Two days of touring Beijing and learning lots about Chinese culture and history,  Toured Tiananmen square, the Forbidden City, the palace museum, the Olympic Stadium and the most impressive Great Wall of China. Our bodies are aching yet we feel very accomplished.  The experience was worth all the pain and sweat!

One interesting behavior of the Chinese people over the past few days has been their request to take pictures with us due to a lack of cultural diversity.  Many of them have never seen people of color or those with blonde hair.

Meals have been family style with six to eight delicious dishes.  We celebrated Nicole’s birthday today.  She was given their traditional dish of very long noodles signifying longevity.  We also had a good old fashion birthday cake with fruit on the top which tasted fabulous,

Hello from China. We made it safe and sound.  Our first day was long and uneventful.  We landed on time with one small glitch. Some of our luggage took time to retrieve but once our luggage was in hand Dr. Shang and our guide named Tiger were waiting for us. We went to dinner and had our first lesson in using chopsticks. Some of us were more proficient than others. We then headed to the hotel where we had a much needed rest. Today starts the Beijing tour of the Forbidden city and Ti’an men square. We are very excited to start seeing some Chinese culture.

My name is Nadine Burke and I have been a nurse for twenty plus years however just recently earned my BS degree at UMASS Lowell. I began taking classes for this degree 5 years ago and never in my wildest dreams thought this journey would lead to learning about global healthcare during a trip to China. I have always been an advocate for eastern medicine and it’s holistic approach to health. I am so excited to learn more about traditional Chinese medicine and the Chinese culture while visiting this intriguing country!

Dear faculty, staff, students, family, and friends,

Do you want to know the most updated informtion about our trip? Do you want to learn about our safety and experience? Do you want to browse real-time pictures of our cultural excursions? and Do you want to enjoy the delicious Chinese food with us? Please friend with us on the facebook. I have set up a public facebook page  “UMass Lowell Global Health Experience in China.” Search the group name on your facebook account and join in our group.

We look forward to seeing you both here and there!

Professor Yuan Zhang

I am professor Yuan Zhang. This is my first time bring American students to China. Arranging both academic and cultural experience outside of US takes tons of effort and time, very very busy but most excited. It is my greatest pleasure to make connections and collaborations between UMass Lowell and Shandong University, where I graduated with my BS and MS degrees. Shandong University (top 20 universities in China) School of Nursing, is a top 10 School of Nursing in China and one of the earliest schools that started the BS degree in Nursing in 1980s. The School of Nursing will host us and arrange activities such as university visit, student seminars, hospital observatory and participatory experience, and cultural excursions.

Shandong Province is nestled on the Yellow River. Qufu, one of the cities in Shandong, is the birthplace of Confucious. Shandong plays an important role in Chinese history and serves as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Shandong’s Tai Mountain, where we will tour on Sunday 6/5, is top of the five sacred mountains in China and the most revered mountain of Taoism with the longest history of continuous religious worship. Shandong people are friendly and hospitable. Shandong food and snacks are famous and delicious. I hope that you will enjoy the natural beauty, renowned hospitality, and treasured history of Shandong during your trip.

Welcome to China, everyone – Have a safety trip tomorrow!

Global Health Experience in…Beijing & Jinan, China!

Travel and study with Professors Valerie King and Yuan Zhang in China in the summer of 2016.

The Summer Palace in China.

This course introduces students to global health issues through experiential learning in another country. Students will have the opportunity to critically examine the interaction of culture, race, geography, economics, and political environments and their impact on the health of the citizens of China.

Communication strategies to promote cross-cultural understanding will be stressed.

This course is essential for students seeking to expand their knowledge and experience in cross-cultural care.

Wangfujing Street in Beijing, China.

The Forbidden City.

The Great Wall of China