I stepped into Pudong airport with some amount of nervousness and anxiousness and a touch of excitement. This was my first time in China. No doubt, I am ethnically Chinese but I was born and raised in Singapore. Being a freshman intending to declare a mechanical engineering major, I had applied to the Shanghai Jiao Tong University summer exchange program, not merely to fulfill my course requirements but to do some traveling and improve my mandarin. I had also opted to do a follow-up internship with a company based in Shanghai, namely Baosteel, a steel manufacturing company. This experience lasted all of summer and most of spring. I only returned home on the 11th of August but it was well worth it. I was and still am deeply impressed by this experience.
The first thing that caught my attention was how advanced Shanghai was. To support the large population density, Shanghai had in place a modern metro transportation system and very well maintained expressways. In the Pudong district, many skyscrapers were erected, with many others to be completed in the next couple of years. The pearl tower and Jin Mao tower are now no longer the only buildings that hug the skyline. Judging from all the ongoing construction and remodeling, one can tell that Shanghai is only going to progress further. This was indeed very surprising. My home is generally considered one of the most advanced cities in the world and most definitely Asia. 
Shanghai however has come a long way. It was startling that the city, in many physical aspects, bore so many similarities to Singapore - a testimony to the growing economic power that is China.
Even being ethnically Chinese and from Singapore did not stop me from getting a little culture shock. Unlike the tight schedule of a holiday tour package, the other Michigan students and I spent at least 2 months in China and hence got to understand the traditions and the way of life of Chinese people. One thing that immediately struck me was how each person’s personal space was very much reduced. This is very much due to Shanghai being very crowded. Another aspect that differed from home was how almost everything was written in Chinese as compared to English back home. This took some getting used to given that my proficiency in Mandarin was no where near that of the locals. However, I think I managed the role of a “pocket” translator for my American friends pretty well.
Classes were very enjoyable and enriching. I was taking EECS 314 and VZ101 Chinese Language and Culture. The culture course in particular was very interesting. The teacher, Mrs Sa Weiqi, not only introduced us to Chinese history and culture but, being a local herself, also brought us to various famous locations around Shanghai. After spring term, I had the opportunity to intern at a local steel-making company, Shanghai Baosteel Group Corporation. Let the word “local” not mislead you, Baosteel is the 6th largest steel manufacturer in the world and the largest in China. It was certainly a privilege to be recommended for this internship. I had a wide variety of tasks that ranged from providing some assistance in Chinese to English translation to researching foreign patents in steel cutting processes. The other interning Michigan student, Bronson Edwards, and I also got to tour the steel factories such as visiting the hot rolling mill. My internship was amazingly both educational and entertaining at the same time.
Earlier I had mentioned that I felt this would be the perfect chance to do some traveling as well. I was not disappointed in the least. During spring term, the Michigan students and I found time to visit Beijing. We opted to visit a more authentic portion of the Great Wall of China that was not recently rebuilt but left untouched through the centuries. The sight from on top was a view to behold - hills, valleys, lakes and farmland stretching far into the horizon. The wall itself extended further than we could see. Unlike the city, the mountain air was fresh and the sky a clear blue. We had long forgotten about the 45 minute climb to the top.
We also found time during our respective internships to visit Huangshan Mountain. The climb up to the peak was indeed strenuous, taking a few hours. Thankfully, the air got increasingly cooler the higher we went. We also got plenty of scenery in due course and were very satisfied when we finally arrived at the peak.
The mist engulfing the other surrounding peaks made the experience very mystical. However, we had to depart a while later because thunderstorm was about to arrive and our hair was standing from the static generated. When we had descended, we felt that even though we were exhausted, our reward at the top was worth every bit.
Time passed very quickly. It was not long before I was packing my bags to catch my flight home. I think there are two things that I would really miss about Shanghai. One would be the cheap taxi rides. The other would most certainly be the good food that one could get for such affordable prices. This summer, I had worked hard, ate and slept well and enjoyed myself thoroughly. I could not have asked for anything more really. This experience has opened my eyes in many aspects, be it the economic growth of China or the wonders of nature. It is highly likely that I will pay a visit in future on holiday or on business to see how China has changed. It would certainly be an entirely new experience for me and for anyone indeed.
