Hey again… I’m almost at the end of my trip and I am in disbelief that it is so close to being over. These last two weeks in Hangzhou have been a lot of fun and I’m glad that I had the chance to see a different perspective of China aside from Beijing. During my time in Hangzhou, I have spent time with the student ambassadors, toured many parts of the city, and went on many study visits to various energy plants. My favorite was the Jiande Hydroelectric Plant. It was built in the 1950’s and was a major engineering feat, which I find absolutely incredible. We were able to stand on top of the dam and look out from both sides. A cool fact that I learned is that the reservoir side is called Thousand Island Lake because the water level is so high that only the mountain tops show, creating islands.
Jiande Hydroelectric Plant
We also got the chance to test our skills at some different forms of Chinese art. We practiced the art of tea making, paper cutting, dough sculpture, and dumpling making. I am certainly no artist, but it was a lot of fun to learn about these traditions and to try them myself. I am hoping that I can actually use what I learned in our dumpling making class to go home and try to make dumplings for my family.
Tonight, we have our closing ceremonies for our time in Hangzhou which is bittersweet because I’m going to miss the ambassadors as well as this beautiful city. However, I am excited to go on our next adventure which is to Shanghai for two days. Then, I am on my way home to the US! This has been the trip of a lifetime but I am certainly ready to see my family again and sleep in my own bed. My next blog post will be my last one and I am looking forward to reflecting on my entire trip in China. Stay tuned!