I always promised myself that on one of my trips to China I either wanted to enter the country from the far west - Pakistan, or from the north - Mongolia. Well, I still have yet to make good on that, but I'm getting closer.
The coming week is vacation (for National Day)...and I've gotta leave in 10 minutes for Inner Mongolia. (This is the Chinese part of Mongolia...) It will be GREAT to have an extended break from the city life. I've been told that approximately 1% of the country's population lives in Beijing, while at the same time, 15-20% of the cars are in the capital city!
I'm travelling with 3 people from Denmark, 1 from Netherlands, and a guy from California. We don't have anything booked except roundtrip airfare...but we do know that we'd like to go out to the grasslands and to the desert!
I HAVE to cut this short, and I'll be offline until the latter part of next week. Expect my next post to be lengthy w/ an update on Inner Mongolia, and also about classes.
See you in October.
Sep 28, 2007
Sep 24, 2007
POP QUIZ #1
Yes, you have a quiz! (Did you think you could just sit there passively, and read and read and read?) Come on, its only one question and it's multiple choice.
(Answer to be posted no later than October 7th, 2007)
----------------
Now playing: Barenaked Ladies - Quality (Bonus Track)
via FoxyTunes
Here is your question:
Why are the bases of these trees painted white?
(To submit your answer, please refer to the voting box in the right margin...)
(To submit your answer, please refer to the voting box in the right margin...)
(Answer to be posted no later than October 7th, 2007)----------------
Now playing: Barenaked Ladies - Quality (Bonus Track)
via FoxyTunes
Sep 23, 2007
Blowing off some steam
After Thursday night's class (where the professor read from s
lides) I needed to unwind with some friends. We went out to a club around 11pm, and were out until LATE (or early, depending on how you look at it).
It's amazing to go out in Beijing now where, again, I see lots of changes to Chi
nese culture and continued modernization. When I was here in the summer of 1994, the ONLY good places to go out where in the Western hotels. (I remember the Lido Hotel once being a hot spot.) Back then, it was almost entirely all foreigners having fun, with 
a few Chinese locals in attendance - but most were merely observing how people moved to the beat, etc.
That is definitely NOT the case now! (Even in 1999, there were some improved "hot spots" - but nowhere near the caliber of bars/clubs of those today.) Chinese definitely outnumbered foreigners at the club, and have no problem doling out 35 yuan for a Heineken (about $4.50 USD).
Friday's class "Doing Business in China" was very solid. Taught by a serial entrepreneur from HK, it was energizing to have more of a practical approach to learning (rather than just purely academic).
Getting some fresh air
Yesterday I was on the fence about joining some friends on a day-long excursion, but at the last minute I talked myself out of not wanting to go. I needed a break from the city and from campus...and after all, it's not like the Great Wall is somewhere you go everyday!
We hired a "black cab" minivan from right outside the dorms for the 8 of us. We had a safe driver, who kept his van in immaculate condition. Why would safety matter? Oh, becaus
e on the windy roads near the Great Wall (Mu Tian Yu) we saw an overturned Lexus SUV that crashed into the side of the road...yeah, after that I told our driver to take as long as he needs to - we weren't in a rush!
FYI - there are at least 4 sections of the Great Wall that are ope
n for visitors (near Beijing). Personally, my favorite is SiMaTai - because it is more run-down and not that crowded by tourists. However, it's a bit farther out of the city than some other parts, so we went to MuTianYu - and I hadn't been to that section of the Wall in a really long time...
Northeast of the city, the surrounding area is beautiful. Orchards of fruit are in full harvest and the air quality is vastly improved from the confines of the 6 ring roads of Beijing. We decided to walk up to the Wall, and take the SUPER shortcut back down...
The ascent was over 1,100 steps - and that was to reach the Wall itself. (What does that equal, like 50+ flights of stairs?) Believe it or not, there's a shortcut to the top...via chairlift...but remember, we opted for only the shortcut on the way down.
Fortunately, MuTianYu was not that crowded! We left the city around noon so we probably missed the early birds who visited the Wall before things warmed up in the afternoon... The views were spectacular it is was great to stretch the legs and also escape from the city.
So what about this SUPER shortcut down? Alpine slide, baby! I don't know about you,
but I'd be hesitant to get on anything Chinese-made...good thing this was crafted with some good 'ol German engineering! (It's worth noting that we were required to pay 40 yuan for the slide, and 1 yuan for insurance!)
It was a really fun ride down the mountain, although we had to stop numerous times
b/c of the crowds on the alpine slide. Actually, the Chinese guy who was behind the last person in our group FLIPPED his sled b/c he was going so fast an
d had to brake suddenly!! Oops! (Despite German precision, any moron can screw it up!) When we got to the end of the slide, that cool guy had some dark streaks on his arms - although his ego was probably more injured than anything else. :)
How does one "top" coming down from the Great Wall via alpine slide? Well, you can't. But we asked our driver if he could take us to the Ming Tombs - before returning to Beijing. (I don't think many of us had initially planned beyond just going to the Great Wall...but why not?)
Of the 13 tombs, only 3 are open to the public. The most impressive part is the underground chamber, and how the overall exterior layout was somewhat modeled after the Forbidden City.
It was definitely worth the visit, but I don't think I'd
make the Ming Tombs a destination by itself...By the time we left the tombs, we were all tired. Getting out of the city was refreshing, as was having the opportunity to travel local roads and see farming communities (compared with the urban city life).
Now it's time to get some work done for classes this week.
