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Today was our travel day from Wuhan to Shanghai. It honestly feels weird writing that because it feels like we just got to China, but now we're already heading to our final city before going home.
Thoughts: Time really does fly when you're having fun 😭
8:45 am:
We finished packing up our luggage, checked out of the hotel, and loaded everything onto the bus. Weiting was once again making sure everyone had their train tickets and knew where they needed to be. I don't know how she kept everyone organized because there were a lot of us and a lot of luggage, but somehow she always made everything look easy.
One thing I've noticed throughout this trip is how much planning goes into traveling around China. There are so many people everywhere, but everything somehow keeps moving.
Thought: I honestly don't know what we would have done without Weiting helping us this whole trip.
10:30 am:
We finally boarded our high-speed train to Shanghai!
The train ride was about four and a half hours long, so everyone settled in pretty quickly. Some people listened to music, some slept almost the entire ride, and others just looked out the windows watching the scenery go by. I switched between listening to music, talking with friends, and staring outside because everything passed by so fast.
I also noticed how smooth the train was. Back home I've ridden trains before, but this one barely felt like it was moving even though we were traveling incredibly fast.
The seats were comfortable too, so it made the trip much easier.
Thoughts: I think everyone was secretly trying to catch up on sleep after all the busy days we've had.
Around 3:00 pm:
We finally arrived in Shanghai!
The train station was HUGE.
There were people everywhere, multiple escalators, different levels, and signs pointing in every direction. Even though it looked overwhelming, Weiting once again helped guide us through the station so nobody got lost.
Looking around, I kept thinking about how different transportation is here compared to Wisconsin. Everything seems built to move thousands of people quickly.
Once we made it outside, another bus was waiting to pick us up and take us to our hotel.
Thought: I'm really starting to appreciate how organized public transportation is here.
4:00 pm:
We finally arrived at our hotel and checked in.
After dropping off our luggage, everyone was excited to finally relax for a little while. It felt nice not having to rush off immediately to another activity.
Instead, we spent some time working on our student blogs and organizing all of the pictures we've taken throughout the trip. I didn't realize just how many photos I had until I started looking through them all.
It's crazy seeing how much we've done in only twelve days.
Thoughts: Looking back at the pictures made me realize how many memories we've already made together.
6:00 pm:
After everyone finished their work, our group leaders gave us the evening free.
It honestly felt strange having free time because we've had such packed schedules almost every day. Since it was our first night in Shanghai, all of us students decided it would be fun to go out together for dinner.
Walking around the city at night was beautiful. The lights reflected off the buildings and everything felt so alive. We found a restaurant together and enjoyed one last dinner as a group before our final full day in China.
The food was delicious, and honestly I think spending time together was even better than the meal itself. We laughed about everything that had happened during the trip, from getting lost, to trying to order food, to learning little bits of Chinese, and all the unforgettable experiences we've shared.
Thought: I don't think any of us wanted the night to end.
9:30 pm:
As exciting as it was finally being in Shanghai, I couldn't help thinking that tomorrow would be our last full day in China before heading back to the United States.
That realization made me a little sad.
At the beginning of this trip, I was nervous because I didn't know what to expect. Now I don't really want it to end. I've learned so much about another culture, met amazing people, and made memories I'll probably talk about for years.
Tomorrow is our last full adventure together before we head home.
Thoughts: Excited to explore Shanghai tomorrow... but definitely not ready to say goodbye to China yet ❤️
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