Here is the DL
Beijing is amazing.
I got to spend 8 days in Beijing with 11 others students from Stanford and 12 Peking University Students for my Cross-Cultural Design class I am taking this Spring.
My team is working with Adobe learning about self-expression in China, how they use digital media and how they differ from American’s in how they present themselves online versus how they are in person.
You want to learn about the Chinese culture, this is how to do it.
As a culture they differ from us in where they place their priorities, and what makes them an individual. The majority of young adults also have no idea what it is like to have a brother or sister as the majority are products of the 1-child law. They also think its rude to be loud on a train(rush hour and it was nearly silent).
My stereo-types were destroyed. I didn’t see haglers and thousands of bikers or anything old either. Debatable if this is a good thing, but everything was very modern. Their public transit worked like a dream, it rivaled my Europe experiences in clenliness, ease and reliability.I felt safe, everyone was friendly and inquisitive and happy to help us with food, traveling and directions.
I am thankful very much to my new 12 PKU friends as well as my new Stanford X-Cultural friends.
It is going to be a great quarter really diving into the culture and needfinding and designing for this awesome culture!