CAPA WORLD

In this week's vlog, Dan shows us what he kept in his backpack for daily use while he was studying abroad in Shanghai! 

For China watchers, 1978 was a pivotal year—after nearly three decades of a planned economy under Chairman Mao, the famous leader’s passing, in 1976, was a prelude to China’s “Reform and Opening-up” led by Deng Xiaoping after he became the new leader in 1978. Thus 2018 marked the 40th anniversary of that reform, marked in part by the launch in Shanghai of the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in November.

However, December 18, 2018 marked the precise date that “Reform and Opening-up” was launched and the Shanghai authorities marked this by a short exhibition of “China stuff” from 40 years ago onwards—held in a specially erected steel tent near Zhongshan Park, one metro station from CAPA’s Shanghai campus. Starting just before the weekend to facilitate attendance, it ended on Tuesday, December 18 to commemorate the special day. I was privileged to get a ticket to attend and I did not see any other foreigners while there. I will discuss some of the exhibition highlights below, but first a bit more background.

In this week's post, Rachel Epp returns home to Nebraska from her semester abroad in Shanghai and reflects on her experience in Shanghai as well as the realities of culture shock upon returning to the US (including but not limited to the Bubble tea or lack thereof in Nebraska). 

Meet Khadijah Wilson, a.k.a. Imani Wilson, an official CAPA Blogger in Shanghai for Spring 2019:

University: Hood College
Major: Mathematics 
Study abroad location: Shanghai, China
Internship or volunteer placement: N/A

In this week's post, Rachel Epp answers 5 questions from a CAPA program assistant about her time in Shanghai, China, what her favorite memories were, what she learned, and how she changed. 

In this week's post, Rachel Epp chats with us as she packs up her room in Shanghai and prepares to come home. She covers her different packing strategies she had before she left for her semester that are now paying off at the end, so make sure to watch!

In this week's post, Rachel Epp takes a final excursion to the city of Xi'an and spend the day trekking up Mt. Huashan, one of the the most treacherous but rewarding hikes in China! Watch more for some breathtaking views! 

Today is the 81st anniversary of an event that horrified the world. On December 13, 1937, during the 2nd Sino-Japanese War, Japanese troops attacked the then capital of China, Nanking (Nanjing) - the government already having relocated - and over six weeks, according to records and reports, murdered around 300,000 Nanjing citizens, including women and children. Today fewer than 400 survivors are still alive to tell the tale.

The story of the Nanjing Massacre has been well told in Iris Chang's 1997 book The Rape of Nanking and in several movies in recent years including "Nanking" ,"City of Life and Death", "John Rabe" and most recently "The Flowers of War". It was perhaps fitting that, along with my students, we watched the showing of "The City of Life and Death" in a large movie theater in Nanjing in 2009. We were a small Western group in a cinema packed with locals and it was impossible not to feel the tears of the audience that night. I wondered how many in that very audience had lost grandparents and other kin in that massacre.

In this week's vlog, Daniel explores the beautiful lakes and temples of Hangzhou, China. From experiencing the beautiful sculptures and serenity of the Lingyin temple to wandering the islands and bridges of the West Lake, follow along on his mystical adventure!

Only a very small percentage of US students intern abroad. The experience alone can make you stand out from your peers in a pile of resumes once you graduate and will no doubt be a conversation starter in an interview. If you put the effort in and set goals for yourself before you begin, it can be even more than a conversation starter. You will have opportunities to learn some truly important life and career skills that you might not gain in a domestic internship.

Here are just 5 skills (out of many) you can gain from interning abroad.