Kati's Adventures

The Rest of Rio - On to Sao Paulo

2011-06-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

The rest of Rio was quite glorious. We had wonderful visits with O Globo and Petrobras. We went to the O Globo printing facility. It was amazing to see the process a newspaper takes to become a newspaper. Petrobras is one of the leading oil companies in Brazil and in the world.

We finally found a semi-affordable laundry. Hooray! After picking it up we found the thing that I have been waiting for. Besides the sandy beach and amazing views, the thing I remember most about Rio from 4 years ago was...stuffed churros! The stand cooks the churros and then the vendor fills them with chocolate or dulche de leche. Can you spell yummy? So good!

After a morning at the Corcovado and the beach, many of us then went to a Samba Club called Rio Scenarium Saturday night. What an experience. It was a club filled with movie props and eclectic furniture. The music was fabulous and it was a great opportunity to have fun together.

Sunday morning was so nice to catch up on some much needed sleep and then one more walk on the beach.

Our flight to Sao Paulo was short and sweet. I love domestic airports...much less hectic and crowded. Sao Paulo is a crazy busy city. There are skyscrapers and cars everywhere! The next few days are filled with amazing visits! Love it!

Rainy Rio

2011-06-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

So we have arrived in Rio but it has been a rainy start. We had an early morning start at PUC-Rio. The private Catholic University here in Rio. After a wonderful lunch with the faculty and the Dean, we went up to Sugarloaf. Altough it was foggy, windy and begain to rain a bit, it was breathtaking. I promise pictures will come :)

After we returned to the Hotel the rain came down in sheets. Hopefully it will clear up over the weekend in time for our opportunity to enjoy the beach right outside our windows.

It was another "just keep swimming" day. But I know I am being refined by the challenges and rewarded with the joys.

Chilly Chile

2011-06-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

It has been a wonderful 6 days in Chile. I will have to wait to post pictures until we get to a hotel with a little faster internet access.

We were hosted by Univdersidad Catolica in Vina del Mar and Valparaiso. On Friday we took a bus to Quillota to the Agricultural College. Universities in Chile are different than how most American Universities are structured. They do not have a central campus. Each college (business, agriculture, art etc) are located in different locations around the 2 cities.

A bit of a curve ball happened when our amazing hosts told us that the students had gone on strike and they had taken over the central offices and other buildings. It was very interensting because they did not seem like this was too nerve racking or out of the ordinary. I guess it is because they are used to this type of thing in Chile. It did put a slight kink in our plans, but we tried to take it in stride. We had a wonderful hosted lunch and the evening free.

On Saturday we were met by 3 students (who graciously did not go on strike...yet) took us on a walking tour of Valparaiso. This is always a highlight and the students were very happy to talk to the students and see the colorful city of Valparaiso.

It was fun to remember being here 4 years ago. Some things have changed, but much is exactly the same.

Most of the group went together to church on Sunday. It was fun to see the members and missionaries looks of suprise as a group of 20+ Americans walk into Sacrament Meeting. One of the students went up and bore his testimony. He served in southern Chile. It was a nice and relaxing day. The beach is rocky but beautiful. I know the students fell in love with this beautiful area. The rains came late Sunday afternoon. It was quite a down pour and made me grateful for an umbrella.

Monday we were originally going to travel to the university, but because of the strike we had the lecture in the hotel. After a lovely lunch we loaded the bus and visited CSAV shipping company. I am always so impressed by the hospitality and generosity of the companies we visit. We then travelded the hour and a half to Santiago.

Our guide informed me that the hotel we originally had booked had some issues with flooding from the rain. They had not had rain like this in over a year. Discovering leaks the hard way :) It is times like this that I am so grateful for wonderful travel agents that can fix these problems for us. We ended up in a nice hotel perfectly situated in downtown Santiago.

Paul and I took a small group of students to the offices of Banco Santander for an informal question & answer session Tuesday morning. We all walked around the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral. It was interesting to get a flashback to March and the many Cathedrals of Italy I was blessed to visit. There have been some interesting coorelations between trips. Common threads weave their way throug all the trips I have been a part of.

We traveled to Weir Minerals and had a wonderful visit and tour. This company manufactures pumps and equipment needed in the mining industry. They were kind enough to answer all the questions and served us unexpected but welcome refreshments.

There have been quite a few little bumps in the road but all-in-all we are doing well. Off to Rio tomorrow. A day of flying and changing planes is ahead. Sometimes I feel like I am herding sheep...but I feel very blessed to be learning the ropes and associating with these people.

Pictures and more stories to come! Loves from the last night in Chile!

South America At Last

2011-06-02T14:47:00.000-07:00

Finally arrived in Chile! It has been a long and stressful 5 months in preparation for this trip, but we are finally here! Vina del Mar and Valparaiso Chile are first up.

For those of you who don't know, I am the Program Coordinator for Global Enrichment at the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. I facilitate and manage the logistics for the Summer programs. Specifically the South America Program this year.

We left Logan at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. June 1, 2011. It has been a whirlwind day of travel with some unexpected bumps, but after 24 hours of travel and 14 hours in the air...overall it was a relatively smooth and successful journey.

