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Day 1 Blog Post by Semiah Actkins (Liberal Arts)
April 18th, 2026
Today is the day we have all been anticipating, the day we go to China. From the excitement of being accepted into the program to the idea of making lifelong friends, this journey has been building for months. Although we prepared for this trip for a long time, unexpected delays arose. With those delays came unforeseen memories at the airport, laughing and giggling as we navigated new obstacles together.
After many of travel, from Kenosha to Chicago, and from Chicago to San Francisco, coupled with flight delays, the long-awaited news finally came that we were allowed to board the plane to Shanghai, China. All of the instructors were incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the entire journey. We began boarding the largest plane I have ever seen.
Once we finally settled in with our fellow travelers, my classmates and I started talking about the time we shared during the unexpected delays and challenges. It finally felt like it was time to relax after a long day of travel, delays, and laughter as the plane began to take off.
There were 12 hours still left on the plane, and after the first of many naps, I woke up to the first meal of the flight. I was so excited to not have to spend $50 on a meal this time. I decided to choose the chicken and rice option. It was my first taste of “authentic” Chinese food on the trip, and I must say it was much tastier than American-style Chinese food.
After finishing my meal, my classmate and I began talking about our anticipation for the program, not knowing what was waiting for us once we arrived in China.
We finally arrived in Shanghai at 9:18 PM. Since we had so many delays at the previous airport, we were able to stay one night in Shanghai. Once we settled into our hotel, we were greeted by a talking robot. I knew robots existed in China, but I had never seen one in person before. I am not the biggest fan of the unknown and this trip has brought me some anxiety about our upcoming next couple of weeks due to this being my first time out the country. However, I am excited about the trip and I wonder what awaits us for the rest of our trip.
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