Hello everyone! We’re less than a week away from our departure, and I for one couldn’t be more excited. I’ve starting the process of getting my suitcase and carry-on in order, and gathering all those last-minute bits like bandaids and earbuds. 

I’ve also been doing some reading about the culture and recent changes in China. I’ve been reading Oracle Bones by Peter Hessler and China In The 21^st Century by Jeffrey Wasserstrom. They’ve both been really interesting reads. I was particularly interested by Hessler’s discussion of the movement of people from rural china to the larger cities, in an incredibly wide-spread voluntary migration. Coming from a small town myself and pursuing a medical degree, I’ve seen first hand the push on professionals to return to rural areas after their education and work there, which Oracle Bones discusses a little. China is shifting from a primarily rural-based nation into a city-based one, which I’m interested in getting to see when we’re there. China In The 21^st Century is a really interesting read if you’re looking at a more academic look at the changing landscape of politics and culture in China.

On a more personal note, I’ve recently gone and gotten the last vaccination I needed to be ready for our trip, and was really interested by the tips given by the Center for Disease Control for reducing the likelihood of sickness while abroad. I wanted to share some of these with you all (when it comes down to it, medicine and biology will always be my first interests). The areas where we’ll be traveling will be pretty warm, but the CDC still recommends wearing long sleeves and pants whenever possible, to minimize the likelihood of being bit by any furry things or creepy-crawlies. While cities may not be as likely to have insect vectors, animals can also carry infections. On the topic of infections, I’m sure most of you are familiar with traveler’s illness. Leaving your own accustomed bacterial fields and entering another (like leaving the U.S. and going to China) may create a bad gut reaction, where you obtain new bacteria that aren’t part of your own internal system, and your body tries to flush the new bacteria out. It’s great engineering by your body, but it does tend to make travel nasty! I’d recommend everyone check out the CDC’s page on China travel and read up on prevention methods and safety. I’m hoping for no issues so we can all enjoy learning about China’s culture first-hand and China’s potential health risks second-hand from the CDC.

Less than a week to go and we’re getting down to the wire! Are you all feeling nervous, excited, or a mix of the two? I’d be ready to get on the plane tomorrow, if I had the option. I’m ready to go!

Addison McGuire

Health Information for Travelers to China. (2018). Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/china