Today we visited the Tiger Hill and Abbott. Tiger Hill was amazing and the story behind its construction and mystique made it all the more interesting to visit. The pagoda was amazing and I was blown away be the length of history at each of the site. Historic sites in the US can only span … Continue reading Day 8 – 5/21/29 →

Today we visited a silk factory, the Lion Forest Garden, and Caterpillar. Caterpillar was interesting to see the ways they test and simulate scenarios to ensure their products meet requirements. A common theme that ran through my mind while at the Lion Forest Garden was the idea of commodification, whether of places or experiences. While … Continue reading Day 7 – 5/20/19 →

Today we traveled to Shanghai and visited a market in Suzhou. Traveling on a domestic flight made me realize the similarities and differences between the check in and security processes. Some things were more relaxed, like the security checkpoint to entire the airport gate. But other parts were more secure like going through a metal … Continue reading Day 6 – 5/19/19 →

Today we visited YiLi, the Maple Leaf nursing home, a wind farm, Dezhi Middle School, and met with elementary school students. YiLi was all of my How It's Made dreams come to like, complete with an incredible automated packaging floor. The nursing home helped bring into perspective all the experiences we had in Beijing with … Continue reading Day 5 – 5/18/19 →

Today we visited Microsoft, walked the Juyong Pass at the Great Wall, and traveled to Zhangjiakou. The Microsoft visit showed the creative investments China is making to develop new ideas and highlighted the difference in technology work policies between the US and China. The Great Wall was incredible and walking just a portion of the … Continue reading Day 4 – 5/17/19 →

Today we went to John Deere and Boeing in Tianjin. At the John Deere visit, I learned about agriculture in China and the difference crops and farming organizations in each region. Tianjin made me realize how stark of a difference there was between US and Chinese suburbs. Tianjin's TEDA was full of highrise apartment buildings … Continue reading Day 3 – 5/16/19 →

Today was the first day of corporate site events and we visited BP, DiDi, and saw an acrobatic performance. The BP site visit demonstrated the differences and similarities between the Beijing and Chicago offices while the DiDi visit highlighted cultural differences in the workplace. These conversations made me think about where my motivation comes from, … Continue reading Day 2 – 5/15/19 →

Today, we went to the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City. All the places were absolutely beautiful and took my breath away with the sheer intricacies of the paintings and statues. The juxtaposition between modern and historic was stark when visiting the sights. At some points, the Beijing metropolitan skyline was visible … Continue reading Day 1 – 5/14/19 →

It has been exactly two weeks since we landed home in Chicago from the China trip. With that, it has definitely taken some time and looking over my journal to sit down and articulate the impact this trip. Immediately after finding my parents at the gate, I went over some of my favorite memories and … Continue reading Trip Debrief →

As I reflect on the past two weeks in China, I can’t help but feel overwhelming grateful for all that we were able to see, do, and learn. I believe that many foreigners have a tainted and inaccurate perception of what China is like; I am fortunate that I was able to gain an understanding … Continue reading Trip Debrief →