48 hours later...

I stayed up all night on Friday, September 2nd, not even sleeping for a minute, as I was finishing up my graduate school application to University of Hawaii and fellowship application to the adjacent East-West Center research institute. I figured that my tiredness would allow me to sleep on my 12:30 pm flight the next day to Shanghai. My parents and I left the house in Orem, Utah at 5:30 am on Saturday, September 3rd and drove to the Salt Lake City airport, chatting about the week (playing badminton and swimming in the hot springs were the highlights for me) and my aspirations for the future. After saying our goodbyes, I went through security and relaxed at the gate.  

My Dad, my mom and me saying our goodbyes at the ticket counter.

At the drop-off area at 5 am, walking to the ticket counter with all my heavy luggage!

I flew to Las Vegas first and when I arrived at the gate I immediately noticed that 1.) there were slot machines in the airport, and 2.) there were at least 15 Chinese people waiting at the gate. I wondered if they were also flying to LAX to get the same flight as me to Shanghai. So I sat at the gate and surfed the Internet while I waited. The gate attendant then announced that our flight was delayed, but not to worry because all connections were good. A timid Chinese girl approached the desk and explained that she didn't think there would be enough time to transfer at LAX with the hour delay, but the attendant assured her that everything would be fine. Our plane ended up leaving the gate around 1 hour and 15 minutes late, but I remained calm despite worrying that I might lose my luggage with such a short time to transfer. After we landed, the other Chinese people on my flight anxiously got up and immediately started gathering their luggage, despite the flight attendant insisting that they stay in their seats until the seat belt light is turned off. Noticing how rushed the Chinese passengers were, I again wondered if they were also worried about making their 12:30 flight to Shanghai, but their behavior was nothing unusual for a Chinese person anxious about getting in the front of a hurried mob. Then I turned on my cell phone. It was 12:15 already. I mistakenly thought that we would change time zones from Las Vegas to LAX, and didn't realize that there was literally no time to catch a 12:30 flight. 

Preparing for another year abroad

I leave for China in 5 hours. After a week of shopping to stock up on the essentials (deodorant, contact solution, floss aka this is why Chinese people have bad breath, curly hair spray), I'm packed and ready to go. I agonized for a couple weeks over what gifts to bring my adviser, professors, and friends in Nanjing. Everything was either too heavy, too boring, too cheap, or too expensive. I finally thought of the perfect solution: homemade brownies and chocolate chip cookies (well, from a mix but they're basically homemade and very delicious). They're cooling on the counter now, and I'll pack them in Ziploc bags before I leave for the airport. They just need to clear customs and not get too squished in my over-packed luggage. They also need to get past my grandpa. He just walked in to the living room with two chocolate chip cookies and asked me what I was doing up so late. 

I can say my last day in the States was mostly a success: went running with Dad, got cleared by the dentist, finished up some grad school applications, played badminton with the family, and ate a classic American cheeseburger. The only bad thing that happened was that I accidentally put liquid dishwasher soap instead of dishwasher detergent into the dishwasher and there were white suds exploding out of the dishwasher, flooding the entire kitchen floor, and leaking down into the basement. I wanted to take a picture because it was kind of hilarious, but my Mom was freaking out and probably would have killed me.

Here are some pictures of my last week in the States: 

My grandpa and me (obligatory Nanjing University shirt)

My Dad and I eating Mexican food (stuffed green chili quesadilla: something I had to eat before going to China!)

My new running shoes! I got the Vibram fivefinger shoes and I'm so excited about them! I'm just walking in them now--I have to get used to the barefoot shoe--but they are the most comfortable shoe ever!

My trip to China will take 24 hours-- wish me luck! I'll spend the first night in Shanghai and take a train to Nanjing on Monday morning.

Scam Warning

From the American Citizen Services about scams coming from China:

“Injured Relative / Arrested Relative” scam –

“Hi, I’m a friend of your grandchild here in China and she was just seriously injured (usually in a traffic accident) and/or arrested. In order for her to receive medical care in China you must pay all fees upfront. The American Consulate won’t help. Please wire $2000 to my account so I can ensure your granddaughter receives the necessary medical treatment.” Always best to try and contact your relative directly, or call ACS (+86-21-3217-4650) to help you find out the facts, if someone tells you that they are in trouble and need you to wire them money ASAP. In China medical facilities will usually contact the U.S. Consulate if an American citizen is admitted without anyone to assist. We will never refuse to assist American citizens in need.

Utah

I think I've posted enough about Mormons and young looking Moms with 5 kids enough on this blog, so I'll abstain this time. After all, you could just watch South Park for that type of entertainment.

