Champlain China Mojo 2011

Monday, March 14, 2011

Day #1: China Mojo A’Go Go! (Friday, 3/4 – Saturday, 3/5)

I couldn’t believe it.

Every one of our 21 China Mojo’ers was at Vermont’s Burlington airport by 4:10 am on Friday morning, packed and ready to go, when co-pilot Kat Barnes and I arrived at the airport.

Insert applause track here.

China Mojo a go go!

But traveling to Planet China is never THAT easy.

By 4:25 am, as we tried to convince the lone Continental employee at check-in to get us our group on the plane, two logistical challenges immediately presented themselves via a phone call from our “In China” contact Steve Wilmarth.

CHINA MOJO ON THE GO THROUGH NEWARK AIRPORT.

First, the Wuhan tour money we had wired from Champlain College to Steve’s Bank of China account hadn’t actually appeared in his account – so, we scrambled our colleagues in Study Abroad and Finance (Xie xie, Catherine, Shelley, and David P!) and they put out a trace on the cash

Welcome to Planet China.

And we haven’t even left the Burlington airport.

Maybe Hu Jintao himself, Mojo’er Alex H. sardonically remarked later, pocketed our cash via the B of C?

Second, we learned that our Air China return flight from Wuhan to Bejing was scheduled to leave on Thursday afternoon before we would return by bus from the Three Gorges, so we had to re-book that flight for 21 travelers.

And (one more time) – we hadn’t even left the airport.

LOUNGING IN NEWARK BEFORE OUR EPIC FLIGHT TO BEIJING.

Never a dull moment.

A few “enroute” emails to our fabulous travel agent Geri Proccacini at Mad River Travel, and she rebooked us on an evening flight back to Beijing at a cost of 15 yuan per traveler (app. $2.50 U.S. dollars).

Say what you want about the Chinese owning the U.S. economy.

You still gotta love the US Dollar to RMB exchange rate.

EXCHANGING OUR US DOLLARS FOR CHINESE RMB/YUAN IN BEIJING.

And ALL of this went down before we left Newark Airport to fly to Beijing.

Just a friendly reminder that being flexible and adaptable is key when heading to the Middle Kingdom.

It also helps to have an organized support team looking out for you. (Thanks, Camp Champ and Geri P at Mad River Travel.)

Happily, when all was said and done, our Friday a.m. flight halfway around the world – Burlington to Newark to Beijing to Wuhan – proved a surprisingly smooth journey.

True, one of our Mojo students popped Zanex to sleep on the plane and conveniently forgot to tell anyone, so we had to carry his barely-awake 6 foot frame through the gate at Newark onto the trans-world flight, where he then spent the entire journey zonked out and drooling on his fellow Mojo’ers.

He shall remain nameless.

MEETING STEVE, LINDA AND LILY, OUR WUHAN TOUR GUIDES, AT THE WUHAN AIRPORT.

And yes, we almost left another Mojo’er in the Beijing airport on our way to Wuhan when he wandered off in search of a soda 10 minutes before we were boarding, and lost track of time.

He, too, shall remain nameless.

And OK, I’ll confess that our China Mojo co-pilot Kat “Moxie” Barnes beat me (by a narrow margin) in a game of Scrabble on the Beijing to Wuhan flight.

But other than ALL of that, we made it halfway across the world intact and in one piece.

ON OUR TOUR BUS AND HEADED TO OUR WUHAN HOTEL AFTER 2O PLUS HOURS OF TRAVEL.

Ni Hao, China.

Monday, February 28, 2011

CHINA MOJO-->TRIP ITINERARY for March 4-13, 2011!

Below you will find all pertinent information about our nine day trip trip to China.

Note: All China Mojo students have signed a contract detailing expectations and behavioral norms for our trip. You can read the contract here - and we will be reviewing it one more time the day before we leave for Beijing.

Dr. Rob Williams, CCM Division, Champlain College.

Kathleen Barnes, Office of Advancement; Champlain College.

Know that, as prepared as our students are for this adventure, through our readings, films, blog posts, and discussions, there is no substitute for actual "in country" experience.

We are excited to explore as much of China and visit with our Chinese hosts in the relatively short time we have overseas.

In the event of an emergency, please click on this link for a complete STUDY ABROAD emergency phone tree.

We look forward to sharing our adventures with you upon our return!

China Mojo a'go go!

Xie xie!

Zaijian,

Dr. Rob Williams

China Mojo: MARCH 2011 Trip Itinerary
Friday, March 4 through Sunday, March 13, 2011.

The Yangtze River by boat.

ITINERARY!

Friday, March 4: EARLY Morning flight--> Burlington, VT (Continental CO 3247 - 6:08 am departure) to Newark, NJ. Newark, New Jersey (Continental CO89 - 11:50 departure), to Beijing, China (arriving at 2:35 the afternoon of March 5).

"IN CHINA" CONTACT for Wuhan/Three Gorges portion of trip: Stephen Wilmarth

US Cell: +1 860 227 1225 / SMS (Google Voice): +1 860 598 0279 / China Cell: +86 153 2712 9709 / Skype: swilmarth / Email: stephen.wilmarth@gmail.com

Saturday, March 5: Arrive in Beijing in the afternoon. Two-hour flight to Wuhan. Leaving Beijing at 5:10 pm (Air China CA 1365), arriving in Wuhan at 7:15 pm.