----------------
Now playing: Elliott Smith - Say Yes
via FoxyTunes
lides) I needed to unwind with some friends. We went out to a club around 11pm, and were out until LATE (or early, depending on how you look at it).It's amazing to go out in Beijing now where, again, I see lots of changes to Chi
nese culture and continued modernization. When I was here in the summer of 1994, the ONLY good places to go out where in the Western hotels. (I remember the Lido Hotel once being a hot spot.) Back then, it was almost entirely all foreigners having fun, with 
a few Chinese locals in attendance - but most were merely observing how people moved to the beat, etc.That is definitely NOT the case now! (Even in 1999, there were some improved "hot spots" - but nowhere near the caliber of bars/clubs of those today.) Chinese definitely outnumbered foreigners at the club, and have no problem doling out 35 yuan for a Heineken (about $4.50 USD).
Friday's class "Doing Business in China" was very solid. Taught by a serial entrepreneur from HK, it was energizing to have more of a practical approach to learning (rather than just purely academic).
Getting some fresh air
Yesterday I was on the fence about joining some friends on a day-long excursion, but at the last minute I talked myself out of not wanting to go. I needed a break from the city and from campus...and after all, it's not like the Great Wall is somewhere you go everyday!
We hired a "black cab" minivan from right outside the dorms for the 8 of us. We had a safe driver, who kept his van in immaculate condition. Why would safety matter? Oh, becaus
e on the windy roads near the Great Wall (Mu Tian Yu) we saw an overturned Lexus SUV that crashed into the side of the road...yeah, after that I told our driver to take as long as he needs to - we weren't in a rush!FYI - there are at least 4 sections of the Great Wall that are ope
n for visitors (near Beijing). Personally, my favorite is SiMaTai - because it is more run-down and not that crowded by tourists. However, it's a bit farther out of the city than some other parts, so we went to MuTianYu - and I hadn't been to that section of the Wall in a really long time...
Northeast of the city, the surrounding area is beautiful. Orchards of fruit are in full harvest and the air quality is vastly improved from the confines of the 6 ring roads of Beijing. We decided to walk up to the Wall, and take the SUPER shortcut back down...
The ascent was over 1,100 steps - and that was to reach the Wall itself. (What does that equal, like 50+ flights of stairs?) Believe it or not, there's a shortcut to the top...via chairlift...but remember, we opted for only the shortcut on the way down.
Fortunately, MuTianYu was not that crowded! We left the city around noon so we probably missed the early birds who visited the Wall before things warmed up in the afternoon... The views were spectacular it is was great to stretch the legs and also escape from the city.
So what about this SUPER shortcut down? Alpine slide, baby! I don't know about you,
but I'd be hesitant to get on anything Chinese-made...good thing this was crafted with some good 'ol German engineering! (It's worth noting that we were required to pay 40 yuan for the slide, and 1 yuan for insurance!)It was a really fun ride down the mountain, although we had to stop numerous times
b/c of the crowds on the alpine slide. Actually, the Chinese guy who was behind the last person in our group FLIPPED his sled b/c he was going so fast an
d had to brake suddenly!! Oops! (Despite German precision, any moron can screw it up!) When we got to the end of the slide, that cool guy had some dark streaks on his arms - although his ego was probably more injured than anything else. :)How does one "top" coming down from the Great Wall via alpine slide? Well, you can't. But we asked our driver if he could take us to the Ming Tombs - before returning to Beijing. (I don't think many of us had initially planned beyond just going to the Great Wall...but why not?)
Of the 13 tombs, only 3 are open to the public. The most impressive part is the underground chamber, and how the overall exterior layout was somewhat modeled after the Forbidden City.
It was definitely worth the visit, but I don't think I'd
make the Ming Tombs a destination by itself...By the time we left the tombs, we were all tired. Getting out of the city was refreshing, as was having the opportunity to travel local roads and see farming communities (compared with the urban city life).Now it's time to get some work done for classes this week.
----------------
Now playing: Elliott Smith - Say Yes
via FoxyTunes
Sep 20, 2007
The bee in my bonnet...
Sorry need to vent for a few seconds...
What is the point of straight-lecture classes in an MBA context? For some of my current classes, about half, the first class has been 90% lecture. Do professors really think that this method of teaching is effective? Clearly, I am able to read the slides myself - so why do you need to read them all aloud?...to enhance my English reading acumen? (Shoot me now!) Guess it'd be okay to expect that from student presentations, but I expect more from the profs.
Granted, since classes are over 3 hours long - it's difficult to expect the entire class to be engaged from the get-go...but in each of the classes there was no prep-work for the 1st class, necessitating the need for a lecture format for the 1st class. I hope that for my classes that have been non-interactive in the beginning, things will turn around - but perhaps I am being too optimistic? If not, I will need to go to IKEA this weekend and go pick up a comfortable pillow for classes.
Pardon the bitch-fest, but you'd be cranky too if you had to sit through a Supply Chain Management class on inventory, with slide after slide about the 5,000 ways to measure inventory (isn't that what SAP is for?), with no opportunity to engage the class in a discussion.
Ok, whining is over.
----------------
Now playing: Johnny Cash - Cry! Cry! Cry!
via FoxyTunes
What is the point of straight-lecture classes in an MBA context? For some of my current classes, about half, the first class has been 90% lecture. Do professors really think that this method of teaching is effective? Clearly, I am able to read the slides myself - so why do you need to read them all aloud?...to enhance my English reading acumen? (Shoot me now!) Guess it'd be okay to expect that from student presentations, but I expect more from the profs.
Granted, since classes are over 3 hours long - it's difficult to expect the entire class to be engaged from the get-go...but in each of the classes there was no prep-work for the 1st class, necessitating the need for a lecture format for the 1st class. I hope that for my classes that have been non-interactive in the beginning, things will turn around - but perhaps I am being too optimistic? If not, I will need to go to IKEA this weekend and go pick up a comfortable pillow for classes.