We are all happy to be out of the airplane on on solid ground! After a much needed nap we all went out and explored a bit of the city. It is always an adventure making sure everyone can access their money, buy lunch, get bottled water etc. All the universal hurddles of group travel. We walked along the beach in Vina. It was a beautiful day.

It is definitely chilly in Chile! They are entering winter in a couple of weeks. I often wonder why I am trading my Logan summers for South American winter, but then I see a view like this and it makes it all worth it!

After cleaning 2 stores out of bottled water... we walked to the Reloj de Flores. It is a famous flower clock in Vina that was given to the city by the Swiss.

Looking forward to the beginning of the company and university visits tomorrow.

Today was great, life is good!

3 Evenings in Roma

2011-03-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

So I am super late in posting about Rome, but it was go go go and once I got back to good old US of A I got super sick!

Now that I am on the mend I am able to post about Rome. 3 days in Rome was a perfect amount of time to see the sights and enjoy the city.

Day 1 in Rome:

Friday morning was spent taking it easy in the hotel until about 11:00 am. We knew that there would be a metro strike so we were trying to coordinate the alternative forms of transportation. That morning we learned more about our friends and fellow MBA trip participants in Japan. Thankfully they were out of harms way and were all safe. They felt their building sway but no significant damage. We were concerned about their return flight, but they made it back on time. Lots to be thankful for.

Little did we know that the strike march would happen right outside our window. It was a peaceful march with flags and music. Our guide told us that this is a common occurrence in Rome.

We walked through the streets down to the Colosseum. It was an impressive sight indeed. A bit different than I expected, but still quite a sight.

We had visits to FAO and a luxury hotel. We went and saw the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. I made sure to throw a couple in the fountain. Afterwards I couldn't get the song "3 coins in a fountain" out of my head.

1 coin: You will return to Rome

2 coins: You will find love in Rome

3 coins: Doesn't mean anything according to our guide...but I still love the song.

Day 2 in Rome:

Day 2 was filled with sight seeing. We started out at the Vatican Museum. It was quite different than I expected. I was overwhelmed by all of the art and sculpture filling the museum. The rooms leading up to the Sistine Chapel were so beautiful and in some ways even more beautiful than the chapel itself. Tapestries and carvings filled the rooms. There wasn't a square inch that wasn't covered with some sort of art.

Saint Peter Holding the Keys at the Vatican:

We were told that we should be silent and not to take photographs while in the chapel. When we got in there it was a very different story. People were crammed in there like sardines. People were yelling and photography flashes were going off left and right. It was really distracting and quite disappointing that people would so blatantly disregard and disrespect the rules. It was hard to take in the beauty of the room.

Saint Peter's Basilica was exquisit and massive. The colors and lighting that day were electric. I loved seeing the beautiful stained glass window at the front dipicting the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove.

Afterwards we walked through the streets of Rome and had lunch at the Pizza Navona. We walked down to the Pantheon, Forum and the Colosseum. It was a beautiful late afternoon and the lighting was perfect for photos.

The Pantheon:

The Forum:

The Original Cesear's Palace (what's left of it):

We were all so tired, we went to bed without dinner. Thank heavens for a cozy bed and bubble bath to sooth the aching feet.

Day 3 in Rome:

Day 3 was filled with even more sight seeing. The day was rainy and cold so we took our time strolling the streets of Trastevere. We found the beautiful church Saint Maria in Trastevere. I think it was my favorite church of the whole trip. The ceilings and floors were exquisitely decorated. We got to see the end of Sunday Mass. The back wall of the church was covered with gold leafing and mosaic depictions of Christ and scenes from the gospels.

We continued to stroll through the streets and then ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe. Nothing like a bit of American culture stuck in the middle of Rome. I must admit it was one of the best burgers I have had :)

We then visited the Museo Borghese. It used to be a stately home amongst beautiful gardens. It reminded me a bit of Boston Common. The museum was beautiful. The most exquisite sculptures of the whole trip.

We headed back to the hotel to prepare for the 5 am flight home. After one more stop for pizza and beloved gelato. The sun set on this great adventure.

I am glad to be home in the states in my own bed and surrounded by my own things. I love traveling but I also love the contrasts of coming home. Home hasn't changed, but I have changed. My perspective is broadened and the view of the big wide world has been enriched.

I am so thankful to my sweet mom who was there to pick me up at 10 pm Monday night and had a warm bowl of Irish stew to welcome me home just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

Now on to preparations for South America June 2011!

Reggio Emilia and Florence

2011-03-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

Wow! So much has happened in the last few days. It has been running running running all the time. I have a lot of pictures to share. We had a wonderful visit with the students at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Dr Fadel has a collegue at the university and we had a great day talking with the students. We visited a company called MetaSystems. They create and engineer electronic products that are sold to BMW GM and other car manufacturers. We got to see the microchip production line. It is amazing how fast the technology industry moves and innovates almost daily.

We met up with the students for an aperitivo at a local cafe. This is a traditional experience in Italy. You pay for your drink and then they have finger foods and of course italian pizza available for free. We had non-alcoholic pina coladas and enjoyed their company for time.

