JOURNEY EAST: SINO-AMERICAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE

THINGS YOU WILL NEED FOR CHINA

The following list will help you prepare for your trip to China. This list of “things that you will need’ has been compiled as a result of my own experiences and feedback from many groups from UVM, which have visited our destination.

· A map of China (will be provided)

· Notebook or pad of paper for notes

· Your journal

· Air mail envelopes

· A glue stick

· Travel packages of Kleenex. (This is a much for the public bathrooms, where there is a dearth of toilet paper, as for use if you have a cold)

· Handi wipes/Wet Ones (I usually get five or six packages at Wal Mart or some other such store

· Travel book on China (not necessary, but a nice thing to have)

· Camera, film and batteries. It is difficult to find film over 200 ASA in China. An extra battery is a good idea.

· Gifts for children (We will be visiting many schools. Stock up on some of the following items. Businesses will be happy to donate them.

pencils with English writing on them

pins

pins of the American flag

U.S. coins

stickers

marbles

stamps

souvenirs of our school, town, State of Vermont or the U.S

· Gifts for adults

We will be presenting gifts to any of our instructors, our hosts, drivers and guides at three four different locations. Tee shirts, caps, souvenir towels, would be great. You will have a homestay in Qufu and will want to present a gift of a little more substance to your host family.

Make sure that your gifts are not made in China or in Taiwan.

Margaret Carusona spent some time in China two years ago and can be helpful in advising you about gifts.

· Reading material

· Wash cloth

· Sun screen

· a hat

· Medications that you might take.

Diarrhea medicine. (Something strong, such as Imodium A-D. You will get diarrhea at some point.

Please note: Ask your physician about Cipro or Bactrim in the event that you catch an intestinal bug. Cipro is very expensive and your doctor may be able to recommend something that will have the same effect but will be less expensive.

Personal medication that you must take. If there is something that you need, make sure that you have a month’s supply. Finding a pharmacy, as we know it could be like searching for the Holy Grail!

· Band – Aids

· Tums/Pepto Bismol tablets

· Personal hygiene items.

· A fanny pack

· Instant coffee and creamer, if you need it.

· A voltage converter if you have a travel iron, hair dryer, tape player, etc. Please be aware that there are two types of converters; one below 50 amps for tape players, CD players, etc. and one for 50 – 1500 amps for irons, hair dryers or anything that produces heat. You will burn up your appliance if you use the wrong one.

I purchased a converter at BRW in Brattleboro. They come with all sorts of adapters. The outlets in China do not take the same kind of plug that ours in the States do.

· It would be nice to have 4 or 5 travel irons to share among the 28 people on the trip. If you have one, perhaps you will be willing to share it? We do not need to take 10 or 15 of them.

· An extra travel bag. You’ll come back with more than you go over with. This ought to be something you can pack right in with your suitcase.

· Luggage has already been addressed in an e-mail message.

· One of the most important things you can bring with you is openness to new sights, sounds, tastes, smells and ways of doing things. It will be very different, in many ways. An ability to go with the flow, to absorb the experience and enjoy it all to the max will make this an incredibly enjoyable and fruitful learning/life experience for you.