I can’t believe in one week I will be on my way back home to Chicago! The second half of this program has certainly flown by quickly.
My last full weekend in China was certainly eventful. On Saturday, I met up with my aunt who had been visiting from New York. Together we went to the small town of Pingu, about a two-hour drive from Beijing. We went because we had heard of a giant glass platform that stuck out of the mountains at Shilinxia resort and we were dying to go there. We took a cable car and hiked a bit to get the glass platform, and the view was unbelievable. My aunt was terrified, but I had a great time.
The next day some of us decided to take a day trip to the city of Tianjin. Tianjin is about a thirty-minute train ride from Beijing and features some interesting European architecture, a beautiful river walk, and a Spanish cathedral. We woke up around 6 am to catch the bullet train and spent the full day exploring the city. I’m so glad we got the chance to have one final excursion outside of Beijing before we left.
Since this is the last week of the program, I have been pretty busy with exams and essays for my classes. I am also trying to plan gifts and souvenirs to buy for friends at home while soaking in as much of Beijing as I can before I leave this Sunday. I will admit at times it seemed like these eight weeks would stretch on forever, but looking back it is all a blur. I am so grateful for all the amazing memories and great friends I have made on this trip, but I am also looking forward to finally getting back home!
