We started out the day going to Yu Gardens, and saw a lot of pretty trees and rocks. We saw a lot of bamboo, which prompted some of us to take panda-like pictures. After Yu Gardens, we went shopping at a market near the gardens, where we practiced our bartering... Continue reading

A quick note from the chaperone team, after a full day of sightseeing. A long ride in the splendid pink buses took us to the Humble Administrator's Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Suzhou: The five bats around the circle symbolize five kinds of happiness: Then it was off... Continue reading

This morning we boarded the fabulous pink buses for an hour ride to Jinshan. When we arrived, we were greeted by a fanfare: a marching band, costumed dancers, and dragon puppets. We felt like celebrities as we walked through the front gates because there were people taking pictures and videos... Continue reading

Our third day began later than usual due to a lack of wake-up calls for some and an excess for others (some received none and some received 2 or more). After we boarded the flamboyant pink buses to the Education Television Station (ETV), our grade was split up into two... Continue reading

This morning, we received a cheery 7:00 wake-up call and ate a buffet of Western and traditional Chinese food. After exchanging some money or packing for the day, we left for Fudan University in our pink buses. Upon our arrival, we all gathered in a classroom and were greeted by... Continue reading

The flight to Shanghai was very smooth, and we actually arrived in Shanghai an hour early. Our Pepto-Bismol fuchsia-colored buses in Shanghai picked us up at the airport promptly and we all enjoyed very little traffic due to the holiday. Shanghai itself was a little chilly, around 2-5 degrees Centigrade.... Continue reading

We are in our final week of classes at Castilleja, so the focus for many is on finishing final projects and exams. However, in the case of the Juniors and faculty chaperones, they are slowing gearing up for their January 1st departure for Shanghai, China. Stay tuned for future updates... Continue reading

We are in our final week of classes at Castilleja, so the focus for many is on finishing final projects and exams. However, in the case of the Juniors and faculty chaperones, they are slowing gearing up for their January 1st departure for Shanghai, China. Stay tuned for future updates from the team. Until then, happy holidays and best wishes for 2011! Continue reading

Another long and active day.... We woke up in Jinshan and went to the elementary school where we got an incredible welcome and learned some new games Then it was on to a local farm restaurant for lunch and a strawberry farm for picking Before returning to Shanghai, we stopped a historical water village Continue reading

The day started out with an early drive to Jinshan, a smaller city an hour and a half from Shanghai. We were greeted by the school band at the local school. After a warm welcoming ceremony we had lunch in the cafeteria with 16 year old students. At the end of lunch we all shared two enormous cakes to celebrate Angelica and Sophie Brown’s birthdays. Next we visited a Jinshan clothing factory and toured the facilities. Later we had the opportunity to ask female workers about their experiences as factory employees. Workers at the clothing factory In the evening each... Continue reading

We’ve all been extremely busy in the past few days. Yesterday, our second day in Shanghai, the only recognizably American food item was the raisin bran served as our breakfast cereal. Not that I’m complaining: when we lunched with young gentlemen from up and coming companies like IDEO, I had the opportunity to try the cheek and eyeball of the fish. Apparently, both are a delicacy! Yum! In the evening, we ate dinner with some older gentlemen, who shared their stories and tips on how to properly use chopsticks with us. Apparently, the closer you hold to the tips of... Continue reading

(text by Ms. Lane, photos by Kate Paladin, Mrs. Schryver and Mrs. Pietrzyk) Briefly, as we had a very long day and are going to be up and one the road very early Wednesday morning. We began our day at Educational TV, exploring the production studios and meeting with female anchors and producers. After lunch with male professionals from IDEO, we split into three different groups to visit IDEO, Cisco, and Google Then, it was on to dinner with some older Chinese gentleman and finally, to an amazing show at the Shanghai Circus World We hope to post a more... Continue reading

Monday, Jan. 4 (text by Tobi Amos and Ms. Lane, photos by Mrs. Shryver and Ms. Lane) This morning started with a delicious breakfast in the fancy dining room at our hotel. A wide selection of dishes were served buffet-style; we were treated to everything from fresh fruit and bacon to chow mein. After breakfast, we met in the lobby for a quick briefing from our research team on today’s destinations. A quick walk down the busy street brought us to the Children’s Palace. The beautiful structure stretched 93 meters high, and it was built only 4 years ago. This... Continue reading

Monday, Jan. 4 (text by Tobi Amos and Ms. Lane, photos by Mrs. Shryver and Ms. Lane) This morning started with a delicious breakfast in the fancy dining room at our hotel. A wide selection of dishes were served buffet-style; we were treated to everything from fresh fruit and bacon to chow mein. After breakfast, we met in the lobby for a quick briefing from our research team on today’s destinations. A quick walk down the busy street brought us to the Children’s Palace. The beautiful structure stretched 93 meters high, and it was built only 4 years ago. This... Continue reading

As I walked past the airline check in counters at SF International at 8:45 am on Jan 2nd, I noticed little activity. And, then I arrived at the United counter where I could see nearly the entire Junior Class, their parents and chaperones standing in line to check in or taking photographs of this historic moment. Smiles and cheerful chatter filled the room until the group photos were taken. Then, the students moved quickly into their pods to prepare for the walk through security. After last minute good byes, hugs, and photographs between parents and their daughters, the Global Investigators... Continue reading