Our Last Day in Asia

We began our last day on our trip throughout Vietnam and China in Hong Kong at the Dragon Boat Races Festival. The annual festival hosts many teams from across the area to race wooden row boats with carvings of dragon heads and tails. Each boat holds about twenty rowers and a drummer in the front of the boat. It was fun to see the excitement everyone had for this annual race and experience an important Chinese tradition first hand. The Dragon Boat Races Festival was a very enjoyable event and a great close to our tour.

After the Dragon Boat Races Festival, we went to a huge outlet mall in Hong Kong to spend the afternoon shopping. We ended our night with the light show at Victoria Harbor and a celebratory dinner at an Italian restaurant where we shared our most memorable experiences of the program. After dinner, we watched a power point presentation of photos and memories from the past two weeks. It truly was a wonderful last night overseas.

This trip has been a life changing experience for twelve students from across the United States. It is hard to believe that our time in Asia has already come to an end. However, I-CAL team members realize that their work with helping others understand international agriculture and trade is just beginning. After arriving back in the states, I-CAL team members will give presentations in their local communities to share what they have learned about international agriculture and trade.
Heather McLean – University of Tennessee at Martin
Londa Johnson – University of Wisconsin – River Falls