Stay in Wuhan’s Xinagu Hotel on Saturday night.

NOTE - We emailed a detailed 5 day Wuhan itinerary to all China Mojo students. We encourage you to ask them to email it to you, if you have not seen it yet, or email Rob --> rwilliams@champlain.edu.

Sunday, March 6: Settling into Wuhan; visit with HuaZhong Normal University students and faculty. Home Stay and greater Wuhan touring. Meet our host families.

Monday, March 7: Wuhan – Home Stay and greater Wuhan touring.

Tuesday, March 8: Wuhan – Royal Gorge exploration by boat on the Yangtze River.

Wednesday, March 9: Wuhan – Royal Gorge exploration by boat on the Yangtze River.

Thursday, March 10: Wuhan – Royal Gorge exploration by boat.

Afternoon - fly from Wuhan (Air China flight CA 8205 leaving at 12:55 pm); arriving in Beijing at 2:50 pm.

Public train from Beijing Airport to downtown Beijing.

Settle in at Jiangou Garden Hotel.

Address：No.17 Jianguomennei Avenue, Beijing / PC:100005 / Telephone: ( 86 10 ) 6528 6666 / Fax Number: ( 86 10 ) 6522 5261 / Website: www.jianguogardenhotel.com.

"IN CHINA" CONTACT for BEIJING portion of trip: rwilliams@champlain.edu (email) / 802.279.3364 (text/telephone) / Skype: robwilliamsmedia.

Friday, March 11: Beijing – Great Wall of China “Wild Wall” Day Tour. Pick up at 6:30 am with William in Jiangou Garden Hotel lobby.

Saturday, March 12: Downtown Beijing - Tiananmen Square/Forbidden City in the morning; Shopping/markets in afternoon and evening.

Sunday, March 13: Pack up in the morning and head to airport by 11:00.

Leave Beijing, China (Continental CO88 departing at 3:45 pm) to Newark, New Jersey. Newark, New Jersey (Continental CO3246 departing at 9:59 pm) for Burlington, Vermont. Arrival in Burlington at 11:24 pm on Sunday night, March 13.

While in China, we will be rooming in pairs for both our hotel nights and home stay visits.

CHINA MOJO 2011: WUHAN HOSTING/PAIR PARTNERS

WOMEN

Elise Wernoff and Sarah Thibodeau

Abigail Clark and Ana Dempsey

Sarah Prak and Emily Krol

Emily Snyder and Blythe Wisniewski

Katie Martel and Kathleen Barnes

MEN

Sean Taberman and Ian Maurer

Andrew Chung and Dan Cooley

Eric Pollock and Stephen Pinkham

George Hoffman and Alex Harken

Maxwell King and Justin Perry

WUHAN NOTES FROM our "IN CHINA" contact STEVE WILMARTH:

WEATHER & CRUISING RELATED QUESTIONS:

Temperature / precipitation ranges for Beijing.

Temperature / precipitation ranges for Wuhan / 3 Gorges.

Daily temperatures here in Wuhan are edging back up to highs of 50 deg F, but rain or clouds can keep it down a bit. Nonetheless, in a few weeks we should be in a comfortable range of between low to mid 30s at night and mid 50s during the day. Shouldn't be too hard on tough Vermonters who've survived the winter of '10-'11. Layers will work. Hats and gloves that take up too much space in the backpack probably aren't necessary. Keep in mind that there isn't any central heating in this part of China, and I marvel at how the Chinese cope with freezing temperatures in houses without heat. (I've learned to love my long underwear.) But the worst of winter's weather is behind us now and it should be relatively easy-going on our inveterate adventure travelers.

The boat trip is easy sailing, never more than 100 meters from shore and pretty smooth. If Dramamine is needed, I'd be surprised.

The cruise is 2 nights and 1 full day, sandwiched between 2 half-days. There will be plenty of stops along the river for disembarkation and local exploring, plus some time gawking at the Pride of Chinese Engineering (the 3 Gorges Dam).

MY NEEDS:

I only need your group to be primed as goodwill ambassadors. The people of Wuhan will roll out the red carpet and go overboard to please you as honored guests (in the manner of the Xu family). As honored guests, your Chinese hosts will want you to sample all of the specially prepared dishes (Suggestion: try a "Don't ask; don't tell" approach on food, especially for those with limited-range dietary habits) and take in the local culture. Usually, this is where some Americans can get a little flinty. A little cultural prep can go a long way towards avoiding misunderstandings, disappointments, and hurt feelings. At schools, students will want a never ending number of pictures and face-time. Expect to divide the group up in order to serve 6,000 expectant students and faculty.

MONEY:

Basically only cash works in this country. Unless you're staying at 5 star hotels, credit cards and travelers checks are not accepted by the locals. So, come with US dollars and I'll make some time for a money exchange here in Wuhan at most favorable exchange rates. (I recommend making a minimum exchange at the airport in Beijing during your brief layover. Rates are not all that favorable at the airport.)