Pardon the bitch-fest, but you'd be cranky too if you had to sit through a Supply Chain Management class on inventory, with slide after slide about the 5,000 ways to measure inventory (isn't that what SAP is for?), with no opportunity to engage the class in a discussion.
Ok, whining is over.
----------------
Now playing: Johnny Cash - Cry! Cry! Cry!
via FoxyTunes
Sep 19, 2007
Classes get rolling
"Orientation"
"Orientation" on Friday was a bit of a joke...okay, a big joke. Intended for international exchange students only - what took the better part of a day could have been compressed into a 90 minute session, and the campus tour was in the pouring rain (and I mentioned a few posts ago how HUGE the campus is). On the plus side, it was great to meet some of the other exchange students
The orientation closing ceremony on Saturday was for all programs
(iMBA 1st years, Chinese MBA 1st years, part-time MBAs, eMBAs, and exchange students). The first part of the ceremony was a bit of a snooze-fest, and nearly all of the exchange students left after 20 mins. I decided to wait it out, kind of like a bad movie, and in this case it got much better. The latter half were performances from Tsinghua's different MBA programs and it was really entertaining! Mock fashion show, skits, dances...it's always great to see the "fun" side of MBAs, and just cutting loose.
Sunday was great. The International Student Office organized (and paid for) a day-long tour to
see some of the sights of Beijing. Probably like most tours, we started off the morning at Tian An Men Square and walked northwards into the Forbidden City. I guess it's been more than a few years (7+ years?) since I've actually been inside the Forbidden City - and I was surprised by the mobs of people inside. When I went there as a child, I don't ever remember it being that packed - but since then the combination of China being a greater international tourist destination coupled with greater mobility among Chinese is certainly apparent.
Visibility wasn't great, but it did not take away with how impressive the sheer scale of the Forbidden City is (9,000+ rooms). Also, some of the larger structures are under 2-year renovations - to be completed in advance of the Olympics next year.
The highlight of the tour was traveling by rickshaw through the narrow streets of a Hu Tong...very very cool. We had a lunch arranged in the home of a family who's family has lived in the courtyard for over 180 years. Despite being in the heart of Beijing (located north of the Forbidden City and south of the Olympic grounds), the hutong was tranquil as it lacked the hustle and honking of normal city streets.
Finally, we ended the day at the famed "Silk Street" - which is one of the top markets to bargain for knock-off clothing, suitcases, etc. [This is the kind of place that keeps North Face,
Polo, Nike, Adidas, and other international brands sweating at night...] Although I've been there countless times before, this was my first trip to it's new building. What was once
a charming open-air alley of vendors in stalls, is now an 8 story structure with a department store layout (luggage in the basement, 1st-3rd floors = clothing, 4th floor = childrens and undergarment , 5th floor = silks, restaurants on upper floors). (I didn't buy much, but instead bargained to find out what the lowest prices for things were...for a future visit.)
Classes
This is the first week of classes, and since I'm not 100% sure about all of my classes I'm attending more to figure out which ones I'll add/drop. Right now, I'm still adjusting to the 3hr 25min length of classes - so on Monday's when I have 3 classes...that's 9+ hours of classes (up to double the amount of classtime I was accustomed to during Mods 2-4 last year)!
Right now, its difficult to gauge the overall caliber of the classes since many classes have skewed more towards lecture for the 1st meeting, but I'm optimistic that most will get rolling with interactive discussions. Aside from my Culture, Ethics, & Leadership class - which I WISH would focus less on ethics and more on the other 2 topic areas...I'm pretty content with my courses overall. My operation strategy professor is rock solid, and the global leadership professor has got far more experience in the field, than teaching (which is a good thing).
Most of the iMBA electives (electives taught in English) are in Building 6 - which is one of the largest teaching buildings on-campus. (Only 3 courses are taught in the SEM buildings - which is where the full-time 1st years and eMBA have classes.) Building 6 is very modern, although the desks & chairs are a bit backdated. All desks face directly forward towards the teacher, and the chairs are stationary & bone stiff.
----------------
Now playing: Guster - Manifest Destiny
via FoxyTunes
"Orientation" on Friday was a bit of a joke...okay, a big joke. Intended for international exchange students only - what took the better part of a day could have been compressed into a 90 minute session, and the campus tour was in the pouring rain (and I mentioned a few posts ago how HUGE the campus is). On the plus side, it was great to meet some of the other exchange students
The orientation closing ceremony on Saturday was for all programs
(iMBA 1st years, Chinese MBA 1st years, part-time MBAs, eMBAs, and exchange students). The first part of the ceremony was a bit of a snooze-fest, and nearly all of the exchange students left after 20 mins. I decided to wait it out, kind of like a bad movie, and in this case it got much better. The latter half were performances from Tsinghua's different MBA programs and it was really entertaining! Mock fashion show, skits, dances...it's always great to see the "fun" side of MBAs, and just cutting loose.Sunday was great. The International Student Office organized (and paid for) a day-long tour to
see some of the sights of Beijing. Probably like most tours, we started off the morning at Tian An Men Square and walked northwards into the Forbidden City. I guess it's been more than a few years (7+ years?) since I've actually been inside the Forbidden City - and I was surprised by the mobs of people inside. When I went there as a child, I don't ever remember it being that packed - but since then the combination of China being a greater international tourist destination coupled with greater mobility among Chinese is certainly apparent.
Visibility wasn't great, but it did not take away with how impressive the sheer scale of the Forbidden City is (9,000+ rooms). Also, some of the larger structures are under 2-year renovations - to be completed in advance of the Olympics next year.