We got in to Florence late that evening.

In the morning we had an apointment to see Michalangelo's masterpiece. The David. And a masterpiece it truly is. Pictures and recreations do not do it justice. I was captivated by the detail in the hands and the way you could see the muscle and form under the "skin". It was explained that Michalangelo carved the statue from a block of marble that was kind of discarded at a constuction site. I thought of the poem "The touch of the master's hand" and how there was that truly divine potential within that discarded and forgotten block of stone. It took a more knowing and skilled craftsman to "release" the beauty and awe inspiring masterpiece within.

Florence was breathtaking. The Duomo is so beautiful with its red and green marble. It is sad that the polution in the city causes the marble to stain. They are working on cleaning it during the off season, so most every major sight has construction and scafolding. But it is worth coming during this time to avoid all of the crowds.

We made the trek up the 400+ stairs to the top of the bell tower. It was a hike but was so worth the amazing view.

The Duomo, Baptistry and Bell Tower:

The Bell Tower...looking a bit ominous:

I made it to the top! (I kept telling myself it was not as hard as the Great Wall of China:))

So worth the view!

After stopping for a much deserved gelato, we hit the market for some shopping. I have never seen so much leather in all of my life. The only thing I couldn't get over was the prices. Not cheap. I was searching for something that would stand out to me enough to justify the expense.

I finally found it on the street in front of the Uffitzi museum. A street painter had some beautiful and creative watercolors for sale. I was so happy to find just the right one to frame and remind me of this magical trip.

We saw more famous art and sculpture than I could ever hope to remember. It was overwhelming to see such beauty everywhere I looked.

In the plaza a guitar player was playing the theme song to the original Romeo and Juliet movies. It was a bit to perfect and picturesque. I have been humming that song ever since.

We strolled the streets by the river as the sun was setting. Hard to think of a more beautiful place. Unfortunately the one day in Florence went by all too quickly. We had to board the bus and take a late night bus ride 3 1/2 hours to Rome. More on that tomorrow. Ciao from Roma!

Sight Visit and Visiting the Sights

2011-03-07T12:55:00.000-08:00

Today we had a late morning visit to Weir Oil and Gas company. We had a few presentations on the Weir group as a whole as well as the manufacturing of the oil pumps that they do here in Italy. We toured both plants and had lunch in their cafeteria.

After the visit we went out to see more of the sights of Milan. We visited Castello Sforzesco and saw more of downtown Milan. It was quite cold and I was happy I brought my wool coat. Although I feel quite out of place without wearing all black.

We decided to go to Navigli which is supposed to be a place for night life by the canals that were built to transport the stone for the Duomo. But unfortunately there was not much there and the canal was drained due to the off season.

We did find a nice pizzeria and enjoyed another evening of authentic Italian cuisine. Tomorrow we head to another company visit and we will get to see Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. I am excited to continue this adventure. Ciao!

Lake Como...Bellagio...Milan

2011-03-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful and relaxing day here in Italy. The students got up early and headed for Venice. The faculty and 1 student decided to take it easy and stroll the beautiful streets of Como and Bellagio. Como is north of Milan and a comfortable train ride away. I couldn’t help think of the similarities between the metro system and train system in Boston Mass and Milan. It is strikingly similar. I felt like I was having a flashback to the Boston to Salem train. It’s funny the parallels you find when traveling.

After arriving in Como we took a ferry ride on Lake Como. Wow what a beautiful sight. Gorgeous villas and towns with colorful churches dot the shoreline.

We arrived at Bellagio and strolled up and down the streets. It is the off season so there are many closed shops and construction, but it was still absolutely charming. We ate lunch at a wonderful brick wood oven pizzeria. I don’t think I have had a more delicious pizza. The crust was perfect and the ingredients so fresh.

We went to the church and listened to the bell tower chime. After a stop for Gelato (which is becoming a daily staple), we lounged around and then took the ferry back to Como.

Como was having a sort of carnival. There were tons of people and little children dressed up in costumes. Many were holding bags of confetti, silly string and streamers which they threw on each other and many unsuspecting passersby. A cute little dragon approximately age 2 threw a nice handful of confetti my way. He was the cutest dragon. It was fun to watch the people in such a festive atmosphere.

We took the train back to Milan and tried to find a quick bite to eat. We ended up back at the Duomo. I was so glad because the stained glass windows were absolutely breathtaking at night. Scenes from the bible and other important Catholic stories were crafted into those giant windows.

All in all it was a wonderful night full of strolling and enjoying quintessential Italy. No rush, no worry.

Arrived in Milan...What a Wonderful World!

2011-03-05T08:51:00.000-08:00

After over 12 hours of travel. Mechanical issues...changing planes...etc. I am finally in Italy.

What a trip! It was a day full of airports, changing planes and checking luggage. I am so grateful for modern aviation technology that could bring me 4400 miles across the ocean in a matter of hours. AMAZING! Even if the in-flight entertainment never worked...bummer.

We arrived in Milan at 9 am Saturday morning. (8 hours ahead of good old Utah). So we had to go out and make the most of the day. We got to our hotel and headed to the Duomo.

What a spectactular sight.

