1. During the last month, what is ONE significant challenge you have SUCCESSFULLY faced or resolved? In your 1+ paragraph response: a. Describe the challenge. b. Discuss what you have learned from this experience. c. Reflect on how this experience might help you in the future.

The challenge I have faced over this whole summer trip is communication, in this last month though I believe I have successfully been able to travel around without any help. I have learned how to speak to travel agencies and let them get me to the right place and enough words so I do not get lost on the way. Also, I have learned tricks to getting around such as translating things on google and writing it down, writing it on my phone, taking pictures of places, putting pictures on my camera from the internet or asking someone for help. The skills I have learned will enable me to understand the words I will need to learn in other languages if I want to travel around in another country and it has given me the confidence to do so.

2. During the last month, what is ONE challenge you have NOT been able to resolve? In your 1+ paragraph response: a. Describe the challenge. b. Discuss what you have learned, or not learned, from this challenge. c. Reflect on how you will deal with this type of challenge in the future.

Setting up meeting has been one of my biggest challenges in China. It seems that people are so busy and can not take time out to sit and talk over plans or developments in projects. I have tried e-mail and texting, but it seems as though I am either not forceful enough or I am not getting my point across. It seems as though I am missing part of how to get in touch with the people here. I have learned though that some meeting can be avoided if you research long enough, and I have found many different sources to solve my problems. Along with this I have learned that if they tell you about some activity that they want you to be apart of, you must make the effort to find out where it is, what time it is, or any details. If they don’t have those details, you must keep asking until you find out, because you will not be kept up to date. I will try and be a little more forceful with my e-mails or text and more frequent when I really do need a meeting to ask questions about directions we want to go with projects, and I will try and re-evaluate any meetings that may be on the less important side.

3. During the past 2-3 weeks, what is one trait/practice/behavior/way of life that you have observed in China that is most different from your native culture/background? In your 1+ paragraph response: a. Describe the trait/practice/behavior/way of life. b. Discuss similarities/differences compared to your own culture/background. c. Reflect on how you reacted to this trait/practice/behavior/way of life.

Grouping into lines and rushing through sights. Practically every trip I have been on there are people queuing in lines and I do not understand this way of life. In America, everyone despises lines and tries to avoid them at all cost. It seems even at outdoors type places people will still rush through things and not try and enjoy the scenery. Once they are in the line, they try and almost push their way through. Any little crack or crevice that is open they will try and squeeze through it. It is really hard to try and have a system of people ordeal go through a line. Honestly, this has effected me in a negative way, because I have had to try and block people out from trying to pass me. It is a sad thing that I have to stand in line with my shoulders pushed out as far as possible and make sure there is no distance between me and the person ahead of me. And it seems to happen way to often, at the Expo, at the Subway, at the bus station, at the train station, at the entrance gates, basically anywhere there could possible be a slight backup.

4. Identify and describe one specific goal for personal and/or professional development that is related to your IREE experience and would be pursued after your return from China (e.g. during Fall 2010 and beyond).

When I return home, I have a goal to learn Chinese. I have really enjoyed my time here and just wish that I could have spoken to more people to hear what they have to say. It is sad to be a minority, and to not have the capability to talk to the person next to you. They also seem to genuinely interested in foreigners, because whenever I have been with someone who speaks the language well enough, the people will talk for so long and ask so many questions. I feel like I missed out on a big part of China, but I do believe that China is a country of the future and I will be back. It will be a very valuable skill to have, because it is still developing and their is going to be such a tremendous amount of opportunity here and it would be a mistake not to be in on the action.