Trip Preparation

As I think my blog is being featured in the Purdue Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship newsletter, let me tell you a bit about myself if you do not know me personally. I am a senior in Selling and Sales Management with a minor in Economics and pursuing a Certificate in Entrepreneurship. I graduate in December 2009 and have an interest in pursuing international sales. In five years, I hope to see myself in a fast-paced relationship sales position in a large international company. Please feel free to e-mail me at jonestr@purdue.edu.

This is my first entry of a long line of many. I'm studying for my only final which is tomorrow and its going well. Couldn't be more excited about the China trip. The preparations to make sure I have everything in line before I go are a bit overwhelming - but I'm staying on top of them.

Got a new Global Blackberry on Friday which will allow me to text and e-mail from China. Feel free to text and e-mail me - it is free and unlimited for me to respond when I am over there!

The Swine Flu, ahem, H1N1, seems to be waning but it's still on everyone's minds. Just read an article about China quarantining Mexican travelers and it didn't seem fun. Got an e-mail today recommending to bring Tamiflu on the trip since it has been heard that anyone showing flu-like symptons on an incoming plane from the United States will automatically quarantine all passengers unless you can show you are taking Tamiflu. I'm not sure if I need to throw out a couple of pills to prove I am on Tamiflu, or if this will backfire, since they would ask me why I was on Tamiflu if I didn't have the Swine. I joked to my friends about being shanghai'd in Shanghai, but I guess now it is at least a possibility!

The first week consists of us staying at Tsinghua University in Beijing. It has been ranked by many as being the #1 university in China. Couldn't be more excited about that. We will be staying in a dorm designed for international students - so not only will we meet local Chinese but numerous people from around the world as well. During this time we will tour both Chinese and American companies and see local sites.

The second week we will be flying to Shanghai and presumably staying in a hotel. We will be doing similar activities as to the ones in Beijing. I've heard a lot about how big karaoke is over there, and our sponsor is taking us to a karaoke bar towards the end of the trip. I do dabble - at other peoples' loathing and/or satisfaction - and can't wait to be able to call myself a world-renown karaoke figure.

I'm going to try to blog at least every other day and include some pictures that I have been taking. Look forward to hearing from you all.