Hundreds of spires and thousands of carved faces and figures adorn that magnificent building. The doors are exquisit metal that is carved so intricately. The inside is breathtaking with all of the stained glass and columns that look like they literally reach to the heavens.

We window shopped and people watched in the mall adjacent to the Duomo. Had a late lunch. Classic Italian of course.

It is a bit chilly here in Italy. Everyone is bundled up in their black coats, knee high boots, and colorful scarfs. You can tell just by looking at the people that this is one of the fashion capitals of the world.

The group is off to exciting excursions tomorrow. Lake Como or Venice. I am kind of undecided about which place to go. Choices...Choices. What a hard decision ;)

I am again in awe of how much perspective is gained through travel. I am able to see Italy the good the bad the beautiful and the ugly. It is amazing the similarities and striking differences between this country and others I have visited. As always, I am grateful to be able to gain this perspective. As Louis Armstrong so beautifully put it..."I think to myself, what a wonderful world!"

Only one more sleep til Italia

2011-03-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

Wow! How did this day come so quickly!?! 4 a.m. tomorrow we will be on the way to the airport to fly to Milan. What an exciting and whirlwind adventure! I am all packed and ready to head out. I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn and grow. Ciao for now!

Italy T-minus 10 days!!!

2011-02-22T18:56:00.002-08:00

So I am starting this back up again after quite the absence. Much has gone on in the past 2 years since posting :)

In some ways I have come full circle. I am back at Utah State but not as a student. I am a staff member and program coordinator for global enrichment. This means more exciting adventures internationally. In just 10 short days I will be setting out on another adventure to beautiful ITALIA!

It is a great opportunity to learn the ropes of being a trip/program manager. In anticipation of my trip this summer back to South America. I hope this blog can be a way to keep all the friends and familia in the loop and sort of act as a travel diary too.

So if so inclined...come along for the ride. Ciao!

High On The Mountain Top

2008-10-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

So I had a cool experience the other day. I have been wanting to go to my special thinking spot ever since I moved back to the Wasatch Front. It is above Bountiful overlooking the temple. I just decided to take my scriptures and ipod and hike up and watch the sun set in the west.

It was a beautiful short hike. I kept telling myself it is not as hard as the Great Wall of China so that gave me strength to go to the top. (I guess i need to hike more :) )

I found my perfect spot and enjoyed the beautiful leaves and overlooking the Temple of the Lord and my childhood neighborhood.

I felt overwelming peace and my heart was full of gratitude for growing up in such a blessed place. I am grateful for a family of neighbors that will always hold a special place in my heart. I read a verse that says "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth;" Mosiah 12:21. It was a beautiful day.

I read from The Book of Mormon reading the Abinadi story. I felt an overwhelming spirit and am grateful for such a choice experience. I listened to some great music and just had some time to center myself and enjoy the view. It was fun to listen to the Hymn of the Fallen sung by the Tabernacle Choir. I listened to the same thing when I was on Ha Long Bay in Vietnam this summer. It was inspiring to look back at that experience and again enjoy the wonders of Gods Creations!

HIGHS & lows

2008-10-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

This last week was an interesting mix of highs and lows...
HIGHS: I finally found a part time job that I am super excited about. I am going to work at The Garden restaurant at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. I hope I can do a good job there and eventually move up in the company over time. I have always loved the hospitality industry and would love to do something there. I know its not the ideal situation financially but anything worth getting is worth sacrificing for.

I had to get some papers from Idaho so I decided to make an dash up north. I stopped by Fruit Way to get some pumpkins and the last of the summer peaches. It was a beautiful drive up the canyon to visit my sister. I missed the height of Logan fall leaves but there were still some beautiful sights.

Time with Mand is always too short but we did get to make some cute halloween treats. Brenna is crawling like crazy. I just want her to stay little forever.

I got up to Idaho and was able to spend a little time with my cute mom and my dear grandma. We made more of the fun treats and were able to laugh and talk until the early morning. I realized that I hadn't really laughed in such a long time. It felt amazing. Thanks mom!

LOWS: Dealing with life is sometimes hard, realizing that your rose colored world view of some people close to you is not reality. Those glasses got taken off with a couple of people close to me on Sunday. It was strange that it happened all in one day. I think the Lord just said "Why not give it to her all at once, that way she can get it over with. Crying the same tears but for double reasons."

Its not important to state who or why or what, the fact is I was hoping for a good relationship with some family members and I think I was kidding myself when I thought it could ever be that way. I realized that a lot of people are see the world as theirs and we all just live in it. Focusing on how others affect them and not how they affect others.

I just want a happy and healthy family relationship. I don't think it is hard to ask. Even though my family has changed a ton over the last 2 years, I feel like whatever hard things life throws at us, we should be able to move past it and love each other regardless.
I guess I thought that could happen but after spending time with some people, it is apparent that this is a onesided hope.

I am grateful for a loving mother and others that support and love me through highs and lows. You know who you are and I appreciate it more than you will ever know.

Job Search

2008-10-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

I am now intensifying my search for a job. "Perfect Timing" considering the economy and such! But it cant be helped!