The highlight of the tour was traveling by rickshaw through the narrow streets of a Hu Tong...very very cool. We had a lunch arranged in the home of a family who's family has lived in the courtyard for over 180 years. Despite being in the heart of Beijing (located north of the Forbidden City and south of the Olympic grounds), the hutong was tranquil as it lacked the hustle and honking of normal city streets.Finally, we ended the day at the famed "Silk Street" - which is one of the top markets to bargain for knock-off clothing, suitcases, etc. [This is the kind of place that keeps North Face,
Polo, Nike, Adidas, and other international brands sweating at night...] Although I've been there countless times before, this was my first trip to it's new building. What was once
a charming open-air alley of vendors in stalls, is now an 8 story structure with a department store layout (luggage in the basement, 1st-3rd floors = clothing, 4th floor = childrens and undergarment , 5th floor = silks, restaurants on upper floors). (I didn't buy much, but instead bargained to find out what the lowest prices for things were...for a future visit.)Classes
This is the first week of classes, and since I'm not 100% sure about all of my classes I'm attending more to figure out which ones I'll add/drop. Right now, I'm still adjusting to the 3hr 25min length of classes - so on Monday's when I have 3 classes...that's 9+ hours of classes (up to double the amount of classtime I was accustomed to during Mods 2-4 last year)!
Right now, its difficult to gauge the overall caliber of the classes since many classes have skewed more towards lecture for the 1st meeting, but I'm optimistic that most will get rolling with interactive discussions. Aside from my Culture, Ethics, & Leadership class - which I WISH would focus less on ethics and more on the other 2 topic areas...I'm pretty content with my courses overall. My operation strategy professor is rock solid, and the global leadership professor has got far more experience in the field, than teaching (which is a good thing).
Most of the iMBA electives (electives taught in English) are in Building 6 - which is one of the largest teaching buildings on-campus. (Only 3 courses are taught in the SEM buildings - which is where the full-time 1st years and eMBA have classes.) Building 6 is very modern, although the desks & chairs are a bit backdated. All desks face directly forward towards the teacher, and the chairs are stationary & bone stiff.
----------------
Now playing: Guster - Manifest Destiny
via FoxyTunes
Sep 13, 2007
Out and about
Where can one get things an 18 month old would need?...I went to a nearby Carrefour to do some reconnaissance for when my family comes to Beijing in November. (yes there are multiple Carrefour locations in Beijing, 8 to be exact!) Not far from campus is an ENORMOUS shopping center, where Carrefour is the anchor store.At first I had trouble finding it b/c I was expecting a huge building, like one I saw in Brazil. (Think a store as noticeable as an IKEA...and yes, there are 4 IKEA locations in China.) But it turns out it was all an underground mall.
After looking around for 30 mins and picking up a few things I was thinking that the store was
pretty small...until I found out there was a 2nd floor. Upstairs was all food, personal hygiene, and especially what I was looking for (and don't laugh)...Pampers! So yeah, I found those...and at 1/2 price they are back in the U.S.So after browsing and shopping there, some of the things I saw in-store were definitely questionable, like land-o-lakes cheddar cheese, premium (western) liquor, and of course children's toys made in China. As a slight tangent, some of you may recall that I interviewed at Hasbro earlier in the Spring...well, on the shelves I found Play-Doh and the packaging was in English, same as back home. (Now, I'm going to assume Play Doh doesn't have a fraction of the cult status as it does in the US...) Personally, I wonder what the value of paying for the shelf space is if the packaging isn't localized? If in the late 1980's chewing gum was hardly found in China b/c Chinese were afraid it would present a serious choking hazard, what do they think a big glob of doh would do? But I digress...
Housing update!!
I'm no longer in the shared room housing situation...BIG relief. On Sunday, I moved into a
single room w/ private bath. As you can tell from the photos, 
it's a little smaller, but the luxury of having a private room is immeasurable!Considering that it costs $10/day, a single room (if you can get one) is a good deal. There are attendants on each floor, who tidy up the room every day -
not a bad deal at all! 
Plus, I got a room on a higher floor so its further away from street noise.Personal Banking
In hindsight, I probably should have forgone a few travelers' checks altogether and gone for ATM withdrawals. BUT, I needed to pay for all my housing in lump-sum up front and couldn't bear the thought of ATM fees ending up in Bank of America's coffers. Anyway, branch banking in China can literally take up to a 1/2 day!! Grab a number, and wait your turn...simple enough. I've gone twice (and I'm ALL done now!), and wait times were 2 hours and 2.5 hours...and I consider myself lucky. Both times I've taken a number, gotten something to eat, gone for a walk, and still had 45 mins to wait around and read. UNBELIEVABLE!!
MBA Fair in Beijing
On Tuesday night, I went to help represent Babson at The MBA Fair in Beijing - along with someone from the admissions office and a local alum. Some 57 business schools from around the world (including Stern, Thunderbird, HEC, ESADE, Georgetown, Fuqua, etc) were part of this Asian city roadshow.
Hard to believe that 2 years ago was when I was working on b-school applications, worrying about GMAT, and attending MBA fairs myself...many people at the fair were aware of Babson's reputation in entrepreneurship, although I guess there's just a stock list of questions people ask of all business schools "what differentiates your program from others?", "How many Chinese students are in my class", etc.
It was hosted at a 5-star hotel in the city center, and I was happy to help out - except for the fact that it took me 1 hr 40 mins to get from campus to the hotel via taxi for 18 km!! Ugh. That's one lesson (and adventure) I learned the hard way...when NOT (and where not) to travel during rush hour. I wasn't feeling so well all day, and as soon as the taxi pulled up to the hotel, I had to dash for the restroom...my stomach gave out on me.
Recovering...
I'm starting to feel infinitely better compared to the last day and a half. After Tuesday night, I woke up with chills, sweats, headache (you name it). I typical "guy" fashion I figured sleeping, eating well, and drinking lots of fluids would be enough...but this morning, same thing. So now I'm drugged up on some Japanese, Korean, and US medicine and feeling a thousand times better. Good thing too, since orientation starts tomorrow!
