IMUSE: China 2012

As I gear up for my trip to Paris this weekend (eeeeek!), I've been reminiscing about all the traveling I enjoyed this past summer.

In August I joined 25 other scholars from around the world for IMUSE (Initiating Mutual Understanding through Student Exchange), a joint fellowship program between Harvard, Tsinghua University, and Peking University in China. We spent two amazing weeks together -- in Beijing and Hong Kong -- learning about one another's cultures, challenging ourselves intellectually, and making some amazing friends and memories. The program turned into one of the most meaningful, memorable, and profoundly affecting experiences I've had.

Here are some of my favorite shots from the trip. Enjoy!

Tienanmen Square, Beijing

WangfuJing, Beijing. Fried scorpion or starfish, anyone?

Taking a new friend to his first hookah bar :)

798 Art District, Beijing

The beautiful Tsinghua University campus, Beijing

Hejun Consulting Company, Beijing. Here I presented a group project as part of a corporate consulting competition and brought home the gold, just in time for the conclusion of the Summer Olympics :)

Mao's Tomb and entrance to the Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square, Beijing

My first KTV (karaoke) experience, with my favorite dance partner around ;)

Night Market, Hong Kong

Hong Kong corgi!

Hong Kong scavenger hunt... oh yes, we did.

Exploring a local Temple in Hong Kong

Beautiful gardens of a Taoist Temple in Hong Kong

Rockin' our painting aprons before creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces in Hong Kong

My roomie, Annie, a dental student from Taiwan. I miss those pineapple cakes!

View of Victoria Harbor from The Peak, Hong Kong

Exploring Hong Kong at night with my favorite Argentinian and German men

Ordering Peking Duck in Beijing

The Peoples Monument, Tienanmen Square, Beijing

Candied grapes at Wangfujing, Beijing. Seemed safer than fried scorpions... :)

Houhai, Beijing

The depth of appreciation and gratitude I have for the organizers and the sense of awe inspired by my fellow delegates of IMUSE could never be expressed, and I'm so thankful to have incredible memories and new friends to last a lifetime. I miss all of you!

Laur