#joebertha

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Shanghai Wrap Up

After a few months in China my few days are now ahead of me now and it’s a little bitter sweet. I am so excited to get back to the US, my friends, family, and all the comforts of home. But it’s sad to say goodbye to Shanghai and the JI. Our little dorm room had become so messy and cozy and lived in, and now as my roommates pack up it’s just becoming another industrial bunk and its interesting to see how a few coats on hangers and blankets on beds can make such a difference.

Tonight, I am flying to Phuket, Thailand with my friend and we are looking forward to beaches, sunshine, and sleeping in after a long two weeks of finals. After that it’s back to Shanghai for a night to pickup the rest of my luggage and then back home.

My semester in Shanghai has been great. I’ve gotten closer with the friends I came here with while making new ones from all over the world. Being able to experience a culture so completely different from my own from the comfort of a familiar academic program while being able to take a full semester of useful courses was such a great combo. I’m not aware of many other programs let you have such an exciting experience while keeping you on track with your studies. Shanghai is an incredible city but now it’s time to go home to Montana and right about now that’s sounding pretty great.

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My time in Shanghai is coming to a close! I’m typing this just after finishing my last final at SJTU. Now all that’s left is spending my last few days here finishing up some final projects and making the most of my time left in Shanghai. Now that my days are numbered, I find myself wanting to spend more and more time out in the city rather than here on campus. The city has an energy and excitement as impressive as the city’s size. This last weekend we went to a go karting track that was almost completely empty. The huge indoor track was home to my two friends and I and a couple employees on a Friday night. We couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t be packed because it seemed like heaven on earth. The carts were fast, the track was exciting, and the racing was great! It was a great way to blow off energy in the middle of finals and a great break from the norm. On our way to the kart track we were amazed as we always were that you can get off at any random subway stop and be in the middle of an incredible mall or city square. The size of Shanghai is hard to comprehend until you travel miles and miles and are still surrounded by endless metropolis.

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So far November is looking like it will be another great month in Shanghai. Midterm exams are over and I’ve gotten the opportunity to explore a few more great areas around the country. After my week of tests my friends and I flew out for a long weekend to Sanya, a city on the tropical Hainan island which hangs off the very southern belly of China. The experience there was fantastic. It is a big tourist destination for people from China and Russia but luckily going on a random weekend it wasn’t busy at all. The trip was extremely affordable like most everything here which is a huge plus too. The area is very similar to Hawaii in climate but still feels like you’re in China. When we got to our resort however it felt like we had left the China that I’ve gotten used to. It was laid back, calm, and not full of people. The water was clean and clear, the sun was warm, and the sand was hot. Laying out on lounge chairs under a palm umbrella and swimming took up most of the day and it was the perfect escape midway through the semester.

I also just got back from Tiantai mountain with the JI. It was a beautiful natural area but still very developed. The rainy weather made for the environment you would picture when you think of cloud-covered Chinese mountains and temples. The area held some of the most beautiful scenery in china that I have seen so far but walking through the rain with cold wet feet did have my dreaming about Sanya.

School continues as usual, being very similar to the same classes at UM except I’m looking forward to being finished with finals by the second week of December which makes me feel lucky. All in all, things are still pretty great here in china! Now I’m looking forward to finishing the semester strong and traveling around a little on my way back to America after finals.

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Shanghai in October

October is coming to an end here in Shanghai and it’s been a great month. My parents flew in for a week and we were able to explore Beijing and see the Great Wall as well as some new parts of Shanghai. Beijing has a lot of great historical sites but from my brief visit, I felt it was missing the energy and excitement of Shanghai. It was a great time to see some family and show them around feeling like I knew at least a few things about the area.  Some other perks of having visitors were the snacks and shoes they brought along for me. I came to Shanghai with my sneakers beyond their last leg with the intent of finding a new pair when I got here. The markets have tons of great shoes and other clothes that are surprisingly high quality at a great price. One thing I failed to consider though was the problems I would have finding anything in my size. Whether it’s at the Nike store or the “fake stuff markets” asking for anything over a US size 11 is a gamble and over a 12 will just get you laughed at. School is in full swing with midterms going on this week and the next. After they are over though, my friends and I have booked a trip to Sanya over a three-day weekend. An island and vacation destination in the South of China that can be compared to Hawaii. Sanya plays host mostly to people from across China, especially the northern colder provinces during the winter, and Russia. I’m very excited for the beaches and sun and think the break will be welcomed warmly after a week of exams. Joe Bertha, Mechanical Engineering, UM-SJTU Joint Institute

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September

Looking back on my first month in Shanghai my biggest takeaway is how quickly it’s gone by. I feel like I just got here. Classes have gotten rolling now and for the most part they seem to be nearly identical to their UM equivalents. Outside of class I’ve been spending my time exploring Shanghai with my friends whenever we can. There are endless things to see and do in the city alone I am sure I wont even make a dent while I’m here. The first week of October also holds the Golden Week national holiday here during which nearly everyone is given off from work and school. I was lucky enough to be matched with a host family through the Joint Institute who I got to travel home with over the holiday. We went back to the city of Hangzhou, a metropolis situated right up against the scenic and historic West Lake region. The area is scattered with mountains full of many temples and hikes. On the holiday we also made a day trip out to the Yellow Mountains, a small range of steep granite peaks with treacherous stairs carved into them. After climbing to the top of a few peaks our legs were completely shot. The experience has been great so far and the holiday has allowed me to have a more authentic experience of what life is like in China rather than just seeing university life. I am looking forward to figuring out what the next few months will hold! See some pictures of downtown shanghai and the Yellow Mountains below.

Joe Bertha, Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University – University of Michigan Joint Institute, Shanghai, China

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Hi there, my name is Joe Bertha and I’m Mechanical Engineering student at UM. I am getting ready to leave home for Shanghai where I’ll be spending the next 4 months for the fall semester at the UM-SJTU Joint Institute. I am looking forward to it for sure but not without a few nervous feelings. I was lucky enough to get some time at home between work and school at the end of this summer. Pictured above you can see a picture from last weekend in the Canadian Rockies. It’s always hard to leave home with an abundance of fresh air, trees and mountains, and a lack of people. Shanghai is going to be just about as far a departure from that as I can imagine but that’s what makes it so exciting. I am looking forward to an experience totally new and completely foreign to what I know already.