Sep 10, 2007
BTW - Student marches on campus...
My second year "buddy" at Tsinghua (to help get me settled, and to help answer questions..) enlightened me to what's going on with the marching around on campus! All freshmen students in China - at all universities - have to partake in these exercises for a few weeks before the start of the school year.
Apparently this used to be done a while back, without much intensity...but post-Tiananmen in 1989, these efforts have been renewed with extra vigor! (Take a peek for yourself!)
I've got a couple of thoughts about this phenomenon...and am exercising my right of silence (remember where I'm bloggin' from...)
Apparently this used to be done a while back, without much intensity...but post-Tiananmen in 1989, these efforts have been renewed with extra vigor! (Take a peek for yourself!)
I've got a couple of thoughts about this phenomenon...and am exercising my right of silence (remember where I'm bloggin' from...)
Priceless!
Mastercard should doing all of it's commercials here in China...allow me to share my recent experience in Beijing:
Everytime I go overseas, I'm reminded by how junky the cell phones in the U.S. are. Personally, I would rather have the most advanced cell phones (w/ zero subsidies/contract obligations from service providers) - and front the $300-$1000 for a new phone (depending on how fancy ppl want to get). Oh well, I opted for a new & junky Chinese-branded cell phone that cost about 260 yuan (about $35 US) - which was less than some of the prices for second hand phones. It's about as basic as a phone could be (but at least I can make/receive calls and SMS).
What do bikes and cell phones have in common in China? Well from my perspective, they are the most basic elements that reflect how the country is changing: personalization and expression of individuality illustrated every day. Gone are the days of the old Flying Pigeon - a black, one-geared, plain bicycle that everyone used to own in China. Now, bikes come in all colors, some multi-geared, some small wheeled, some that are motorized (with pedals to get you started at traffic lights and in slow traffic). And cell phones...nearly every other TV commercial (and every other product on the equivalent of Home Shopping Network) is for cell phones...
So last night was my first night out in Beijing...went to the Beijing Pop Festival and got to see Marky Ramone
and
Nine Inch Nails.
IT WAS AMAZING!!! 
Take the biggest park in Beijing (excl. the sites set aside for the Olympic Stadiums and parks), and hold a 2-day international music festival there! (That's like bringing Lollapalooza to Central Park!) Back in the States, these 2 bands would draw a very eclectic crowd...and in Beijing it was the same too.
Not only did it bring out a ton of foreigners (some on the travel circuit, some studying, etc) - but also droves of young Chinese. Talk about individuality...it was just fascinating to witness the confluence of Rock/Punk/Pop music + Chinese culture. (Think crowd surfing, moshing, and dreaded/long haired/frizzled hair styles. Not everyone, but more than you'd expect.)
Honestly, it was hard to believe that I was in China...what reminded you that Big Brother wants to keep an eye on things were the military personal on-hand to make sure things didn't get overly rowdy...In this photo,
guards held hands to create a human wall to prevent too many people from getting close to the stage. After all, this 2-day festival was one of the largest music festivals in Asia. (Public Enemy, Brett Anderson - of Suede played the night before. Imagine that, Chuck D & Flavah Flav rockin' the mic in Beijing...) Oh and Mando Diao, from Sweden, nearly brought the 2nd stage to the ground - they are amazing in concert!!
Anyway, rockin' out to "I wanna be sedated" and Trent Reznor screaming his heart out in "Head like a Hole", "Wish", and "Closer"...PRICELESS.
[photo with Astrid (Norway), Eira (Finland), and Rob (UK)]
- Walk to marketplace: 20 minutes
- One new Chinese bicycle (w/ accessories): 180 yuan
- Flat tire after riding new bicycle once...PRICELESS!
Everytime I go overseas, I'm reminded by how junky the cell phones in the U.S. are. Personally, I would rather have the most advanced cell phones (w/ zero subsidies/contract obligations from service providers) - and front the $300-$1000 for a new phone (depending on how fancy ppl want to get). Oh well, I opted for a new & junky Chinese-branded cell phone that cost about 260 yuan (about $35 US) - which was less than some of the prices for second hand phones. It's about as basic as a phone could be (but at least I can make/receive calls and SMS).
What do bikes and cell phones have in common in China? Well from my perspective, they are the most basic elements that reflect how the country is changing: personalization and expression of individuality illustrated every day. Gone are the days of the old Flying Pigeon - a black, one-geared, plain bicycle that everyone used to own in China. Now, bikes come in all colors, some multi-geared, some small wheeled, some that are motorized (with pedals to get you started at traffic lights and in slow traffic). And cell phones...nearly every other TV commercial (and every other product on the equivalent of Home Shopping Network) is for cell phones...
So last night was my first night out in Beijing...went to the Beijing Pop Festival and got to see Marky Ramone
andNine Inch Nails.
IT WAS AMAZING!!! 
Take the biggest park in Beijing (excl. the sites set aside for the Olympic Stadiums and parks), and hold a 2-day international music festival there! (That's like bringing Lollapalooza to Central Park!) Back in the States, these 2 bands would draw a very eclectic crowd...and in Beijing it was the same too.Not only did it bring out a ton of foreigners (some on the travel circuit, some studying, etc) - but also droves of young Chinese. Talk about individuality...it was just fascinating to witness the confluence of Rock/Punk/Pop music + Chinese culture. (Think crowd surfing, moshing, and dreaded/long haired/frizzled hair styles. Not everyone, but more than you'd expect.)
