Phillip Moeller
China Retail Study Tour
My Experience in China
I will look back on my three weeks in China as one of the greatest and most enriching experiences of my entire life. I made some amazing friends, existed in a culture completely different from my own, and learned a lot about the retail and business environment within the country. There were times when I wished I could have some of the conveniences of home and I was surely glad to return safely to America. However, I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to see such an amazing country at such a young age. I look forward to an opportunity to return to China in about twenty years when I will be able to see how much it has grown and changed from present day.
Each city we visited had a unique feature that made it memorable. I was especially glad that we were able to see the city of Yingkou and meet with the government there. They were very cordial and appreciative of our visit which made that city even more special. It was incredible to see the planning that has gone into Yingkou and to see all the construction going on within the city. They are projecting a large population influx there and it was interesting to see how the government interacts with the people, developers, and businesses.
Beijing and Shanghai were my favorite cities. I have never been in a really large city so it was a culture shock to me. There were people everywhere, tons of bicycles and automobiles, and unfortunately tons of pollution. The cultural site visits in Beijing were amazing. The Great Wall was the coolest thing I have ever experienced. Climbing up those steps and looking around will be an experience I will cherish forever. The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square were also very cool to see.
Learning about the retail environment helped me understand the cultural differences between China and the United States. The people like to have a lot of selection and like to see what they are purchasing. The RT malls, Wal-Mart and grocery stores all highlighted unique differences between the U.S. and Chinese consumer. All of the meetings that we attended were very informative and helped us understand the Chinese consumer. The bartering in some locations created an exciting retail environment for most of us who were not used to that style of shopping. It was like a game for us to go and try to see who could get the best deal. My suitcase broke in the Beijing airport so I had to bargain for a new one. I was able to get a very nice one of the same size for only $16.
I had mixed reactions towards the food but most of it was good. There were always a few things at the group meals that I really enjoyed. In Beijing, we went to the night market to try some of the peculiar foods. We ate starfish, snake, and scorpions. It was fun to see all of the vendors selling different bugs and things that you don’t see served in the United States. However, it was always good to have an American meal at McDonald’s, KFC, or Pizza Hut once in a while. My favorite dinner was at the Peking Duck restaurant in Beijing. The duck was one of my favorite dishes and I hope to go back there at some point in the distant future.
The people in each city were all very friendly with us. Some of them pointed or took pictures with us. The lifestyle is faster paced than anything I am used to. Everyone rushes to everything and the car horns are constantly beeping. This created a dynamic environment and we would see something out of the ordinary every day. However, the worst part about the large cities was the pollution. Sometimes it would seem like we hadn’t seen the sun for days because of the blanket of smog covering the city. But, this did not detract from the beauty and impressive buildings in anyway.
Everything about the Retail Tour was enjoyable and enhanced my experience in the country. I was able to see more of the cities and immerse myself in the culture in a way that would have been impossible without the guides, teachers, and fellow students. My experience in China gave me a taste of Asia and of what it has to offer and left me wanting to see more in the future.