It has been so fun living with Mike and LuAnn and their cute little kiddies. It is a good taste of motherhood. I dont know how LuAnn does it everyday! I am so blessed to be here. But now that LuAnn is feeling a little better it is time to go out into the cold cruel world!

Any prayers or crossing your fingers and such would be greatly appreciated!

Spiritually and literally fed!

2008-10-05T20:17:00.001-07:00

What an amazing conference weekend! I love October conference. The change of seasons and the beautiful messages of hope and love. I was blessed to come up to Twin Falls and spend some time with the family. Mand Brandon and Brenna came too. It was fun to see her personality changing and she is becoming such a cute little girl.

Saturday was spent with Dad and it was fun being together and listening to conference on the radio. Brandon and Dad cut up wood for dad to use in the winter. How much wood could 2 woodchucks chuck? A lot aparently! We had the most amazing hamburgers. I dont know what he did but the food was excellent.

Sunday was fun. Gathering around Grandma B's tv all together. Mand let me do some fun stuff with her hair. I loved it. It looked cute! We had an amazing dinner and time together. Altough it went by too quickly.

The messages of hope in times of trial and dealing with the changes of life brought so much comfort in these crazy times of life. I was kind of freaking out about the whole government and financial crisis on friday but conference calmed my nerves and reminded me that if you stay close to the Lord and keep his commandments and listen to his divinely appointed leaders, everything will work out. "He will not fail us or forsake us."

Its back to Farmington for awhile. I miss those little kiddies and have to find a job asap! I dont want this feeling of peace and happiness to end! I am indeed spiritually fed!

Change of pace!

2008-10-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

I changed the name of my blog so I can keep blogging now that life is crazier than ever! I will add pictures to my earlier posts of Asia. I am living in Farmington for awhile and will be soon jumping into a job in Salt Lake hopefully! I dont expect anybody to read this but it is a good way to journal and express the craziness that is my life!

Home sweet Home!

2008-07-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

Sorry I havent posted for a couple of weeks. The internet wouldnt let me on the blogspot site so I was unable to post until I got home. I am home from an amazing adventure. I will fill you in with pics and posts as soon as I get over this blasted jet lag. It is good to be home among the familiar and safety of america. I loved every minute, but like a good meal, I was finished and if I stayed longer I think I would get stuffed and sick. It is hard to explain the way I feel coming back. I have reverse culture shock sometimes with little things we take for granted here in the states. What a blessing to see the contrasts and the similarities we have to those from the other side of the world. I will post later. Thanks for bearing !with me and I apologize for the delay. More memories await

More sightseeing!

2008-06-12T04:06:00.000-07:00

Today was a REALLY fun day here in Shanghai. We went out to see the city. There is a famous TV tower in the middle of Shanghai that you take the elevator up to the second sphere. There were a lot of Chinese tourists and they were so cute with their matching hats and lookind strangely at us. The view was a bit hazy but amazing! The boats going past and the skyscrapers extending into the fog. We got to see the building that they filmed Mission Impossible 3 on where he swings from building to building. The view was great but the best part of the day was yet to come.

We went down to the bottom of the building where they had a Shanghai history museum. I went with Christian, Chris, and Jared. They had wax figures doing native jobs. It was interesting to see life back then. There was a small corridor to sit down so Jared suggested we sit for a spell. After sitting for a few minutes I suggested that we pretend to be wax figures as people passed in the hallway. It started out as a joke for our group, but it ended up being a huge spectical. People were so confused and didnt know what to do. Christian and myself managed to hold our poses when the others cracked. It was so hard to stay still in a funny pose when there are chinese people poking you and wondering if you are real. It was so funny. I cracked before Christian did. People ate it up. They took pictures with us and some older ladies freaked out when they realized he was real. It was classic. Goooooood Times!

We next had lunch at a silk factory and after that we toured the factory. AMAZING! It was so cool to see the silk worms spin their thread and see the workers pull the fibers and make silk. It was a really cool experience to see the strength of a natural fiber like that. They even had a fashion show of some of the silk clothes.

Our last stop was the Yuyuan Garden. I have never seen such a beautiful garden in all my life. It was built for the builders parents as a retirement in the late 1500's. It took 10 to 18 years to build and by that time the parents had dies. And sadly the builder only lived there one year before he passed away. I want something like that in my back yard. I would never leave! Every angle had something to offer. I would love to spend some quality zen time there. I have a ton of pics so I will have to post them when I get a cord to connect to the computer.

They had more of the chinese shops around the gardens. It reminded me so much of China Town in San Fran. I got to taste the famous Shanghai Dumplings along with my Dairy Queen Blizzard. They have a Green Tea Blizzard for the Chinese market... weird!

We are leaving Shanghai tomorrow morning at 5:30 am! Ouch! Off to Xian! Yeah!

The trip is half over! I have fit so much into 2 and a half weeks. We have been go go go this whole time. It is cool to see how much you can get done.

Sunny Shanghai!

2008-06-11T06:16:00.000-07:00

Yeah! It is finally sunny in Shanghai! I am so sick of rain and my prayers were answered. It was a beautiful day in a gorgeous city. We had an interesting lecture by an alum that is working here in Shanghai with investing and aquiring previously state owned companies. It was really interesting to hear the success of a fellow student.