Honestly, it was hard to believe that I was in China...what reminded you that Big Brother wants to keep an eye on things were the military personal on-hand to make sure things didn't get overly rowdy...In this photo,
guards held hands to create a human wall to prevent too many people from getting close to the stage. After all, this 2-day festival was one of the largest music festivals in Asia. (Public Enemy, Brett Anderson - of Suede played the night before. Imagine that, Chuck D & Flavah Flav rockin' the mic in Beijing...) Oh and Mando Diao, from Sweden, nearly brought the 2nd stage to the ground - they are amazing in concert!!Anyway, rockin' out to "I wanna be sedated" and Trent Reznor screaming his heart out in "Head like a Hole", "Wish", and "Closer"...PRICELESS.
[photo with Astrid (Norway), Eira (Finland), and Rob (UK)]
Sep 8, 2007
Day 1...Getting settled
Housing
I guess since I breezed over what my housing is like - I'll share what my current place is like and also some details about the campus. Since I got in rather late from the airport the night I arrived, the only rooms available in the dormitories for foreign students was a double room with shared bathroom for the floor. (Yes...for the time being, I feel like I'm an undergrad all over again!)
My roommate probably won't return until just before classes begin, although a lot of his stuff is still in the room. This works out for me b/c it's like I have my own room for the time being...f
urnished w/ a TV, internet, and a fridge (my roommate's). There's a separate communal room each for showers, sinks, toilets - all of which are cleaned daily (as are everyone's rooms). Clean-yes, with a sterile feel to the elevators, hallways, etc. So in a sense, it's like a hotel-dorm that's very modern both inside and out. (The photos shows a row of buildings that are foreign dorms. Exterior has steel metal borders on the sides for a post-modern look.)
Anyway... I'm hoping to move into one of the rarer single bedroom (private bath) rooms, and I have to call every morning to see if there's one that opens up. There are also 1 bedrooms that share a bath b/wn 2 rooms...and at this point, I'm just itchin' to get my own space so I can unpack!
Tsinghua Campus
The campus itself is ENORMOUS! I spent most of Friday squaring away administrative stuff, and then walking around campus to get myself oriented. Seriously, it could take up to 40 mins to walk from the Northeast Gate to the South Gate at a normal pace!
The atheletic fields for pick-up games are just footsteps from the dorms, and they are in immaculate shape. Basketball, soccer, tennis, and of course...badminton. The dorms on the North part of campus (which is where I am) are definitely pretty recent, as it's easy to tell them from the older (and decades old!) dorms...A/C was an after thought so the units are visible from outside...and paint/concrete is worn out on the exterior...
About 2 times a day, troops of students, some form of reserve service,
march throughout parts of campus - with occasional chats of "1-2-3-4" (in Chinese of course). While in procession, a marching tune is belted out from a PA system (which didn't sound like the Chinese National Anthem to me...)
The first time I heard it I had no idea what was going on...b/c from a distance all you can hear is a unison call-response chat, that you can't discern the words - but you know its a sizable crowd!
There are several wide streets on campus (as pictured here) that are closed off to automobiles,
so pedestrians and bicycles can travel with ease. Lined from end-to-end with tall trees, it is very tranquil and refreshing to walk along the roads. Compared to the alertness one needs to exert to deal with the bustle of honking of horns and bad drivers on normal streets - it's definitely less hectic once inside the gate of the University.
Most buildings have small placards by the side of the main entrance, so it is difficult to see from afar where you're headed...guess it just
comes over time.
Tsinghua is world-ren
own for its strength in the sciences (in the same league as MIT...), and one can definitely get that sense from walking around the bu
ildings.
Here are a few shots of: 1) Institute of Nuclear Energy Technology, 2 shots of the newly constructed Nanotechnology building.
Logistics for the Olympic Games
I learned (or was reminded of) a couple of things about Beijing's preparations for the upcoming summer games that will start on 08-08-08:
I guess since I breezed over what my housing is like - I'll share what my current place is like and also some details about the campus. Since I got in rather late from the airport the night I arrived, the only rooms available in the dormitories for foreign students was a double room with shared bathroom for the floor. (Yes...for the time being, I feel like I'm an undergrad all over again!)
My roommate probably won't return until just before classes begin, although a lot of his stuff is still in the room. This works out for me b/c it's like I have my own room for the time being...f
urnished w/ a TV, internet, and a fridge (my roommate's). There's a separate communal room each for showers, sinks, toilets - all of which are cleaned daily (as are everyone's rooms). Clean-yes, with a sterile feel to the elevators, hallways, etc. So in a sense, it's like a hotel-dorm that's very modern both inside and out. (The photos shows a row of buildings that are foreign dorms. Exterior has steel metal borders on the sides for a post-modern look.)Anyway... I'm hoping to move into one of the rarer single bedroom (private bath) rooms, and I have to call every morning to see if there's one that opens up. There are also 1 bedrooms that share a bath b/wn 2 rooms...and at this point, I'm just itchin' to get my own space so I can unpack!
Tsinghua Campus
The campus itself is ENORMOUS! I spent most of Friday squaring away administrative stuff, and then walking around campus to get myself oriented. Seriously, it could take up to 40 mins to walk from the Northeast Gate to the South Gate at a normal pace!
The atheletic fields for pick-up games are just footsteps from the dorms, and they are in immaculate shape. Basketball, soccer, tennis, and of course...badminton. The dorms on the North part of campus (which is where I am) are definitely pretty recent, as it's easy to tell them from the older (and decades old!) dorms...A/C was an after thought so the units are visible from outside...and paint/concrete is worn out on the exterior...About 2 times a day, troops of students, some form of reserve service,
march throughout parts of campus - with occasional chats of "1-2-3-4" (in Chinese of course). While in procession, a marching tune is belted out from a PA system (which didn't sound like the Chinese National Anthem to me...)The first time I heard it I had no idea what was going on...b/c from a distance all you can hear is a unison call-response chat, that you can't discern the words - but you know its a sizable crowd!