Utah is simply beautiful. There really isn't anything that compares with its natural beauty anywhere in the world. On Saturday, my Dad and I went for a run (playing the favorites alphabet game the whole time :-D) in Provo Canyon, which was stunning (photo taken from the interwebs):

Update on my future

Now that I'm a college graduate, especially one that holds a seemingly useless international affairs degree in a tough economic climate, I think everyone's favorite question to ask me nowadays is "So what are you going to do now?" I usually take the easy way out and say I'll be on the Fulbright this year and going to graduate school next year. Which means, I'm going through round #2 of graduate school applications now. Last fall I applied to GW's Elliott School for Asian Studies, Johns Hopkins Nanjing Center for International Studies, and University of California-San Diego for Pacific International Affairs. I was accepted into all 3 programs, but after a grueling and stressful senior year of college, decided I would rather spend the next 1-2 years in China. I hadn't heard back from the Fulbright at the time I declined admittance, but I had been accepted into Teach for China, so I knew I would be returning to China, and that's all I really cared about. Besides, I also am pretty sick of all things related to international affairs at this point-- I'm more an area studies (aka Asia) kind of girl. I'm kind of regretting the hundreds of dollars (literally!) I spent on graduate school applications last year, but I guess I got some practice so hopefully it will go just as well this time around. So, now that I am pretty much decided that I am not interested in international affairs anymore (I know, such a shame!), I decided to apply to political science/government PhD programs (6 years of study *hyperventilates*) and geography MA programs (2 years of study). So here goes my list so far, in order of desirability and selectivity:

Harvard (PhD in government)
Stanford (PhD in political science)
University of Washington-Seattle (MA in geography)
University of Colorado-Boulder (MA in geography)
University of Hawaii-Manoa (MA in geography)

Yesterday was my last day of work, so I am using the next few days before I leave for Utah to work on my statement of purpose(s) and applications. Wish me luck! Some of you might be getting emails from me in the next couple of months asking to give feedback on my essays... Also, let me know if you are particularly interested in giving feedback; I'd love to have you read my statement of purpose!

My Fulbright Project

Many of you have asked me, "So whatcha doing in China? You going there to teach English?" Well, not exactly. Although the Fulbright does have some teaching English programs (I encourage everyone to apply, by the way!), mainland China does not have that option. I'll be doing research instead... on urban redevelopment. Everytime I say that to someone, they usually just stare at me blankly, or ask "What's that?", so I decided to copy and paste my research grant proposal here in case you are interested in learning more! Your questions or comments are always welcomed--- ask me in the comments section! If you're interested, you can also read my personal statement on my Facebook in the Notes section.

STATEMENT OF GRANT PURPOSE

Sarah Tynen, China, Sociology

Urban Renewal in Nanjing and its Implications for Cultural Identity and Tradition

I propose to examine the impact of urban renewal on the preservation of tradition and shifts in cultural identity and how different socioeconomic groups are addressing these changes. To do so, I will conduct a case study in Old Nanjing, home to some of Nanjing's oldest housing structures and poorest residents. This will focus on the relationship between cultural-preservation scholars and neighborhood residents in discussions over urban renewal and the influence of urban redevelopment on the preservation of Nanjing cultural identity and tradition. Under the mentorship of Professor Chen Yunqian of Nanjing University (NJU), I hope that this study will serve as a tool for both Chinese and Westerners in creating urban development policies.

Nanjing, now accessible to Shanghai in less than 90 minutes by high-speed rail, is undergoing rapid modernization and transformation. As a result, local cultural identities and traditions are in danger of dissolving. Old Nanjing is an urban neighborhood that is home to one of Nanjing's unique cultural treasures, the laofangzi [old houses]. Cultural-preservation scholars argue that cultural heritage is at stake in the preservation of laofangzi, most of which date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties[1]. Nancy Berliner describes the cultural significance of Chinese living spaces perfectly: "The preservation of regional vernacular—that is, non-elite—residential architecture protects not only specific monuments...but also physical manifestations of living cultures, past and present, and offers them as investigative opportunities for future generations."[2] Preserving laofangzi means preserving physical and intangible attributes of Old Nanjing for the benefit of future generations. What attributes of the laofangzi represent the traditional values and lifestyle of Old Nanjing? Are the residents of laofangzi necessarily willing to trade a higher standard of living for the protection of cultural spaces? On-scene interviews and interactions in Nanjing will be essential for exploring these questions.