I went and had really good Korean food. It was the best Korean food ironically in China! It is kind of like Peruvian food without the potatos. Weird.

We went down to the river and walked around the area. It was so fun to see the unique architecture. I am in awe of the cleanliness and beauty of the city. We went to an interesting Shanghai museum. It was full of coins, furniture, ceramics, dress, caligraphy, and paintings from Chinese history. The coolest exibit was one on loan from the British Museum about the origin of the olympics. Statues, Vases, Medals and Bronzes from the ancient olympic games were on display. Who would have thought that I could see ancient greek artifacts in Shanghai China!

We had dinner in a Japanese Noodle place. I needed to take a break from traditional chinese. We all went back to the river to see the city lights. Every building has its own type of light show. Neon colors and different patterns show up on the surface of the buildings. It was sooo cool to see the city come alive in the dark. The street sellers were so agressive. They were selling kites, tops, watches, postcards, and a bunch of crazy stuff. It was fun to see peoples reaction to them and the tactics they come up with to barder a good price.

A singing group from Ohio State is staying the hotel with us and we will probably go out and Karaoke with them tonight. I dont know exactly though.

Tomorrow is our last day in Shanghai but it should be a good one with visits to a silk factory and more tours of the city.

I am still not used to being stared at so much. It is fun to walk with one of my friends that is 6'2" the reactions on the peoples faces are sometimes priceless. I am ready to head out to Xian. there is much more history and rural china. I love the city but I would love to see more of the countryside. Life is good!

Shanghai

2008-06-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

"Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head" I love China but it hasnt stopped raining! My mom bought a rain stick before I left and I think she jinxed me! We have had partial rain to a complete down-pour! I have never seen so much rain.

Shanghai is a beautiful big city. We have been fortunate enough to meet with some amazing companys. Deloitte Accounting was an amazing contact. We talked with them in this amazing office complex that would rival any in New York. After that we visited a company that manufactures air-bags, seat belts and stearing wheels for many different car companies. It was amazing to see the production line and their testing facility. I felt like I was in a Mr. Rogers segment with Mr. Mcfealy speedy delivery. We got to see them put the foam coating on stearing wheels and cutting out the material, sewing and assembling the air bags.

It is humbling to take a step back and realize what great opportunities there are in the world.

We had a traditional "Hot Pot" dinner with some alumni and the owner of the place. I think I have eaten the most watermelon I have ever had in my life. They have it at the end of every meal as a type of dessert. It is great. I love their philosophy of eating. You eat like an king or emperor for breakfast, a merchant for lunch, and a peasant for dinner. In other words you fill up at breakfast, eat marginal at lunch, and have a light dinner. It feels so nice. Their food is so simple but fresh and nutritous. I think I have only seen one overweight asian since I have been here. They eat so many veggies. I am going to try to continue this when I get back to the states.

We had a cool experience at a local supermarket. It was so interesting just walking around the store. They had so many crazy fruits and veggies. Bins of chicken parts and chicken feet. People would sift through them like picking out the best apple.
The best was the meat counter! Fresh meat. Literally still alive and swimming. Frogs, Turtles, Fish, and a bucket full of sea snakes and eels. Dont worry I have pics to prove it! I havent been brave enough to try any of those yet but there are still three weeks to go and Vietnam is next!

When I stop to think of the things that I have learned, I dont know where to begin. It is amazing how you can think one thing about a country your whole life and that perception can be shattered in less than 2 weeks. I have so much more to tell all of you that want to listen to me ramble on about asia and its emergence into the global economy. I really want to learn so much more and understand what is really going on in the world. Understanding leads to greater respect and increased perspective. It was hard to finance this trip, but I felt from the beginnning that it was the right thing for me to do. I am coming to understand why to some degree. It is making me see the bigger picture and find out more about myself and my place in the world. Little things that come up in lectures or talking or goofing around with friends on this trip have made me stop and realize that I needed to be told that or I needed to realize that in my life. Again what a blessing! The big thing for me has been that if you are honest and trustworthy in whatever you do, you will be successful. If you make a mistake, own up to it and move on. If you are not successful, at least you can lay down at night with a clear peace of mind.

I will strive for that in my life. I am excited to see what other gems I can pick out of the next three weeks!

All my love from the other side of the world!

Hangzhou: Finally feels like China!

2008-06-08T06:11:00.000-07:00

We have now traveled south to Hangzhou China. It was the weirdest flight I have ever been on. My ears kept popping non-stop when we took off. The turbulance was crazy. Luckily the flight was only an hour. On decent my ear would not pop. It started hurting soooo bad! I couldnt hear out of it. I started to get really scared! It still didnt pop. I used every trick in the book. Jared even suggested hopping up and down pounding my ear. He was joking but I did it anyway! I couldnt hear out of my left ear for the rest of the night! Luckily it is better today. It still hurts and gets pressure every once in awhile.

Hangzhou is a beautiful city. They say it is a "small town" of only 6 million people. It is the capital of the Province. We had some interesting lectures at the hotel and then traveled to the West Lake.

