China Excitement

Hello again readers!

It seems like yesterday I posted about returning from my trip to Argentina in January. However, that was almost four months ago and so many things have happened since. For instance, I've gone through the last semester of my sophomore year of university at North Dakota State University, traveled through/to 14 different states, been chosen to represent NDSU as a campus ambassador for Ag Future of America, and made a ton of memories I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Getting acquainted with a Suguaro in Arizona

Enjoying a sunrise on the coast of South Carolina

I have been especially blessed this past semester with opportunities to travel and be involved, two things I love doing. It should come as no surprise then when I say that I showed little hesitation when signing up for two upcoming trips to China and Italy/Germany/Austria to study and experience different facets of agriculture this summer. The trip to China is through the NDSU Department of Animal Sciences and will focus on many different aspects of China's agriculture including production, processing, business, consumer, and consuming (yummy Chinese food!). Our group will be in China for a total of seventeen days and will depart the 14th of May.

I'm excited. I'm really excited, and I want to use this blog post to list the things I'm most excited to see and experience in China.

1. The Great Wall of China
This is a given. Who wouldn't be excited to see one of the New 7 Wonders of the World?

2. Chinese Agriculture
One of my passions is agriculture and it's always a wonder to me how different agriculture is across the United States and even in my home state of North Dakota. Now take that difference and increase it exponentially and you have the agriculture of China. I look forward to finding out what they grow, how they grow it, the laws and policies set forth by their government regarding ag, the Chinese perception of genetically modified crops, and how American agriculture plays a role in China, and vice versa. There's so much to learn!

3. City Life
We are traveling to different cities in China including Beijing, Xi'an, Nanjing, and Shanghai. Beijing has a population of over 20 million and Shanghai a population of over 23 million. Coming from a state where the population barely reaches 700,000, I am in absolute awe of the sheer possibility that that many people can live in one area at one time. I'm scared... But I look forward to the experience.

4. An Ancient Culture
The Chinese culture has been around for thousands of years and the traditions that are still practiced today have evolved from these ancient beginnings. It's hard to fathom how old this culture actually is when you're used to the 200 year old one you've grown up in. No matter, China's culture and history is one that demands respect and I hope to do just that, along with learning more about it.

As I've said before, I'm excited. We have the opportunity to see and learn so much while we're in China and I hope to make the most out of the experience. Although I'll be thirteen hours ahead, I hope to keep my blog updated about what our group does each day and what we learn, Internet permitting. I will be posting my "China Bucket List" soon. Check back!

Happy summer,

Jodi