My research will be driven by two primary questions: 1) How are scholars and Old Nanjing residents addressing urban renewal and its implications for the transformation of culture? And 2) What implications, both positive and negative, does urban redevelopment have on the preservation of traditional Nanjing's cultural identity, values and customs? In the midst of skyrocketing property values, urban redevelopment is continuing at an unprecedented scale and speed. Such a situation calls for an immediate increase in research on the phenomenon, especially in areas outside of Shanghai and Beijing. The scarcity of research conducted in Nanjing on relevant issues is greatly disproportionate to the impact of urban redevelopment there. Meeting this need, my project seeks to investigate these rapid changes in urban space by studying the issue currently in play on the ground in Nanjing.

My mentor at NJU, Professor Chen, is a professor of contemporary history who specializes in cultural anthropology. Professor Chen and her colleagues at NJU have committed to providing the academic support network necessary to immediately begin carrying out my research. She has already invited me to join her research group "Symbols and Memory" at NJU's Advanced Social Sciences Research Institute. The group investigates the effects of Nanjing's modernization, including the transformation of surface space in Old Nanjing and its implications for Nanjing's cultural identity. The experts participating in this research group teach classes at NJU in various departments on the effects of modernization and have granted me permission to audit their classes. Their instruction will allow me to thoroughly review the literature published and fieldwork conducted on urban renewal, providing me with the academic foundation necessary to improve my research skills.

The beginning of the end (or is it just the beginning?)

I took my last trip to Pittsburgh last week. This is my last weekend in DC. And tomorrow is my last day of work. With so many "last times" in the US, I feel like everything is coming to an end... but then I remember that this is only the beginning. This is the beginning of my adult life, my career, my fieldwork and research in China... so many things to look forward to!

And the bottom line is, who do I have to thank? YOU! Because your tax dollars are sending me abroad. That's right folks. But don't worry, I won't waste it. And you kind of get some returns back by reading my blog. So it's pretty much win-win, right? ;-)

I can't believe that two years ago today I was getting ready to go to China for the first time. Now I'm getting ready to return to Nanjing for another 10-month stint--this time for something slightly more fun: the Fulbright. This time I'm receiving a regular salary and NOT getting graded: a double whammy of awesomeness. As the summer is winding down, I get déjà vu on a daily basis as I'm saying goodbye, getting my visa, buying my plane tickets, setting up my Skype account, ect... Things are looking up: I'm going back to China (my dream since I came back to the states in August 2010) and I'm NOT going back to school. YAY! Although I will be auditing some classes at Nanjing University, I'm over the whole "school" thing... for now (you know I'll be getting another degree in no time). For those of you that are wondering "what the heck is the Fulbright?" well, first of all, you must have access to the Internet, so Google it, for Christake! But for those of you that just don't feel like Googling (um what's wrong with you?) here is a press release the Fulbright sent me "to send to local newspapers." It would have been cool if it had included some things about me, but alas it is just another Fulbright publicity stunt. Nevertheless, it does have my name in it (they even refer to me as "Tynen" at one point). Here it is:

Sarah Tynen Receives Fulbright Award

Miss Sarah Elizabeth Tynen of George Washington University has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarship to China in Sociology, the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced recently.

Tynen is one of over 1,600 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the 2011-2012 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The primary source of funding for the Fulbright Program is an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations in foreign countries and in the United States also provide direct and indirect support. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields. The Program operates in over 155 countries worldwide.

Since its establishment in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program has given approximately 300,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and scientists the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.

Fulbright alumni have achieved distinction in government, science, the arts, business, philanthropy, education, and athletics. Forty Fulbright alumni from 11 countries have been awarded the Nobel Prize, and 75 alumni have received Pulitzer Prizes. Prominent Fulbright alumni include: Muhammad Yunus, Managing Director and Founder, Grameen Bank, and 2006 Nobel Peace Prize recipient; John Atta Mills, President of Ghana; Lee Evans, Olympic Gold Medalist; Ruth Simmons, President, Brown University; Riccardo Giacconi, Physicist and 2002 Nobel Laureate; Amar Gopal Bose, Chairman and Founder, Bose Corporation; Renee Fleming, soprano; Gish Jen, Writer; and Daniel Libeskind, Architect.

Fulbright recipients are among over 40,000 individuals participating in U.S. Department of State exchange programs each year. For more than sixty years, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has funded and supported programs that seek to promote mutual understanding and respect between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is administered by the Institute of International Education .

For further information about the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, please visit: http://fulbright.state.gov or contact James A. Lawrence, Office of Academic Exchange Programs, telephone 202-632-3241, or e-mail fulbright@state.gov