There are several wide streets on campus (as pictured here) that are closed off to automobiles,
so pedestrians and bicycles can travel with ease. Lined from end-to-end with tall trees, it is very tranquil and refreshing to walk along the roads. Compared to the alertness one needs to exert to deal with the bustle of honking of horns and bad drivers on normal streets - it's definitely less hectic once inside the gate of the University.Most buildings have small placards by the side of the main entrance, so it is difficult to see from afar where you're headed...guess it just
comes over time.Tsinghua is world-ren
own for its strength in the sciences (in the same league as MIT...), and one can definitely get that sense from walking around the bu
ildings.Here are a few shots of: 1) Institute of Nuclear Energy Technology, 2 shots of the newly constructed Nanotechnology building.
Logistics for the Olympic Games
I learned (or was reminded of) a couple of things about Beijing's preparations for the upcoming summer games that will start on 08-08-08:
- There is actually an official department called the "Beijing Weather Manipulation Office"! Nothing like trying to grab Mother Nature by the cajones and altering the weather to the way you'd like it! (I had heard about it earlier this summer when I was back in the US...but I hadn't believed it until now...)
- The indoor pool at Tsinghua (one of the most modern facilities on-campus) is closed this year to students for Olympic training.
- Similar to other Olympic Games...Beijing will put restrictions on when you can drive your car on the road* based on whether the last digit of you license plate is odd or even.
- FACT: More than 1,000 new cars are registered in Beijing, with more than 3 million on the road* now!
Sep 6, 2007
Now this get's interesting!...tech hurdles on the mainland
Was going to make this a short post, or forgo it altogether, but then I had trouble even accessing my page. Turns out Blogspot is blocked in China (among numerous other sites, like the beloved Wikipedia...).
So even though I'm literally running on fumes right now, I've spent the last hour researching what is "ok" vs. what is unlawful to do on the web in China...and I'll be amazed if this current post actually gets loaded up.
Honestly, when I started postings I was worried that my biggest constraint would be free time...but first hurdle was being able to post/access the blog at all to keep it current. Now that I've hopped China's fence on restriction on free speech...um, scratch that. (How about I celebrate after I get back and have successfully been able to maintain access throughout my semester here.) Props to my sister who helped me with the current workaround...
---------------------
To sum up my trip over here...it was a LOOOOOOONG day of travel. From leaving in the morning from Philly to the moment I dropped my bags in the dorm room at Tsinghua - 25.5 hours on 4 hours of sleep. On that note...time to get some shut-eye, and hopefully I'll be able to sleep straight through until Saturday. :)
BTW - here's one example of the volatile blog-situation in PRC.
So even though I'm literally running on fumes right now, I've spent the last hour researching what is "ok" vs. what is unlawful to do on the web in China...and I'll be amazed if this current post actually gets loaded up.
Honestly, when I started postings I was worried that my biggest constraint would be free time...but first hurdle was being able to post/access the blog at all to keep it current. Now that I've hopped China's fence on restriction on free speech...um, scratch that. (How about I celebrate after I get back and have successfully been able to maintain access throughout my semester here.) Props to my sister who helped me with the current workaround...
---------------------
To sum up my trip over here...it was a LOOOOOOONG day of travel. From leaving in the morning from Philly to the moment I dropped my bags in the dorm room at Tsinghua - 25.5 hours on 4 hours of sleep. On that note...time to get some shut-eye, and hopefully I'll be able to sleep straight through until Saturday. :)
BTW - here's one example of the volatile blog-situation in PRC.
Sep 5, 2007
Next stop...Beijing...and a stiff drink!
Why is it that when you keep looking at the clock and want time to speed up each minute seems like an hour? I swear that sometimes the minutes go backwards...3:40 pm --> 3:39 pm --> etc... My "ride" to JFK got me here super early (read: shuttle service), and I'm just chomping at the bit to board this Boeing 7-turkey-7.
But...i picked up a nice little treat to look forward to once I get settled in the dormitory in Beijing about 16 hours from right now. Nothing like a nip (or two) of single malt scotch to help battle jet-lag, and assure a good night's sleep. (What would the world be without Duty-Free shops?!) Plus - a little luxury during some foreseeable all-nighters will provide some creature comforts of home. :)
Haven't been to Beijing since Oct 2004, so I'm looking forward to seeing how the city has evolved and all the preparations being made for the Olympics next year. (I recall from a trip in Sept 2001 how Beijing was given a pseudo makeover for a visit from the International Olympics Committee - when it was deciding who would host the 2008 games. Grass was spray painted green, and traffic was reduced on the major routes the IOC entourage was escorted through.)
Anyway, it's always great to return to the capital city to see how it expands and changes. Things have DEFINITELY come a long way since I was first there in 1985...when "bread truck" taxis were outnumbered by bicycles, the Friendship Store was the only place to get real Western food and creature comforts, and swarms of bicycles would require "break truck" taxi drivers to skillfully avoid hitting cyclists.
Ah...time to board...next stop: Beijing (soon followed by a stiff drink)
But...i picked up a nice little treat to look forward to once I get settled in the dormitory in Beijing about 16 hours from right now. Nothing like a nip (or two) of single malt scotch to help battle jet-lag, and assure a good night's sleep. (What would the world be without Duty-Free shops?!) Plus - a little luxury during some foreseeable all-nighters will provide some creature comforts of home. :)
Haven't been to Beijing since Oct 2004, so I'm looking forward to seeing how the city has evolved and all the preparations being made for the Olympics next year. (I recall from a trip in Sept 2001 how Beijing was given a pseudo makeover for a visit from the International Olympics Committee - when it was deciding who would host the 2008 games. Grass was spray painted green, and traffic was reduced on the major routes the IOC entourage was escorted through.)
