It still hasn’t really hit me how close we are to this trip, and I feel like the to-do list just keeps on growing! At this point, the only thing I’ve done to be proactive for preparing to travel is order an outlet converter for charging my devices. But hey, any small step I make is still progress right? I realized after today’s class that I only have a two day grace period after final exams before we hop on that plane, and only two days after we get back before I have to be in St. Paul for my internship. I’m pretty nervous about how my body is going to handle the time change and little rest, but it will all be worth it for such a great experience.
We learned about the volunteer group assignments today, and I chose the food group as my first choice. We are going to be doing research and making a presentation on whatever topic we get assigned to. I chose food because I’m a vegetarian and would love to learn more about what my options will be like while traveling. After the class, I stayed back and talked to Ilalee a bit about feminism in a place where cultural customs might be a little bit different. It’s important to me that I stay true to myself and my beliefs while still being respectful to the culture I will be immersed in.
I think some of the next actions I need to take are getting a VPN, calling my credit/debit card companies and letting them know I will be out of the country, and polishing up my wardrobe to include more pieces that are acceptable in the Chinese business world. Hey, I’m always up for an excuse to go shopping!
Hoeft T&M Class 24: China Immersion 