West Lake is such a beautiful place. The type of China I have been wanting to see. It was crowded because today was a national holiday, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the 2nd day for the national exam for high school students to be able to get into college. There is such a demand for education and too many students.

We went on a boat tour and traveled around the lake. It was sprinkling but the mist made the mountains and the Pagodas more magical.

It is interesting feeling and being a minority. People blatently stare at you for the longest time, I just smile back and say hello in Chinese but they rarely smile back.

We had some free time in the market in Hangzhou. It was so cool. Ten times better than the silk market. The prices are listed and the atmosphere was enchanting. Little shops with chopsticks and trinkets. I bought a beautiful handmade bag. There were wood carvers, painters, and musicians galore. The sights and smells made me feel like I was finally in a foreign country. I almost forgot I was in modern China until at the end of the road I saw the infamous yellow arches and was instantly returned to modern day. Mcdonalds, KFC, and even Dairy Queen had made its way into this old world market. Big macs and Ice Cream alongside, Crabs on a stick and Rice in Pineapple bowls.

After a quick stop at the covenience store we headed back to the hotel. The hotel is located on the Wenhui college campus. It is a beautiful hotel. a group of us gathered to get a local chinese foot massage. It was amazing! hot herbal soak and a heavenly foot massage along with legs and back for 48 chinese money which converts to about 7 dollars in the US. An hour and a half of massage for less than a movie! I walked home on a cloud.

Sadly we are leaving Hangzhou tomorrow and heading to Shanghai. I would love to stay and just wander the streets some more, but we are off again to a big city of 18 million people.

I have learned to be grateful for what I have and have seen a different culture but have learned to see that we are more similar than we think. Everyone I see, meet, or talk to just wants to be happy and make a living for themselves and their family. Everything else is gravy. Life is what you make it and what you get out of it.
I hope everyone sees and takes only the good! I Love you all!

The Wonderful World of China

2008-06-06T07:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the laps in postings. I have been soooo busy seeing the sights of Beijing China and I haven't had free access to the internet until now. Anyway! Where do I begin! they say that if you come to China for a week you can go home and write a book! I have only been here less than a week and I feel like I could write a whole series on my experiences, thoughts, and insights. China is such an amazing place. I feel like it is changing and growing right before my eyes. We have been able to visit so many interesting businesses on the forefront of biotechnology and American interactions with China. What a blessing to be able to see their expansion and growth first hand!

The Silk Market is the most amazing experience. I about had a heart attack! There are hundreds of booths with clothes, accessories, purses, chinese souvenirs and jewelry, They have workers that physically pull you into their booth and haggle with you for their merchandise. I was blown away. I am not a good bargainer so I struggled to get a good deal. But I guess that is good because I know that some of my friends will be paying for overweight luggage the rest of the trip.

We went to a great acrobatic show and kung fu show I have never seen such flexibility and strength!

Today I climbed the Great Wall of China! I cant believe I am saying that! It was such an amazing experience! We drove to a section and started the hardest climb of my life! it seemed like we where trying to climb a vertical slope and sometimes we were. I thought I would have to stop some of the times, but I persevered and got to the peak of that section. The wall stretched out as far as I could see, winding back and forth, up and down the steep peaks of the china mountain side. I marvel at the construction and the effort that went into building it. Some say that it is the longest continuous cemetery in the world because of the people that would die working on it that would just be buried in the construction. I feel so blessed to be able to see such a miracle and evidence of mans ingenuity and strength and national pride. It is cool to feel like you cant go any further, push yourself, and reach the top. I now have a physical experience to remember how to reach a goal. Soooo cool. I wish everyone could experience that feeling.

We are heading out of Beijing tomorrow night after visiting the last few sites in Beijing. I am bursting at the seams with thoughts and feelings about the last few days.

I will try to write soon but I dont know how internet access will be as we travel! I will write as soon as I can!
All my love from the other side of the world!

Leaving Korea

2008-06-02T16:17:00.001-07:00

Today we are heading out to China! We are staying in another beautiful hotel. Yesterday was full of site visits and traveling. We started out at Kiswire Which is a company that we probably see in use everyday! They make wire for pretty much everything! Elevators, Bridges, even down to the wire in tires. It was amazing to see the factory where they pull the wire and wrap it around thousands of spools. We went to Postec university, the top technology driven University in Korea. Funded in part by Posco Steal company. Our final stop was Hyundai Motor where we got to see the assembly line of some of their mid sized vehicles! Wow industry! We then went to the docks and saw them load 4,000 cars onto massive ships bound for the US. It takes 4-6 weeks to get there. Loading takes about a day and a half! I was blown away! We traveled to Gwangyang and will be visiting Posco Steal today! It will be a great day full of traveling and saying goodbye to Korea! Off to China! I cant believe I am saying that!

Korea Korea!

