On the way out, I flew right over my work departing from Reagan National Airport.
I was told two days before flying out to my graduation that I was graduating #1 in the order of merit out of 203 classmates. That just means I spent too much time studying; should have played a little more while I was there!! At any rate, I had a one-on-one meeting with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong and also with the Dean of Fudan University business school... 
The order of merit of the "Outstanding Students" (I've whited-out my full name for the blog)
The graduation festivities were over-the-top, the Chinese know how to celebrate (think opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Beijing). Graduation was held at the Shanghai International Convention Center, right in the downtown of Shanghai's financial district... and less than a mile from where we used to live!
There were no cut corners on activities or costs, from 8:30 am to midnight, it was one big party. The lunch that followed the graduation ceremony was extravagant. I can't even tell you what I ate, my classmates kept on trying to describe all of the different foods that were being brought out, but couldn't keep up!
A view from the Convention Center... I was home! I missed you Pearl Tower. After being away from Shanghai for 100+ days, I can say that I missed Shanghai...
Large banners are always a part of any official meeting or function in China.
Another banner... I'm in the picture in the middle while on the beach from our class trip to Hong Kong, and our alma mater the University of Hong Kong, the previous summer. 
and with one of my favorite instructors...
Among our various activities throughout the day, we went back to the Fudan campus for pictures. Every university campus in China has a large statue of Chairman Mao, but Fudan has the only statue that doesn't have his right hand raised. They say it is because of respect to Fudan, and the independent spirit of the university.
US News and World Report had a cover story in October 2009 that ranks the world's top 200 universities: Univ of Hong Kong came in at #24 (and #2 in Asia) while Fudan came in at #103. http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/worlds-best-universities/2009/10/20/worlds-best-universities-asian-and-middle-eastern-universities.html
And finished with Karaoke!
Can it get any better??
I took this picture, not so much for the President, but more for the crowd taking pictures and videos of him. It was ridiculous... people were more interested in taking pictures OF him than listening TO him, it was embarrassingly noisy while he was talking, and all of the talking was in native Mandarin.
When the President came down to shake hands, a mini-mob surrounded him and I didn't want to get into the pushing that was occurring to get close to him. I looked over and saw Ambassador Huntsman standing by himself, so I went over, shook his hand and talked with him until it was time for the President to leave. That was worth my while to be able to talk with him.
I stayed with fellow Olmsted Scholar Ryan while there in Shanghai... we went to see President Obama together, then split up so I could run some shopping errands for Morgan, and then Ryan an I got together back at his place to watch the President's speech on TV to Shanghai university students that we weren't able to get into.
The President''s speech took place at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, and anybody that knows the Science & Tech, knows that there is a HUGE underground knock-off market right there. I had to know if the place, that sells illegal knock-off DVDs, clothing and electronics, was open while the President of the United States was only a few hundred feet away... (one of the President's agenda items while in China was pressing for better copyright enforcement). As soon as the speech was over, I headed to the underground market and sure enough, about a third of the stores were closed, including ALL of the electronics, DVD and software stores. See America, China doesn't sell fake stuff, there are no SONY signs behind the sheets here...
I came through the Science & Tech underground market the next day as well, I was just intrigued by it closing because of the President. I talked with several of the store workers about their stores being closed the day before. They said the police came through on Sunday and told them not to come to work on Monday, that if they did they would go to jail. So they lost one day of business because of President Obama being in town... too funny.
We just miss Shanghai. There is such a diverse mix of people all together in "harmony." A view from my friend's apartment... not the manicured garden of his apartment complex, overlooking the small temporary dwellings. These five-story buildings are put up, then razed when it's time to build the new, tall buildings. 
I hung out one evening with good friends Bryant and Elizabeth. I left their place at about midnight. They called their guard shack to get a taxi for me, but there was no answer. When I walked past the complex's security guards on my way out, this is what I found... the glowing orange on the "guards" hands is the reflection of a space heater as he is sleeping, while his fellow "guard" is reclined in a chair behind him catching some Zzzz's. Makes you feel so safe. 
Roads to nowhere. There are lots of "roads to nowhere" in China. A lot of this construction is due to central government planning that has mandated various "works" projects to keep the Chinese economy humming along with an 8% GDP growth rate. Not to say that these roads won't be effectively used one day, but right now they seem to be a huge waste. Time will tell if these projects were good infrastructure investments or frivolous projects to keep people employed.
I wished that Morgan and the girls could have joined me in Shanghai while I was there, actually would have welcomed it if we could have moved back to Shanghai. But it was time to go back to the States.
On the flight back I looked out the window and what did I see? Can anybody name the city?
Answer: Tokyo.
Morgan and the girls, along with my sister Denise who had come to D.C. on a business trip came to pick me up at the airport. The box and the suitcase were filled with things Morgan asked me to get while in Shanghai... I was a busy shopper 
Within the month, I graduated from Fudan and was also selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel. While I won't actually "pin on" the new rank until late-2010, it was a fun promotion announcement party. There were 200+ Air Force majors who were promoted to lieutenant colonel in the D.C. area, so pooling 200 promotees at $300/promotee yieled a party budget of $60,000+. I don't know how you can blow $60,000 in three hours, but having an reception at the Ritz in Crystal City from 5pm to 8pm on a Friday evening will burn that budget. I'm in the wrong business, I need to open up a reception hall in Crystal City.
Morgan "pinned me on" with lieutenant colonel stickers to cover my current major's rank.
3 comments:
What a handsome couple. Maybe you will have a chance to go back to the Asian Continent. You must wait until I can come for a month at a time. How about the year 2015? Congrats on all the great accomplishments for the year including the trip to the KISS Concert. Love you lots.
Congratulations, Tim! Congrats on graduating and getting to talk to Bro. Huntsman, getting to party hardy in Shanghai, getting to do all the shopping for Morgan, and for getting that great promotion. Loved your pictures and reading all about everything. We miss Shanghai too. How is it that it gets in your system and you just can't get enough?! Hi to Morgan and the girls!
Congrats, Tim! Not your every day Joe kind of stuff...
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