Anyway, it's always great to return to the capital city to see how it expands and changes. Things have DEFINITELY come a long way since I was first there in 1985...when "bread truck" taxis were outnumbered by bicycles, the Friendship Store was the only place to get real Western food and creature comforts, and swarms of bicycles would require "break truck" taxi drivers to skillfully avoid hitting cyclists.
Ah...time to board...next stop: Beijing (soon followed by a stiff drink)
Looking for every last thing that can keep me up late tonight. Have a long day of travel to the airport tomorrow...and that's even before getting on the plane for the always non-eventful 13.5 hour flight. Might as well start throwing off my circadian rhythm a little early...(Besides, Nadal & Ferrer are still duking it out for the bragging rights among Spaniards at the US Open!)
It's been a great LONG weekend in Philly - with a lot of quality moments with Kyla & Ella, not
caring about the time-of-day, or day of the week. Although 
Ella's still a little peanut (weighing in at under 21 lbs!), its not because she never eats. Like all kids, she digs ice cream/pizza/hot dogs...and she also likes to spice things up, literally! We went out for sushi tonight, and Ella kept pointing at the wasabi!! (I think it's because it resembles a mini scoop of mint choco chip...)
Yup. Today was an awesome final day before heading-off. The Philly Zoo was magical...with thinned crowds since it's a weekday (officially during the school year), and the weather was ideal. I am "ready" and looking forward to being in Beijing - although the toughest part of the semester will undoubtedly be the time away from my family.
It's been a great LONG weekend in Philly - with a lot of quality moments with Kyla & Ella, not
caring about the time-of-day, or day of the week. Although 
Ella's still a little peanut (weighing in at under 21 lbs!), its not because she never eats. Like all kids, she digs ice cream/pizza/hot dogs...and she also likes to spice things up, literally! We went out for sushi tonight, and Ella kept pointing at the wasabi!! (I think it's because it resembles a mini scoop of mint choco chip...)Yup. Today was an awesome final day before heading-off. The Philly Zoo was magical...with thinned crowds since it's a weekday (officially during the school year), and the weather was ideal. I am "ready" and looking forward to being in Beijing - although the toughest part of the semester will undoubtedly be the time away from my family.
Sep 2, 2007
The countdown to Beijing...
3...2...1... Only a handful of days remain before I am on a plane and off to study a semester abroad at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Given that this is something I've set my sights on from the instant I even considered applying to Babson - I'm still in disbelief that the time is drawing near. Shouldn't I be more pumped-up and excited to be off on a new adventure? In due time...
The 1st year at Babson was a thrill of a ride. So much so, that I didn't even know how to wind-down and focus on my summer internship when it first started. Having survived the 4 Modules, my wife suggested I consider my internship like "Mod V" - and to just go after it. Well, with that now completed I SHOULD be ready and focused on my 4 months in Beijing - but it still hasn't really sunk in yet. I'm sure once the plane pulls away from the gates at JFK it will finally register for me. Should I just pretend like this is Mod VI?...
I've got a ton of a questions about my semester abroad, although I wouldn't necessarily chalk them up to anxiety - perhaps more to curiosity. Ultimately, I know it's going to be an amazing experience and I wonder: how will the quality of classes compare with those at Babson? Will students there focus more on grades, and less on the "MBA experience"? How much time will I really have to take advantage of opportunities outside the classroom/curriculum?...
Again, these questions (and more) will all be answered in due time. Until then, I'm just enjoying the much needed downtime with my family - while sneaking in a few matches of the US Open in HD. Also, I vegged-out to a re-run episode of CNBC's Fast Money MBA Challenge. I learned that students from a top MBA program in NH have never heard of Steve Wynn - famous for developing casinos like the Bellagio, Treasure Island, etc; and students from two other top MBA programs can't identify the "hello" TV ad campaign with the iPhone, and don't know that Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, WA. Guess that FedEx commercial may be dead-on after all. :)
Guess if my mind is relaxed enough to watch this poor-man's MBA version of The Family Feud...then I'm more ready for the upcoming semester than I thought.
3...2...1... Ready for takeoff.
The 1st year at Babson was a thrill of a ride. So much so, that I didn't even know how to wind-down and focus on my summer internship when it first started. Having survived the 4 Modules, my wife suggested I consider my internship like "Mod V" - and to just go after it. Well, with that now completed I SHOULD be ready and focused on my 4 months in Beijing - but it still hasn't really sunk in yet. I'm sure once the plane pulls away from the gates at JFK it will finally register for me. Should I just pretend like this is Mod VI?...
I've got a ton of a questions about my semester abroad, although I wouldn't necessarily chalk them up to anxiety - perhaps more to curiosity. Ultimately, I know it's going to be an amazing experience and I wonder: how will the quality of classes compare with those at Babson? Will students there focus more on grades, and less on the "MBA experience"? How much time will I really have to take advantage of opportunities outside the classroom/curriculum?...
Again, these questions (and more) will all be answered in due time. Until then, I'm just enjoying the much needed downtime with my family - while sneaking in a few matches of the US Open in HD. Also, I vegged-out to a re-run episode of CNBC's Fast Money MBA Challenge. I learned that students from a top MBA program in NH have never heard of Steve Wynn - famous for developing casinos like the Bellagio, Treasure Island, etc; and students from two other top MBA programs can't identify the "hello" TV ad campaign with the iPhone, and don't know that Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, WA. Guess that FedEx commercial may be dead-on after all. :)
Guess if my mind is relaxed enough to watch this poor-man's MBA version of The Family Feud...then I'm more ready for the upcoming semester than I thought.
3...2...1... Ready for takeoff.
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