2008-06-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Its another beautiful day in Korea. We took a short flight out of Seoul and are staying in a beautiful hotel. Today is sunday here and we are experiencing part of Korean Culture though their buddist temples and statues. IT is fascinating! We have been hiking around and driving all over so I am about to drop! We ate lunch at a little hole in the wall place, but it was the most amazing Korean Food EVer most people just ate Mcdonalds or Pizza Hut! (Sell outs!) I loved it. Korea is so interesting. I must admit that before this trip I just lumped all the asian cultures together as most americans do, but I have come to appreciat the diversity that exists even in different cities in Korea. I guess it is the same with the US. People from other cultures think that we are all like New York or California when in actuality we are all very different! I have my own hotel room and it looks over some beautiful rice patties. I love it! I dont think I brought enough memory cards for my camera! We have only been here for 7 days! I have so many memories already! What a blessing!

From the Future to the Past

2008-05-29T02:52:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
It has been a beautiful bright day here in Korea. We started bright and early traveling to the samsung central office just outside Seoul. It was amazing to see the headquarters. They are such a wide spread company here in Korea. They own housing complexes, electronics, home appliances, Transportation, insurance and banking. It is crazy to see the growth of such a company.

It was funny, we got there and their sign said "welcome University of Utah" They were really embarassed and changed it quicky. The professors said that the sign gave us license to behave badly if we wanted since we had the U of U name. (Just kidding of course)

We got to see some crazy new products they are developing that havent hit the us market yet! Amazing televisions, sound systems, computers, and appliances that are tens of thousands of dollars now but will hit the market sometime next year. One LCD tv was 100,000 dollars and has to be special ordered before they will start assembling it! It was the most beautiful thing!

After Samsung we went to a traditional Korean place for lunch. Taking off your shoes as you walked in and sitting on the floor. It was fun, but painful. Metal chopsticks arent the easiest form of utensil.

We then went to the Korean Folk Village. It was really cool to see traditional houses and crafts from ancient Korea. There were many young school children who asked for our autograph and picture. Many havent seen foreigners before so it was fun to see their reaction and interaction with us. They learn english at a young age and were practicing phrases.

They had a performance of dance and tight rope walker. It was amazing! It is hot and humid tonight.

Last night was so fun. We went to the 7th largest amusement park in the world, and the largest indoor park in the world. It is called Lotte World. Kind of a cross between Lagoon and Disney Land. It was fun. We went late at night so we couldnt ride too many rides but it was crazy. We are probably going back tomorrow night.

I dont know what the plan is for tonight. I have a bit of a headache so I may just turn in early. I dont know.

It is amazing to see the workings of a country so fundamentally different from the US but is trying to pattern itself after some of our practices.

I was surprised to see familiardesigners like Chanel down to 7-11 and believe it or not....COSTCO! Outback stake house and TGIFridays. Krispy Kreams and Baskin Robbins! We truly live in a globalized world. I feel so far away, but the influence of the US is all around me!

It was a day that started in the future and ended in the past! New cutting edge technology down to ancient Korea. The ways of life that would be extinct without the efforts to preserve the history. It still blows my mind that their history is so deep and rich. They hold on to that with one hand but try so hard to press forward to the future. It is interesting to see how they will balance that in the future. Can they? or will something have to give! I am excited to see!

All my love!

First Day

2008-05-28T01:35:00.000-07:00

It has been a rainy day here in Korea, but it was fun to dive into the culture and business of this country. We went on a visit to KOSBI Korean Small Business Institute, where they research and help small business in Korea. The lecture was very interesting. It was cool to see the views of a Korean on issues such as big business, globalization, market capitalism, and the increasing global effect of China on business. We then broke for lunch. I went with some faculty and students to a Korean place. I tried "kemchi" i know Im not spelling it right, but it is a Korean staple. It was the most spicy thing I have ever tasted in my life. It felt like my teeth were sweating! I thought I was going to die. I still have a headache hours later. The dumplings were very good, but it is hard to get used to metal chopsticks! Who would have thought! We visited the US embassy but was bummed because we couldnt actually go inside. We met with the public affairs office outside the embassy. There was another group from the US too. They talked a little about N. Korean and US relations with S. Korea. I hope the weather clears so I can take some photos tomorrow. I dont know if I can post any, but if not, I will post them when I get back in July. Remember how lucky we are to live where we do.

Rainy Day in Korea

2008-05-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hey all.
It is just my luck that it is rainy and kind of on the cold side this wednesday morning here in Seoul. I didnt bring any jacket or rain gear! oh well, we will be inside most of the day anyway. We are off to site visits and the US embasy today. We are staying in a very nice hotel in downtown Seoul. I just finished a beautiful breakfast including poached salmon and some very interesting fruit. It will be a great culinary adventure I can just imagine.

Finally here!

2008-05-27T03:43:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I am finally here in Seoul South Korea. It is actually 744 pm on tuesday here is Korea! I skipped a whole day! It is a strange feeling to fly with the sun and never see night for 16 hours. It is such a big city and I am trying to get my bearings. It was a long flight especially for a tall girl like me. I am ready to jump into a great adventure.

Nervous...But Excited!

2008-05-25T19:46:00.001-07:00

Well! I am heading off to Seoul Korea tomorrow morning! I am so nervous but very excited. I cant believe I get to go on another adventure this summer. I know I have everything ready, but I still feel completely unprepared! I don't think you can step into the unknown like this without feeling unprepared. I am not looking forward to the day long flight! I hope I can write again soon. And post some pictures!