Doing business at SEU

by Matt Dela Peña

BA-355: Doing Business in China was more a spontaneous endeavor for me than a well-thought-out decision. The moment I heard that there was going to be a contingent of students from my school going to China over the summer, I needed to be a part of it. Ultimately, I managed to convince my parents that this trip was highly pivotal for my major, and I was able to go.^^ So here's a broad description of what we did.

La Gringa Goes Far from Home

by Devan Bey

Heading out of Oregon, feelin' sentimental.

Ecuador is so far away. I'm realizing that every moment as I wait for a speaker to invite me onto an airplane that will take me out of my country and even further out of my comfort zone. If it seems like I'm being dramatic... well I might be. As a first time international traveler, I don't know exactly how to feel. It's a strange feeling to crave the past while waiting impatiently for the future. Yup, I'm floating in a jar of what they call "mixed emotions," not sure if I'm up or down, about to faint or dance.

After an emotionally intense goodbye to my mom and boyfriend, I'm still a little dazed. The good news is that I'm about to undertake the biggest adventure of my life. In many ways, this trip is a personal test. As an aspiring anthropologist, it is an opportunity to grow close to people, ways of life, ideas, and places that have never crossed my mind. How could I not benefit from visiting somewhere new? What do I stand to lose? Even if I get robbed or lost in a jungle, I'm going to come out of that situation with a brand new perspective and a whole lot of stories to tell when I get home. Maybe I'll even find a second home, or a third.

南京路 photolog

by Matt Dela Peña

南京路, or Nanjing Road, is Shanghai's busiest shopping area. Adorned with European colonial architecture and LED lights, it's a shop-a-holic's paradise.

American tourists in Shanghai

by Matt Dela Peña

Stop #1: Jade Buddha Temple (No, that's not the Jade Buddha)

Our second day in Shanghai consisted of a lot of sightseeing. After starting the day with the most underwhelming "breakfast buffet" ever served, we made our way down to the lobby to meet our tour guide of the day, Sophie Lee.

Now, we've met a pretty monotonous set of local tour guides throughout the course of our trip. Sophie, however, wasn't the typical one we've come to know from our frequent outings. For one, she had an eccentric personality; two, she didn't demonstrate a particular liking to her job. More on that later.