• Orientation: May 22-28

  • Flapjack challenge: a Potsdam tradition that involves eating a tire-sized pancake in under an hour to win a free T-shirt! US-embassy
  • Arrival Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY US-embassy
  • Departing for Beijing from Syracuse via Toronto US-embassy
  • Arriving at our rooms in the international student dorm at Tsinghua US-embassy
  • Welcome banquet hosted by Professor Wang and introduction to our laboratories US-embassy
  • Meeting Dr. Emily Ashworth and our sponsors at the NSF office in Beijing US-embassy
  • Our first taste of Dr. Shen's favorite Wudaokou date bread, "zao gao". We bought 1 kilo for only 20 yuan! US-embassy

  • Week 1: May 29-June 5

  • Day trip to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square US-embassy
  • Wangfujing Night Market, a small street of vendors that sell bizarre foods to those who are brave enough to try! We ate silk worm, starfish, dog, and goat testicles. We decided to pass on tarantulas and scorpions. US-embassy
  • Evening trip to the Olympic Park Stadium US-embassy
  • Drinking traditional Chinese tea in Qianmen US-embassy

  • Week 2: June 6-12

  • Site of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai US-embassy
  • Shanghai's famous spicy soup dumplings US-embassy
  • Beautiful Suzhou US-embassy

  • Week 3: June 13-19

  • Eating roasted lamb leg at a Hutong in Beijing US-embassy
  • A relaxing evening with live music and paddle boats in Houhai US-embassy

  • Week 4: June 20-26

  • Hiking the "Wild Great Wall", an unrenovated section built mostly in the Ming Dynasty. We woke up at 3:30 to watch the sunrise and hiked for 8 hours. Amazing day! US-embassy
  • China Science & Technology Museum, where we found a Chinese Einstein US-embassy

  • Week 5: June 27-July 3

  • Sleeper train to Xi'an--the best way to make Chinese friends! US-embassy
  • Visit to the massive Terracotta Army containing over 8000 soldiers, horses, and charriots built by the first emperor of China to protect him in the afterlife! US-embassy
  • Biking the mini "Great Wall" around old Xi'an US-embassy
  • Helping some local vendors sell more green tea US-embassy
  • Camping under a pagoda and hiking the train tunnels back to civilization US-embassy

  • Week 6: July 4-10

  • 4th of July Party at the US Embassy in Beijing US-embassy
  • Tianjin skyline at night US-embassy
  • Dancing after dinner along the Hai River US-embassy

  • Week 7: July 11-17

  • With Tsinghua friends at Chaoyang Park, the biggest park in Beijing US-embassy

  • Program End: July 18-24

  • Final presentations at Tsinghua
  • Goodbye dinner with the cohort and our Chinese labmates US-embassy
  • Last night in Beijing before selling back our bikes US-embassy
  • Riding the tiny plane again from Toronto to Syrcause
  • Visit to Corning Glass Museum. All we ever wanted to know about glass!
  • Thank you for everything Dr. Shen!

© IRES-AMSD 2013