietnam, back to China then off to Guam!  I'll be gone almost all of March and it will be a mixture of familiar and new locations.  As we work out the details, I'll be sure to share them here. I can't believe how many stamps my passport already has inside :)

Different country, same stereotypes

I have visited more schools on this trip than previous international trips and have noticed that although I'm on the other side of the world, some things are still the same. (Disclaimer: the schools we are visiting are international schools meaning they have students from all over the world, including many American students, but I still think the similarities are worth noting!)

~When given the opportunity, high school students will choose to clump together and socialize over talking to college reps.

~Parents tend to dominate conversations at college fairs, even when they need their child to translate for them.

~You will ALWAYS be asked what your most popular majors are, whether the answer matters or not.

~You can try to understand the fashions you see on the teenagers. You will fail to reach that understanding.

~Pens (and pencils) will walk away from your table on their own.

~If a student is with their boyfriend or girlfriend, they are less likely to talk to you than if they were on their own.

~Students will not care why you are there (to talk specifically about admission to your school) and they will expect you to be able to answer obscure questions about all colleges in general.

~Students (and families) will have personal conversations while blocking your table and/or will use your table for their personal use.

~If one student stops at your table, they all will.

~Talking to a prospective student about your school and seeing their interest grow is one of the best feelings you can experience. That feeling gets multiplied the further you are from home.

Third time's the charm?

Well clearly I did not do well at chronicling my first two work trips abroad but I have a few more chances!  As of July 1, I will be the primary person responsible for international recruitment travel in our office.  I already have another trip to China, Hong Kong and Vietnam lined up for this fall.  There will probably be one or two other trips during the school year as well.

I still have all the notes I made for myself during my first two trips- maybe one day I'll actually get around to detailing those adventures. For now I'll focus on the present which includes two college fairs and a conference this week! First up is the 2011 Malaysian Higher Education Fair and the Embassy-University Showcase followed by the Summer Institute for International Admissions College Fair at Georgetown University (sponsored by College Board). Wednesday through Friday will be spent at the EducationUSA Forum 2011.  I'm pretty sure I'll be exhausted by 3:15 on Friday!

Thanks for sticking with this blog, I promise to try my best to be a better blogger!

PS Now that this blog is about more than one specific trip, does anyone have any suggestions for a new name?