A GO GO!

China Mojo: STUDY ABROAD Emergency Phone Numbers

In case of emergency, please call Champlain College campus police/security @ (802) 865-6465 and follow the telephone tree below.

Champlain College-Burlington Campus / Emergency Contacts / Faculty-led Study Abroad

Office of International Education
Champlain College
251 South Willard St.
P.O. Box 670
Burlington, Vermont-05402-0670
Office phone: (802) 865-5702

Dr. James P. Cross - Associate Provost and Senior International Officer
Office: (802) 383-6633
From Champlain Montreal: 6633
Private Cell Phone: (864) 650-3600
Address: 376 Perry Hall, 251 South Willard St., Burlington, VT, 05402-0670
Skype: james.p.cross

Noah Goldblatt – Sr. Advisor, Study Abroad
Office: (802) 865-6464
From Champlain Montreal: 6464
Fax: (802) 860-2767
Address: 122 Perry Hall, 251 South Willard St., Burlington, VT, 05402-0670

Kathy Lynn – Sr. Advisor, International Students
Office: (802) 865-6485
From Champlain Montreal: 6485
Fax: (802) 860-2767
Address: 122 Perry Hall, 251 South Willard St., Burlington, VT, 05402-0670

China Mojo: SHARE YOUR ADVENTURE Photo Competition

4th Annual International Photo Contest

Share Your Adventure – international travel or study abroad experience

Prizes awarded in 3 categories - People & culture, landscape, or architecture.

May submit one photo per category (3 photos).

Photos judged on artistic merit and/or how well the photograph captures the culture.

Current Champlain college students, faculty & staff welcome.
Details & entry form available here.

Submit your photos by March 21, 2011

Office of International Ed.
Perry Hall Room 122 – lst floor
Questions: contact Kathy Lynn at lynn@champlain.edu / 865- 6485.

Mark your calendar: Photos on Exhibit April 4-18 and Award Ceremony – April 19th MIC

Sponsored by the Office of International Education – Champlain College

Sunday, February 27, 2011

MOJO PACKING: What should I bring for China, in 2 small bags? (1 carry on, and 1 under the plane).

Here's what Dr. Williams is bringing --->

• PASSPORT with Visa enclosed!! (Can't go to China without it.)

• Gifts for Chinese hosts.

• $100 traveling cash for gifts/shopping. (Plus per diem money for everyone).

• Chinese /English dictionary.

• China Mojo multimedia tools (camera, laptop, “In Asia” wall socket converter/adaptor, multi-prong charger).

• Comfort snacks (maple syrup, lemon ginger tea, travel mug, trail mix.)

• Reading material (OUT OF MAO’S SHADOW book).

• Travel games (Scrabble, playing cards.)

• Musical instruments. (Guitar and harmonicas.)

• Underwear (4 pairs – including plane pair).

• Socks (4 pairs – including plane pair).

• Pants (4 pairs – including plane pair).

• Long sleeve shirts (4 – including plane pair).

• Short sleeve shirts (4 – including plane pair).

• Bathing suit (The Bejing hotel has a pool).

• Sturdy walking/hiking/running shoes (Great Wall, Wuhan, boat cruise.)

• BASIC personal hygiene products (remember TSA rules → tooth brush, paste, deod, light make-up, tampons, 1 roll of TP, etc.)

• Warm jacket / Light wool/cotton hat / Light gloves.

• Long underwear (optional - layers are key.)

• MOST IMPORTANT – An openness to taking risks and learning from others!

China Mojo! TRIP ITINERARY AND "IN CHINA" Contact Information.

Ni Hao and Greetings, China Mojo friends and family members!

On behalf of our two China Mojo trip adult co-organizers - the Office of Advancement's Kathleen Barnes and the CCM Division's Dr. Rob Williams (me) - welcome to our China Mojo trip page.

Below you will find all pertinent information about our nine day trip trip to China.

Note: All China Mojo students have signed a contract detailing expectations and behavioral norms for our trip. You can read the contract here - and we will be reviewing it one more time the day before we leave for Beijing.

Dr. Rob Williams, CCM Division, Champlain College.

Kathleen Barnes, Office of Advancement; Champlain College.

Know that, as prepared as our students are for this adventure, through our readings, films, blog posts, and discussions, there is no substitute for actual "in country" experience.

We are excited to explore as much of China and visit with our Chinese hosts in the relatively short time we have overseas.

In the event of an emergency, we will contact you via Dr. James Cross and the Champlain College Study Abroad Office.

In the event of a family emergency on your end, one that necessitates contacting a student who is on the trip, please consult the itinerary below for our IN CHINA contacts, with listings for multiple media platform contact information.

We look forward to sharing our adventures with you upon our return!

China Mojo a'go go!

Xie xie!

Zaijian,

Dr. Rob Williams

China Mojo: MARCH 2011 Trip Itinerary
Friday, March 4 through Sunday, March 13, 2011.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Ni Hao, Wuhan, China! Greetings from Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont!

One week until we travel to China!

And the video greeting: