SMU Update 6/2/10

Greetings from Shanghai: The semester here at SMU is slowly approaching a conclusion and we will be wrapping up our courses in the coming weeks. The trip here in China has been an unbelievable experience and I cannot believe how brief of a visit it will be. It seems like we climbed off the plane just yesterday but I can ensure you that idle time has been well occupied. We all had time apart from our studies to travel around and see different parts of China. Personally, I visited Chongqing, Beijing, Xi'an, Kunming, and Lijiang while being here. I can certainly speak of China knowledgeably after having the opportunity for these travels. However, there will always be more to see and plenty of reason for us to return to China in the future.

In regards to courses, the IMBU students have been working on many different research papers and case studies as part of our final course grades. All of these papers are relevant to the course discussions and we had some leniency in our topic choice. For Port Terminal Development, I have been working on a paper discussing the China's port development as a result of US trade fluctuations. In Chinese Business Law, I'm working on a paper covering the legal process of a foreign individual starting a business in China. I have already finished a paper covering the US tanker industry and the Oil Protection Act of 1990. There have been some great topics coming from the other students as well and I'm certain we will all receive high marks.

SMU Update 5/29/10

Courses have been going well and we have had some small trips to supplement our class learning. One of these included our trip to Yangshan Deep Water Terminal. This was an amazing experience and I had been looking forward to it for some time. It was pretty eye opening to view the scope of this port in person (pictures really can't do it justice). When this terminal is completed, it will be able to accommodate 15 million tons annually. It has been interesting to learn how this port has affected the competition amongst other container ports in the area. The investment and control of ports in China has changed and progressed significantly over recent years. Much of this growth was brought forth by foreign investment in the port infrastructure which was allowed by the Ministry of Communications. It has been interesting to learn some of the current port issues and the problems with over-investment.

The Marine Transportation students have also been enjoying the courses and learning experience. They have had the opportunity to use the ship simulator to practice stopping and turning in various conditions. They have expressed how state of the art the simulator is offering 360 degree views via projectors. This has proven to be a great learning aid for their classes. They have also had the opportunity to visit the lake for some hands on exercises. One of their favorite classes, Maritime Law, has been great due to the experience of the law professor. Vinnie Sciamanna mentioned that the course on Navigational Instruments has covered all of the newest equipment being used like Voyage Data Recorders but also the industry basics such as magnetic compasses. They have been enjoying their experience here thus far.

SMU Update 5/26/10

The opportunity to come to China and see the growth of the shipping industry in its purest form has been enlightening. There is no way for us to quantify the value of this learning experience abroad. I still cannot believe that I was given this opportunity and it will truly change the dynamics of all our lives. I personally can see the benefit of the cultural knowledge for my future in the maritime industry. From this short experience, I will know more than most in regards to the Chinese consumer and business operations here. Also, the network of professional connections we have established will carry with us throughout our careers. I know that many of us would likely consider employment in China after graduation. Some of us have taken the opportunity to research some companies and MBA programs in China as well. If I have discovered one thing, it is the value of learning Chinese. It has been difficult to take the time to study the language with so many distractions but I will personally strive to get a base of the language within the next year.

In conclusion, this has been a truly fulfilling experience with a lot of unexpected learning opportunities. Although there have been some hiccups, there has been nothing that we haven't been able to work past. I will look forward to recounting our trip upon our return and I will certainly be a strong advocate for the continuity of the program. I'm sure the next group of students will be very eager to travel here next spring. This is yet another addition to the MMA package that sets us apart from other Maritime Academies. It is certainly worth mentioning that there were risks taken to establish this program. I'm happy to say that those were worth it and we will be happy to offer our suggestions to strengthen the metrics of the exchange program. With several weeks left, I'm sure I will have even more feedback to share by the time we leave. I look forward to my return to MMA as well as the Board of Trustees. I hope the Committee Day meeting goes well and I will talk to all of you soon

MMA Update 05/23/10

More excerpts from a weekend in New York...

The traffic and the Subway...
Although heavy traffic and congested streets are no stranger to us, we still enjoyed every street and corner under the concrete jungle of the city. When walking down the street, we could easily find subway stations every several blocks. That’s why we all considered taking the subway to be an essential part of an authentic NYC experience. We rode it about 8 times. But, the only hard part for us was figuring out which direction each train was heading and where we could interchange to another train. So it took us time to search the map for directions.

The food and shops around...
We stopped by a restaurant for dinner before going to the Time Square the first night. Jake took us to his favorite restaurant, TGI Friday’s. I’m not sure how authentic it is but I am very thankful because the food was really fabulous there. Between the 7 of us, we racked up a $250 bill, but the meal was well worth it. There were many shops and stands selling anything you wanted to buy from souvenirs to hotdogs. I bought several of both. We bargained with venders for lower prices on the items. My roommate Brendan helped me get my favorite purchase for a great deal. It was an I heart NYC t-shirt but learning about the baseball season I will wait till I get back to Shanghai to wear it.

Submitted by, SMU Cadet Huang Yixin, “Matthew”

MMA Update 05/21/10

Excerpts from a weekend in New York...

The United Nations Building, Wall Street, the Empire State Building, Time Square, the 9-11 Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, the Central Park and other iconic New York destinations.

It was very interesting to see Wall Street. Being a business major this is the center of our industry. A great number of business transactions happen every day which affect the whole world. As China continues to develop we will surely look to NYC as an example.

On the second day in NYC, we went to see the Statue of Liberty. We left the hotel very early in the morning to beat the lines; unfortunately there were several hundred tourists with the same idea. After a short wait, we boarded a double-decker ferry which took us to the island. The top deck of the ferry had a spectacular view of Manhattan. That view continued to improve as we got closer to the Statue of Liberty. Up close, the statue and island were far more beautiful than what had expected. We spent a lot of time on the island exploring and taking pictures.

Out of all the attractions Time Square was the most fun and where we spent most our time, wandering through the busy streets. I got a strange feeling, even though I was thousands of miles away from home, I felt like I was in the streets of Shanghai. All the people going about their business and the bright lights reminded me of home. Although maybe Shanghai is much more crowded and there are significant cultural differences, I realized that they are in some ways the same. I enjoyed seeing the horses in the city. There were mounted policemen protecting the city and horse-drawn carriage rides for entertainment. Fortunately we were safe and no one forgot their keys.

Submitted by, SMU Cadet Huang Yixin, “Matthew”

SMU Update 05/17/10

On Tuesday, we visited the stele forest museum that houses over 3000 steles and is the largest collection in China. It was interesting to see all the original text carved into these stones from that time. After visiting this museum we drove back to the city and decided to bike the city wall that surrounds Xi'an. The wall is 14km and was rebuilt in the 1300's by the Ming dynasty. This was an excellent view of the inner city and we couldn't have asked for better weather. The bikes that we rented had seen their better day so a few of us had some bike troubles. We had to meet after a couple hours because we needed to be at the airport for our flight to Shanghai.

The trip to both of these cities was awesome and I think everyone will remember the experience for the rest of our lives. I could have never imagined seeing two of the greatest sites in China while I was in school.

Adam Silvis is a 2/c cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

SMU Update 05/15/10

In Xi'an, we arrived and met our new guide for the couple of days that we would spend here. We first went to get some food at a restaurant that was near to our hotel. We arrived at the hotel after we ate dinner and it was really nice. It was located at the center of the small downtown and it had just recently completed construction. They gave us the rest of the evening off since we had just arrived.

On Monday, we had a very nice breakfast at the hotel and met at the lobby. We climbed on the bus and our guide gave us some background on the Terracotta Warrior site. I was really excited about seeing this and I think everyone else was anticipating the visit. I have heard about this “eighth wonder of the world” for quite some time and I really couldn't believe I was able to see it in person. When we entered the building of the first tomb it was like a picture. They estimate that there are approximately 8000 of these clay soldiers buried at this site. It wasn't until 1974 when a farmer discovered one of the clay soldiers that they decided to excavate. Each soldier is built to the real scale and they all have different facial features. Experts believe the army was built to protect the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor. The majority of the army is still buried and archeologists think there could be many more pits in the area. We took quite a few photos of the soldiers and headed to the second pit where there were war chariots and infantrymen. It was unbelievable to think this place actually exists and I was so grateful to visit the site. We walked around outside and many of us bought small terracotta soldiers made by local farmers for souvenirs. A couple of us got books on the area and then had them signed by the farmer that discovered the site. He has a small office at the location and meets people as he signs books. I figured a person could retire after discovering that but I guess he likes to meet people.

We had some lunch after visiting the site then headed to the Huaqing Hot Springs. This is a recreated site but there are many of the original hot springs still there. It was used by the emperors between 221 BC and 907 AD. It was interesting to walk around and see the area. After the hot springs, we visited the city center and the Pagoda's that sit in the park. They are over 1000 years old and sit next to the largest fountain in China. Many of us came back to this site for the evening light show that was performed which was spectacular.

Adam Silvis is a 2/c cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

SMU Update 05/13/10

On Sunday, we visited Tiananmen Square in the morning and walked around the area. I found this to be another important part of the trip because of the historical significance of this area. I walked around for awhile and took in the site because this is yet another place that I never thought I would be standing. We then headed to the entrance of the Forbidden City. At the entrance, you can see a large picture of Chairman Mao and the large gate that opens to the historical city. We walked around once we entered the city and the buildings were really magnificent. This place served as a political center for emperors for about 500 years from the Ming to the Qing Dynasties. It is listed as a World Heritage site as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. My favorite part of the tour was the Imperial Garden inside the inner court area. We had to leave the Forbidden city for the airport to catch our plane to Xi'an.

Adam Silvis is a 2/c cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

SMU Update 05/11/10

Saturday we had some breakfast at the hotel then headed to meet the bus. This was probably the best day of the trip as we were going to the Great Wall. After a decent drive to the tourist entrance of the Great Wall. It was amazing to the see this mountainous area covered in old remnants of the wall from so many years ago. The section we visited was well preserved and served as an entry for tourists. We all were given a time to meet back at the bus and away we went. The majority of the group went up the side of the wall that was less crowded. I couldn't believe how steep the wall was and it was a challenge for some people to make it to the top watch tower. It really makes you wonder how man could construct such an amazing architectural wonder. I couldn't help but stop and stare at the amazing scenery. The wall goes up over the mountains and down into the valleys with such ease and for the time it was built that must have been a feat. We all got quite a few pictures and I went down the wall as far as we were allowed. There was a man at the top of the watch tower selling small commemorative plates that we had our names engraved on. I was really reluctant to leave the wall when the time was up and I certainly could have used several days to walk around. I would have never guessed that I could have climbed the wall at such a young age.

Upon leaving the wall, we made our way to the lunch restaurant that is primarily dedicated to western visitors. We had a nice lunch then drove to the site of the Ming Dynasty tombs. This area has significant meaning to local Chinese and I think they appreciate the site more than a westerner. The Dingling tomb is where we entered and it is the only tomb that has been excavated. The layout of the tombs and buildings all have significant meaning and most historical experts find the place very interesting. We walked through the underground tomb then made our way to the entrance. The next site we visited was the Summer Palace. This is yet another UNESCO World Heritage site and really showcases the art and landscaping of the time. It is positions next to the Kunming lake and is another significant place for Chinese locals. There is a very large corridor that extends next to the lake. The ceiling of the corridor is covered in paintings that show the art of the time. We left Summer Palace and went to have another dinner before returning to the hotel and enjoying another free evening in Beijing.


Adam Silvis is a 2/c cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

SMU Update 05/09/10

Friday we had to meet in the lobby early to leave for our trip to Beijing. After a several hour flight we arrived at the airport and met with our guide who would be taking us around for the next few days. The plan was to then head to the 2008 Olympic stadium and walk around inside for a while. It was really interesting to see the stadium and it definitely looks smaller than on the television. We had a traditional lunch shortly after the stadium visit then drove to Tian Tan (the Temple of Heaven). This is a group of Taoist buildings that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built around the same time as the Forbidden City. The history and culture was really evident here. We walked around to several of the temples but we were short on time because the entrance to some of the sections were closed for the day. We had another traditional meal for dinner and headed to the hotel for a free evening.

Adam Silvis is a 2/c cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

SMU Update 4/24/10

Sarkis, Rob, and Jonathan accompanied one of the Chinese students who spent last Spring at MMA to their home in the city of Lin Hai, Zhejiang Province. They took a 5 hour bus from downtown Shanghai. Upon arrival in Lin Hai they enjoyed a dinner of typical Lin Hainese dishes primary of seafood. An early morning wake up led to a two hour drive to Kuocang Mountain for a hike to the top and back down.

After completing the 1,000 meter ascent to the top the group enjoyed a meal with food that was caught, raised, or grown on the mountain top. After returning to Lin Hai in the evening the group shared a meal with the Chinese students family while trying to learn the Lin Hainese dialect and teaching the father how to read his English version of Chinese Rules of the Road book. The next day the group traveled with the family to witness the Chinese Tomb Sweeping ceremony. This annual tradition includes visiting the graves of your ancestors bringing food, wine, and paper money!

Fireworks are lit off symbolizing the abolishing of evil spirits from the tomb. Following the ceremony the group walked the Great Southern Wall of China. Built thousands of years ago its purpose was to protect the city from flooding and enemy ethnicities from attacking. Every large city in Ancient China built a wall to protect its people but an ancient dynasty required many of them to be demolished once the country was unified. Lin Hai was allowed to keep theirs due to the flood protection it provided. The Lin Hai trip was a very adventurous and an enjoyable trip for the students as they traveled far from the city streets of Shanghai.

Submitted by 2/c Jonathan White

SMU Update 4/21/10

On Friday morning we took a bus to the old campus in the city to meet our Marketing professor. We held our lecture at the College of Chinese Studies and then went to Century Park after the class. Today he planned to take us to the underground market. This is a market that primarily sells counterfeit goods for very cheap prices. It was interesting to see how real many of the products were and how the negotiating works. It is very acceptable to bargain in China and you can pretty much bargain anywhere you go. This on the other hand was an experience on its own and really represented the purest form of a free market. It is kind of enjoyable to bargain on something that you have no interest in buying because you can really get them to drop their prices. This is definitely something that you can't see in America

On Saturday, we made plans to visit Chongming island just off the coast of Shanghai. We took about a 1 hour bus ride to meet a “fast ferry” that took us over to the island. When I think of a fast ferry I pictured the Hy-line cruise to the vineyard but this definitely wasn't the same. We may have reached a top speed of 10 knots per hour. When we arrived at the island we had to take another small van for about a 45 minute ride to the park where we were headed. The park was nice and looked similar to the salt flats in sandwich near Scorton creek. The whole park is set up on a boardwalk because everything is tidal so the ground is soft. It was a nice day to walk around and enjoy the scenary.

On Sunday, we made plans to travel to Deng Xiaoping's birthplace. This was yet another great chance to see a famous site that I may not visit again. Deng Xiaoping was a famous leader of the communist party who led major reform in China. The people of China held him in very high regard and there were thousands of people that visited his hometown for the Qingming festival. They credit him with making China wealthy and starting the market economy that it is now. I took many pictures of the scenery and I took a picture of his statue that was decorated in traditional Chinese items and flowers. This was quite an interesting day and I didn't see any other westerners in this town or at his former home. We got quite a few looks from the Chinese people that were there.

On Monday, we traveled to the mountain range that surrounds Dan's hometown of Linshui. We drove up some very narrow roads and hitch backs for a long time to reach the top. We parked and continued for another 2 or 3 miles in a vehicle owned by the park. Once we reached the top we continued with a hike through some of the trails. The landscape at the top of the mountain was all karstland and I got some great pictures. It is interesting but there was a nice waterfall at the top of the mountain near the cave that we also got to visit. The cave goes through the top of the mountain and was once used during their civil war by the guerrilla soldiers. I'm not sure of the elevation of the mountain but it was amazing looking out over the valleys below. I really enjoyed the trip and I would certainly like the opportunity to return to this province again in the future.

I really couldn't get over how outgoing Dan's family was and all they did for us. This was a perfect example of a traditional Chinese family and they treated us like one of their own. I really found some differences in family values compared to that of most American families. I think Chinese families rely on each other a lot more and there is a greater sense of dependence. This is certainly different from some American families and our culture overall.

SMU Update 4/18/10

The Qingming festival (清明节) is a celebration for the remembrance of deceased family members. We were given a holiday for this occasion so many of us decided to travel to some other towns in the area. Vinnie and I were invited by my former roommate to travel with him to Chongqing for the weekend. We booked some flights last minute for the trip and made the 2 ½ hour flight to the mountain city in the west. This was a really great opportunity for us because Chongqing is a far more traditional city compared with Shanghai.

We were treated to a day at the hot springs on Friday because this is a natural occurrence in Chongqing. The water at the springs is considered very healthy to the Chinese and they often put additional medicines in the water. One of his family friends took us out for lunch at a very nice restaurant where we were treated to some amazing food. We were told the chef at the restaurant is the same chef that cooks for our US Presidents when they visit China.

For dinner we ate a traditional Sichuan “hotpot” at a restaurant. The hotpot found in Chongqing is famous across China and is known for its extreme spiciness. This was an interesting meal because the pot is boiling hot grease at the center of the table and you drop your food into the cooking pot while you eat. We had duck intestine, cow stomach, and some other interesting dishes in our hotpot that night.

On Saturday, we met Dan's family and joined them for lunch in his hometown just outside of Chongqing. They had plans to visit his family memorial in the rural area outside of Chongqing for the day. We had an entire caravan of vehicles that we took to the countryside. It was really interesting to see the living environment of the locals to this area. There were rice fields and farmers plowing the fields with oxen. They build their fields in a step up ladder system and then flood them with water for growing rice. They literally plow their fields in mud up to their waste while they follow a oxen and plow. When we arrived at the area we had to hike up through some small homes on the way to the top of the mountain that his family owns for the memorial. I asked about the significance of this area and why his family chose to place the cement memorial at this mountain. They use an interesting method to plot the land with a gps and then pick a spot at random. His family then purchased the top of the mountain for this site.

This day was definitely a once in a lifetime experience and I doubt that I ever get to experience it again. We hiked to the top and began to lay out the site for the ceremony. In Chinese culture, they lay out a bunch of paper money to burn. They believe that burning the money will send it to their ancestors so that they can spend it. They even burn currency from other countries in the case that their ancestors would like to travel. I found this entire ceremony to be very interesting and I asked a lot of questions out of curiosity. The ceremony is rather lengthy and the entire family participates. They burn the money and then leave food and alcohol at the memorial site. The next portion of the ceremony came as a surprise to me. They laid out enough fireworks for a small town fourth of July and ended the ceremony with quite a show. The surrounding valley was echoing with all the noise and I made sure to take some pictures with the families permission.

MMA Update 04/16/10

About our rooms...
Actually I like the environment in my room very much. The room is a little bigger than mine in SMU, which means that I can enjoy more space which makes me feel more relaxed. Because there are three beds in my room, so when friends come we never worry about bed problems, almost every night we could enjoy a happy chat with our friends which is everyday’s good time. Generally speaking, I love my room, my roommate and all our friends.
Cui Yongjie (Jay)

About the trip to Chinatown...
We had a very enjoyable trip to the City of Boston with Mr. and Mrs. Ragu last week and they were kind enough to treat us to lunch at a Chinese restaurant in China Town. The food was very delicious and was much like Chinese food at home. We then visited the Boston Commons. Said to be the oldest park in American, the scenery was very nice there. Many people were sunbathing there and we had a great time walking around taking pictures. It was a really wonderful day and we appreciated Mr. And Mrs. Ragu's company and kindness very much.
Liu Qi (Yuki)

What we expect next…
I am very happy that I have had a wonderful time since I came here. Before I leave here, I want to go to Washington DC, to see the White House and the Washington Monument. Another place I want to go is New York City, which is called the Big Apple; I want to see the statue of liberty, the symbol of freedom, which is very impressive to me. When the weather gets warmer, if I have more time, I think I will go to the beach with my friends, I’m sure that we will have a lot of fun there. Thanks for Mr. Deegan arranging us a lot of trips, and thanks for Michael and Jon giving us a lot of help. We really appreciate what you have done for us.
Wang Chen Yu(Brian)

Just as Capt. Rozak said, you are not guests, you are part of MMA.

Edited by Yang Hanzhao "Hank" SMU Exchange Student

MMA Update 04/14/10

We have lived in MMA for more than 1 month already. We want to experience everything here and we really enjoy the new life with our new friends. If you want to know our feelings in details, please follow us.

About our classes...
One thing impressing me a lot is the different ways of teaching at MMA. In SMU, we don’t need to read more than 40 pages of textbook within a week, but we have to here because a regular quiz is always waiting for us before the lecture. Honestly, I couldn’t adapt myself to the new teaching environment at first and it was really tough. Sometimes, I had to read the textbooks again and again for fear that I may miss something important and fail the quiz. After taking several quizzes, I think I can get the hang of it now. Another point arouses my curiosity is that students here are very active in class here and they may ask any questions at any time, while we Chinese students would just like to listen and make notes of the lecture. Among all the lectures, I prefer Vessel Chartering and Brokerage most which is provided by Prof. Norz. I find it gives me a brand new angle on the shipping market and the analytical reports often make me feel excited. I think I’m a real challenge junkie!
Wang Yiqug (Jeffrey)

We prefer the educational methods here and get the feeling that students have a strong passion for learning. They ask questions and interact with teachers actively, which provides a pretty good learning environment. The curriculum here is not that hard but contains the most basic and important knowledge, so that great stress of study won’t be made for students.
Qian Chenjia (Annabelle)

About the food...
We are facing a new world, a new environment. There are many foods which we can choose in the mess deck. Everybody is curious about the different food in US such as the cheeseburger, the different sauce, the ham and sandwiches. At the beginning, the difference food in mess deck isn't to our taste. But with the passing time, we have all adapted to the food containing much nutrition. We all spend a good amount of time in the mess deck. Xiao Ding (Jax)

Edited by Yang Hanzhao "Hank" SMU Exchange Student

This entry was co-written by SMU exchange students.

SMU Update 04/11/10

After walking around the city for the day we decided to get some dinner and walk around near the “Bund”. This is the area next to the river and today was the re-opening of the park. It has been closed for about 1 ½ years for construction and this re-opening was a really big event for a lot of the locals. The Bund really looks nice with all the city lights and activity at night. We decided to take a boat on the river and go to the other side of the “Bund” to the most expensive real estate in all of Shanghai. The city is really alive at night and they light up all the buildings and boats.

On Sunday I went with Dan and Renee to the Shanghai Aquarium. I had been wanting to go there since we got to Shanghai because it is a very well known aquarium. The inside has exhibitions for every region in the world and some of the rarest fish are kept at the aquarium. It took us several hours to get through the entire thing so after I got back to the old campus I headed back to school. Most of us had some homework to do for our classes and a paper that we needed to write for our Logistics Class. The weather has still been a little cold but there has been several nice sunny days where we wore shorts.

SMU Update 04/10/10

SMU planned for us to have dinner or lunch with one of the professors from school in their home. We were split into several groups and assigned a professors home to attend and the plans were set. My group had lunch on Saturday afternoon at a professors home in the city. I was at the old campus with my former roommate so I headed over to meet the rest of the group. The meal was prepared in front of us for several hours while we visited and enjoyed some snacks. The professor had very limited English but we had our friend Sarah with us to translate. The meal was excellent and they went to great measures to make sure we were satisfied.

I continually say I but I just can't get over the outward friendliness of this culture. We have really been treated like family. After the lunch we made our way to the old campus because several of us had yet to see it. It was a gorgeous day out so the rest of the group decided to go to century park. I had been wanting to go visit Fudan University so I got a taxi with Dan and made the 30 minute drive to the campus. Fudan University is one of the best University's in Shanghai and it has an excellent MBA program. The campus was very nice and I stopped to gather some information on the program.

Adam Silvis is a 2/C cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

SMU Update 04/09/10

Last Thursday I celebrated my 22nd birthday. Renee, my SMU roommate from last spring, bought me a birthday cake to celebrate on Wenesday night. Thursday night, members of the student service center on campus thru us a welcome party and I was lucky enough to be given a huge birthday cake at that event as well. Friday night followed with a welcome party from the Marine Transportation program. That week seemed to be one party after another.

This last weekend we had another scheduled trip by SMU to a private garden called Jingsi Garden, about 2 hours from the New Campus. We left early in the morning on Saturday and spent most of the day there. It was a typical Chinese garden, although construction began in 1996 and was finished in 2003. The pictures below are from Jingsi Garden.

Following our trip to Jingsi Garden we were dropped off in the city again and spent another night with our old roommates seeing downtown Shanghai and staying in a youth hostel near the Bund. We returned to campus later on Sunday afternoon and yesterday started yet another school week.

Myra Shannon is a 1/c cadet and 6th Company Adjutant majoring in the IMBU program

SMU Update 04/07/10

The first weekend that we were on campus we left the campus early to go to an old water city about 1.5 hours from campus. In the morning we had to go to the Chinese Quarinteen and Inspection Facility because several of the student needed to change their visas so they can be granted further residency in the country. We spent almost 3 hours at the facility before driving another 2 hours to the old water city. Our tour guide for the trip got us lost once and our coach bus driver ended up driving down a one lane road between fishing ponds. When we got the end of the one lane road we discovered that there were cement blocks at the end preventing us from driving any further. We ended up having to back our way down almost 2 miles of road, with water on either side, in on-coming traffic. It took us a very long time to make it to the city.
This picture is of the all the exchange stuents at the water city. In the undergraduate program with those of us from Mass Maritime, we have exchange students from Australia, The Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Camereon, and Ghana. In total I think there are 21 of us (including the 11 of us from MMA).

On our return trip from the water city several of us were dropped off downtown to spend the night in the city. I went with some of the guys from MMA and we met our old roommates in the French Concession district. We spent the rest of the day Sunday catching up on laundry and preparing for the next weeks classes once we returned from downtown.

The following week continued much like the first one had, except for the fact that I caught a pretty good cold. The combination of having been on a plane with 200 strangers on the way over, with the very cold and rainy weather (and inproper clothing to deal with it), the sanitary conditions of China being less than that back home, and the style of eating in China made it easy to get sick. In China most the meals that you will eat are shared plates that everyone eats off of, so there are lot of germs going around. I’m feeling 100% better now, almost 2 weeks later.

Myra Shannon is a 1/c cadet and 6th Company Adjutant majoring in the IMBU program

SMU Update 04/05/10

I am taking courses in Chinese Business Law, Port Terminal Operations, Marketing, Electronic Commerce, and a Chinese Culture course. Our classes run for 3 hours a day, once a week. They are somehwhat interesting. Each class is taught in English and from the way that the teachers are describing the courses at this time, we will not be taking exams, but rather projects or papers will be due at the end of the semester. Our teachers’ spoken english is pretty good, some obviously better than others, but overall we are able to understand them most of the time.

During the first week of classes we had one day off, as our teacher was out of the country. We took this opportunity to travel into the city and visit one of the famous gardens in Shanghai on the well known Nanjing Road. This was the first time that we traveled via public transit into the city. From the New Campus to the downtown bus station it’s about a 40 minute ride, costing 17 RMB- which is about $2.40. Comparing the ride from the Bourne Bride into Boston it’s MUCH cheaper. The subway system in the city is quite easy to navigate and it costs about $.50 to ride!

Myra Shannon is a 1/c cadet and 6th Company Adjutant majoring in the IMBU program

SMU Update 04/04/10

We are all into a regular routine with all of our classes and daily living. We are now pretty much able to order our own food and go around the campus without a problem. With some different classes, we are all pretty much on our own schedule. The majority of us do some sports in the afternoon and then go to the gym at our 1800-2000 allotted time. We are now getting some regular homework and papers for classes so that has consumed some time. I have been spending some free time in the evenings trying to learn more Chinese but it continues to be difficult. I think everyone has increased their vocabulary at least in some fashion. There are plenty of students around that want to practice their English so we may have to barter to learn some Chinese. I think the store clerks and waitresses laugh almost every time we order something or say thank you in Chinese. It is quite humorous to try to pronounce a lot of their words. I think the most important part of this is the cultural knowledge that we are gaining and the language skills comes second.

Adam Silvis is a 2/C cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

MMA Update 04/02/10

Last week the annual Connecticut Maritime Association Conference was held in Stamford, CT and, as in years past, Massachusetts Maritime Academy was in attendance. The majority of the juniors and seniors in the International Maritime Business program were joined by the five IMB host cadets and their Chinese roommates for the four hour bus ride to Stamford.

We were entertained on the bus watching Wedding Crashers, Role Models, and Heavyweights. In the blink of an eye, were had arrived at CMA and were inside the Hilton hotel mingling with industry executives. Most of us were able to catch the last part of a presentation on China’s growing role in the shipping industry and the expected role they will play in the future. Subsequently, the Chinese students and a few of the cadets from MMA wound up in the delegates luncheon dining on clam chowder, chicken and vegetables, and a delectable chocolate cake. The Plimsoll award was given to industry members who made an impact on the shipping market in usual ways such as reducing the environmental impact of their fleet or providing better industry transparency.

After lunch the five exchange students joined Jon and I for a presentation on the impact of newly built ships entering the market fleet and the expected role that the gargantuan orderbook will play on market rates. After this presentation we all had the opportunity to walk around and speak to company representative about career opportunities. The primary focus of the conference is for companies to offer their services to other companies rather than to hire cadets but this provided a valuable networking opportunity for the cadets to get business cards of employers to contact in the future. The ride back included a stop at Uno’s Restaurant somewhere in Connecticut and I think we were all eager to hit the racks after such a long, exciting day!


2/c Mike Doren and 2/c Jon Foley are cadet hosts for the SMU students at MMA and will be documenting their semester experience.

SMU Update 04/01/10

Our first full days at SMU were spent doing a tour of campus and the surrounding area, including the new city being built nearby, Lingang. The different colleges’ buildings are located on one side of campus and the dorms and cafeterias are located on the other side of campus. There is a man-made river though the middle of the campus and it divides the areas. The school gymnasium is about a 10 minute walk from our dorms and is very nice. We have been given access to the weight room and the pool during the week. The library on campus is unbelievable. COSCO (China Overseas Shipping Company) sponsored 7 million dollars to the building of the campus library and their logo is on the roof. We have a pretty good view of the library from my bedroom balcony and a good view of the auditorium and the remainder of the dorms on campus from my study’s balcony. We also went to the Lingang City to see what is under construction there. China will be having a World Expo while we are here (in May) and it is expected that 70 million people will be in attendance. They are doing a lot of construction all over the city in preparation for the Expo.

This picture is from the 7th floor balcony of the library. It is overlooking some of the dormitories; on the left of the building that looks like a ship (which is actually the student service center) on the right side are classroom buildings. The water that you see from the balcony is the man made river that runs through the campus.

Myra Shannon is a 1/c cadet and 6th Company Adjutant majoring in the IMBU program

SMU Update 03/31/10

An interesting evening, I thought may be of interest to others...

Last night a group of us ventured to a restaurant on campus for dinner, without the accompaniment of a Chinese student. Although we were regulars at the place, the menu was entirely in characters, making it difficult for us to order (especially with wait staff that could not speak English). Knowing this, we strategically brought along a receipt from a previous dinner at the same restaurant, from an evening when one of our Chinese roommates had assisted in ordering food that he knew we would enjoy. With that, we were successful in ordering an excellent meal. The staff at the restaurant was very pleased with our ingenuity and showed their thanks with a letter, written to us in English, which they presented to us at the end of our meal. The letter read;

"Excuse me, your are welcome to our restaurant. I know you like American food. Here is your table [bill] and the last menu. We look forward to your visit. I want recommend some of the specialties to you. Thank you."

I have a strong feeling that we will be frequenting the same restaurant in the future.

Myra Shannon is a 1/c cadet and 6th Company Adjutant majoring in the IMBU program

SMU Update 03/30/10

On Sunday, we had a nice American breakfast at a western restaurant. The food was excellent and we headed to do some shopping before proceeding to the campus. I think we all pretty much understand the bus and subway system by now. Everything is in Chinese but we memorized the correct bus to take to get back to the campus. The subway station is a little more complex but the lines are all colored. To give you an idea, just picture the Boston train system and multiply it by twenty. Throw in the high volume of subway commuters and you should easily get an idea of what it is like. I think we should be equipped to live in any city by the time we are done. One thing that really has helped, is getting a transportation card that we can deposit money onto. This card can be used on the taxis, bus, subway, and commuter train. This eliminates the need to constantly print out different tickets for different destinations. The bus stop is only about a 20 minute walk to our dorm location and that is convenient as well. There isn't a lot of weekend activity on the new campus so we are going to learn to navigate to the downtown quite frequently.

Adam Silvis is a 2/C cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

SMU Update 03/28/10

Another welcoming party was held for us... This was hosted by the students and they put substantial effort into preparing some performances for us. We were separated into groups when we walked into the student center and we were all with groups of Chinese students. The performances ranged from traditional dance, singing, and also several different instruments. There was a student that played a piece on the violin which was very well done. After the performances, we were instructed to join our groups to make our own dumplings. This turned out to be a little messy but we all learned how to make them with relative ease. The host of the party asked us to do some performances. Some of the MMA kids did a song for the crowd which got quite a few laughs. The party ended with some social time and I met quite a few different students from a variety of majors.

Adam Silvis is a 2/C cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

SMU Update 03/25/10

SMU set up a trip for us to go to the Jingsi Garden in the Jiangsu province. The garden is quite an amazing thing to see considering its background. The garden was constructed to look like it is hundreds of years old but in reality it was completed in 2003. The creator of the garden was a successful businessman involved in chemical manufacturing. He decided to spend ten years constructing a garden consisting primarily of ancient architectural pieces found throughout China. Each piece of the garden has a significant meaning and there are some amazing stone structures throughout. We had lunch at the garden then proceeded to our tour. We were given the opportunity to ride a Chinese style gondola through the gardens water system. Everyone took part in this and then we all were invited to try on some traditional Chinese clothes. I think a few of us enjoyed this more than others but some great pictures were taken. In the afternoon, we were dropped off at the bus station and many of us proceeded to the city for our own free time. We ate some Pizza Hut on Nanjing Road in central Shanghai and this was definitely a taste of America.

Adam Silvis is a 2/C cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Photo courtesy 2/C Myra Shannon

SMU Update 3/22/10

Today was back to classes for us and we had a full day. We had our first morning formation today. It was definitely quite different from our morning formation and we formed up together with the other international students. The Chinese flag was raised along with the anthem. We were told that one flag from each international country would be raised each week. Today was our flag and we saluted our colors with pride as the anthem was played. We now have some additional students studying with us from Africa. There are now students from America, Australia, Africa, Poland, the Netherlands, and South Korea that are part of this international maritime program. This is such a tremendous opportunity for everyone here and I'm sure that the other students feel the same.

After classes were done, many of us played soccer and spent time outside. It was a great day today with mild temperature. My former roommate Dan and also Renee came down to the campus. We went over to the Dishui lake and checked out the area. It was a nice day to be over there and I checked into the price for sailboat rentals for another day. We grabbed some dinner at a restaurant in the area and headed back to the campus. The Dishui lake is the center of a new city that is being built in this district. It is supposed to accommodate 800,000 residents when it is completed. There are so many buildings being constructed everywhere you look. There is also a lot of logistics companies relocating to that area. In another ten years, this will be a major maritime hub that will complement the deep water port not far away.

We all had to meet with the local police and go over some paperwork that was supposed to be completed within 24 hours of our arrival. This was just a formality and we completed the paperwork without any problems. Most of us went to the gym after classes and spent several hours working out. Dan and Vinnie went to play some basketball in the gym and after a while they were challenged to a 4 on 4 game with some Chinese gentleman that had been playing previously. The game was hilarious with MMA vs the Chinese men. After losing about 5 games, Dan revealed to the group of American students that the Chinese men were all basketball coaches. I only played for the first game which gave me the opportunity to watch some of these guys play ball. The coaches looked like professionals out there and our kids got shut out in several of the games. It is pretty interesting to be able to interact with people of a different culture and not be able to speak a universal language. There was minimal discussion during the game but it was evident that the Chinese men were having a great time playing with the Americans.

SMU Update 3/18/10

Things continue to go well with classes this week. Today we had more classes for the first time and all the professors seem to have great backgrounds. I heard from one of the Chinese students that the majority of our professors are the best in the school and many of them teach at other top universities in China. I really liked the class we had today and the professor was likely the best for the IMB cadets. After classes, we were all invited to go plant trees for the Chinese Arbor day. We all met up near the one park area on campus and went to where the trees would be planted. All of the international students and the Chinese roommates showed up for the event. I think we planted about 30 trees and we also dug a place for a sign that said “International Forest”. We got a big group picture with everyone and many of us threw the football around for a while outside.

It was finally sunny outside so we decided to play a little American football on the the turf. We had a great game going between the international students for a couple of hours and it was really nice. It wasn't long before a whole group of Chinese students showed up and wanted to learn how to play. We gladly started a new game and split up the teams. It took them a little bit to figure out how to play but they certainly caught on fast. One of the Chinese kids actually intercepted one of my passes so I think they might have seen the game before.

I made plans to go to the city for the weekend because my roommate from last spring will be flying up tomorrow. I left in the afternoon and took a bus to Longyang road subway station where I took a subway into the city. I met up with Renee, one of the exchange students from last spring, and we went around the city for a while. I got a hotel room for the weekend and then proceeded to have dinner with one of Renee's friends who works for Phoenix Logistics in Shanghai. This was a great opportunity for me to talk about possible job opportunities in Shanghai.

I had plans for lunch with a managing ship broker at ACM shipping in Shanghai. I was able to talk with him about the company and the maritime industry in Shanghai. He spoke English quite well and it was interesting to hear his views on the shipping market right now. It is really amazing how large the industry is here. It seems like everywhere I turn I see a logistics or shipping companies. I left from there to go with Renee to the airport on the Maglev train. This train is truly amazing and it doesn't actually touch the track or run on rails. It kind of just floats above the tracks and moves at an incredibly fast speed. I think the fastest speed we hit on the way to the airport was 432 km/h. After we picked up my roommate from the airport we went shopping for the day.

Update from SMU

Today was pretty uneventful and all of the international students had a class together. It was a three hour lecture on Chinese culture and history and the professor has very clear English. He told us that he learned his English from missionary schools and that explains his British accent. He talked a lot about his past and he has spent his life in research. This class will be quite enlightening for most of us and I'm eager to learn more about the culture.

We had a weekly meeting with the head of the international program and discussed our upcoming events and plans. We were finally given a period of time to use the weight room here on campus and that was important for a lot of us. They have some very nice facilities and we went and used the gym tonight. Some of us went to the library tonight because we have plenty of reading to do for our classes. The weather was pretty nice today but it is still really cold. I'm hoping it will start to to warm up in the next few weeks.

The IMB cadets were scheduled for a three hour Business Law lecture but the professor was unable to make it. This opened up a full day of freedom so we decided to go to Nanjing road and do some shopping. We all needed some warmer clothes so this was a good day to do that. The MT cadets had a full day of lectures so they were unable to come with us. We met some of our former roommates in the city and did some shopping before lunch. The clothing here is actually a lot more expensive than the US. A $40 dollar pair of Levis in the United States would go for about $150 in China. This was the same for many of the US and European brand clothing. There are several shopping malls in the city and they are all huge.

Some of the MMA cadets had dinner with some new SMU friends at a restaurant on the campus tonight. We had a great time and the food was really excellent. It is quite amazing that we come from two completely different cultures but we are still able to socialize and communicate. All the Chinese students are eager to learn more English and we are eager to learn more Chinese. I think everything is going smoothly and we are all adjusting quite well. The food and diet is definitely different from what we are used to and I think we have all lost several pounds in one week. I usually just avoid asking them what we are eating because I usually don't want to know.

Adam Silvis is a 2/C cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Classes Begin at SMU

We started classes this week. It is still very cold out and it has rained almost everyday since we got here. I think it was about 0 degrees Celsius today and the wind was really blowing to top it off. Our first class today was Container Port Terminal Development. The professor seems very intelligent and his English is clear enough for us to understand. The class should be very interesting and we will have so many resources to use for this class. The professor gave us a tour of the transportation lab and that proved to be unbelievable. There are four scale displays of different ports and the detail is amazing. These glass displays are complete with lights and moving cranes. There is also a movie theater in the lab and we watched a short video on container terminals. I think everyone was equally impressed and I took a lot of pictures.

We had lunch at a nice restaurant in one of the shopping centers and it was a hot pot style meal. This was the first time that any of us have ever eaten a meal like this. We sat around a table and in the center is a cooking pot that is built into the table. I couldn't honestly tell what we were eating but it was pretty good. The food is slowing dumped into this cooking pot in similar fashion to a stew and everyone just serves themselves from the pot. It is meant to be a social meal and is mostly done on family occasions or for the new years. The lunch lasted about two hours and we headed back out to do more shopping.

The IMB cadets had a logistics and supply chain class in the afternoon while the two MT cadets had classes at the Merchant Marine College. I think everyone is enjoying class and the Professors are very accommodating. The classes will all be very challenging but we definitely have the resources to learn. This school really feels like a research institution along with an academic learning environment. The professors all have amazing credentials and they really seem to have a passion for what they are doing.

Adam Silvis is a 2/C cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Shopping in America

The first few days have been filled with classes, meetings, and lectures but we had the opportunity to get off campus last Thursday evening for a trip to Walmart. We loaded all ten of the exchange students into a Buc van and made the short drive down the road to the local store. Once inside, it was like having ten children in a candy store. They knew that they could satisfy all of their needs in that store and took full advantage of the facilities at hand. Many had forgotten shower shoes or toiletries and each of them were eager to roam the store to scope out the offerings. Their excitement at such a commonality was incredible and was not something that we took for granted.

On Saturday, we drove the exchange students to Wrentham Outlets along with another host, Brendan Dickinson. Upon pulling into the parking lot we heard chattering including “Reebok” and “Nike” but were quick to advise the students about spending all of their money on this first weekend. Some of them desired boots, sneakers, or winter coats and others just wanted to walk through the outlets. We left them to their own devices and set up a meeting for 1500 outside of the Reebok store.

We met back up around 1430 and heard stories about the shops they saw or the items they saw for sale inside the stores. A few of them had found a Chinese food establishment but were quick to warn us that it was an American-Chinese food restaurant and was nothing like the authentic Chinese food available back home. “The chicken was very tough” one of them remarked and we quickly told them that it would be difficult to find food comparable to the food back home. We made another quick stop at Walmart to pick up any other necessities before heading back to campus for the evening.

2/c Mike Doren and 2/c Jon Foley are cadet hosts for the SMU students at MMA and will be documenting their semester experience.

Introduction to America

We had the opportunity to welcome the students from Shanghai Maritime University and played a leading role in their acclimation both to Massachusetts Maritime Academy and to the United States. We spent the days before the SMU students’ arrival getting their temporary rooms prepared with bedding, towels, and ensuring the overall cleanliness of the entire rooms. Commander Page set up a series of meetings for all of the transfer students involved in the Spring Semester Orientation Program (SSOP) and the Chinese Exchange students were to follow a comparable schedule. We set up additional meetings with the Business Office to create savings accounts, a meeting with Health Services to provide an overview of the services provided, and spent all of our free time doing our best to get the exchange students acclimated to America and, most importantly, the time difference. They seemed to be handling all of the excitement well and at times even seemed to be better rested than the two of us.

They arrived on Wednesday evening exhausted after their 19-hour flight from Shanghai to Japan to Minneapolis to Boston. Their first meal in the United States, per their suggestion, was McDonalds before they made their way to MMA. We greeted them at CIC and whisked them up to their rooms on the 04 deck of First Company. Following a brief meeting with LT Deegan, Trustee Paul Kelly, and Professor Qi Chen, we gave the exchange students a brief tour of the deck and sent them to their rooms for the evening. This is an exciting experience and look forward to documenting the journey.

2/c Mike Doren and 2/c Jon Foley are cadet hosts for the SMU students at MMA and will be documenting their semester experience.

Tour of Shanghai

We just got back from a wonderful day out in the city organized by SMU. This morning, we were taken by bus to see the tallest building in Shanghai, the Financial Center. The students were absolutely thrilled to take a futuristic elevator to the 100th floor that made our ears pop. For all of us, this was first time to be looking down on clouds drifting by.

After a wonderful lunch at the old campus we helped students with their banking needs and then went to see the Shanghai Museum. Their Ming dynasty vase collection, bronze and calligraphy exhibits and jade collection is what fables are made of.

Our students are getting a new appreciation of our world, its diverse people and cultures and their rich heritage. They also seem to enjoy Chinese food and have no qualms about steamed dumplings for breakfast. SMU is doing everything they possibly can to make their stay comfortable and enjoyable.

Tomorrow we go on a tour of the historic Yu Gardens. Tonight, we meet our students to address any concerns they might possibly have. More later...

Bani Ghosh is the Department Chair for the International Maritime Business department at MMA and is accompanying the cadets for the first few weeks of the transition.

Settling In

I went to bed last night at about 1 am and woke up at about 4am. I guess that is the problem with a 13 hour time difference. I think it will be a few days before we get acclimated to the sleep schedule. We were all starved for breakfast because we felt like we had missed lunch and dinner while sleeping. The mess deck was very nice and we had a variety of food to choose from. I'm not really sure what I had for breakfast but it was good. The meals will take some getting used to but they are all well prepared.

We had orientation this morning, where we discussed the program and all the details of the school. We found out that there will be several students from Australia, South Korea, Poland, and also Africa that will be a part of this international program as well. This is such a great opportunity for all the students involved and everyone wants to make this a success.

We were given a tour of the campus and the surrounding area but we had to do so by bus because of the weather. The campus is unbelievably large and the facilities are state of the art. I think we are all still a little confused about the direction of everything but I'm sure we'll catch on. The library has several hundred computers and more maritime related resources than several schools combined. I think this will be a great opportunity for the International Maritime Business students to access some great databases and periodicals.

There was a welcome dinner prepared for us this evening and all of the foreign students were invited. This was a nice traditional Chinese dinner and they gave some speeches to welcome us. This gave us the opportunity to meet the cadets from the other Maritime Universities and talk with the Chinese cadets. They also prepared some stage shows including music, dance, and singing. I think everyone enjoyed the dinner and hospitality. It is very apparent that they are putting in a lot of effort to ensure that we are happy.

Adam Silvis is a 2/C cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Arrival in China

We were scheduled to meet at Logan airport on March 3, 2010 at 0930 to prepare for our noon departure. We met at the terminal and we were able to check our bags without any problems. We all had been trying to mentally prepare for the flight we were about to undertake. I know I certainly wasn't focusing on the airplane seat that I was about to get acquainted with. Fortunately, the flight went very well as we stopped in Detroit and transferred onto another plane to Shanghai. We had approximately 20 hours of flying time between the two flights. I have never been so happy in my life to see land! I had no clue what day it was when we landed and I certainly wasn't aware of the time. Its perplexing to get on a plane Wednesday morning and land in Shanghai on Thursday night.

We met our friends from Shanghai Maritime University at the terminal and after some greetings we were on our way. It was quite refreshing to see familiar faces in such an unfamiliar place. We had minimal expectations before coming to Shanghai and we really didn't know what our living quarters would be like. We were quite surprised when we reached the foreign dorm rooms. We were shocked to find out that we had two rooms per cadet. The one room is our living quarters while the other room is across the hall and will be used as an office lounge. They have really went above and beyond to make this as comfortable as possible for our stay. Our new roommates are so helpful and eager to make sure that we are satisfied with everything. I still can't believe I'm in China.

Adam Silvis is a 2/C cadet and Student Trustee at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Introduction

So what is a blog anyway? Blogger.com defines a blog as a personal diary, a daily pulpit, a collaborative space, a political soapbox, a breaking-news outlet, a collection of links, your own private thoughts, and even memos to the world. Basically, a blog is whatever you want it to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules.

At Massachusetts Maritime Academy we are taking the blogging concept and giving it a new twist. This spring ten MMA cadets are traveling to China to spend the semester experiencing life at Shanghai Maritime University (SMU). Conversely, ten students from SMU are spending their spring semester at MMA with host MMA cadets. This blog will document life from both sides of the world and relay experiences of Americans in China, Chinese in America, and what can happen when two worlds collide.

Updates from Shanghai will be written and submitted by:
2/c Adam Silvis, Dayton, PA

Updates from Massachusetts Maritime Academy will be provided by:
2/c Michael Doren, Plymouth, MA
2/c Jonathan Foley, Millis, MA