Happy Day!

I wake up bubbling over with joy today.  Life is wonderful.

I'm happy to be part of such an amazing community where friends are family.
I'm thankful for the hour I got to spend on the phone with my mom yesterday, the 4th of July, and impressed with the excellent cell reception I get even when calling from the exact opposite side of the globe.
I'm thankful that I was born in a free country that the world envies, a place where people from every corner of the globe dream of living.
I'm looking forward to the walk to Lukla tomorrow and a chance to check my email, check in with my friends.
I'm happy that I'll be back on the trail for four hours, in the company of my good friends Sapana and Pasang.
I'm so thankful for Sapana's friendship and the memories we've made here at Pema Choling.
I'm excited for her and all the possibilities as she continues her five-month journey to Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lumbini, then to volunteer in Africa and hopefully to visit me in Finland come September.
I'm excited about the the cloth I'll buy at the tailor's on the way back from Lukla, and the little drawstring pouches I'll make for my little monks to keep their marbles, rubber bands, candies, and other treasures.
I'm overjoyed when I remember that I've been accepted to a Master's program, that my Finnish residency permit has been approved, and that - even though it will be so hard to leave my beloved Himalayan home and friends - I'll start a whole new adventure in just two months.
I smile upon making friends with Dawa, my only Sherpa girl friend, and when she tells me she only completed seventh grade before starting to work, I'm infinitely thankful for the education I've received at one of my country's best universities.
I'm so excited because look at all this free time I have! And how much there is to learn here! Sherpa society; Buddhist history and philosophy; Nepali culture; farming and horticulture; Nepali, Sherpa and Tibetan languages; building and construction; art and sculpture; not to mention a dozen books I hope to finish on my Kindle in the next month.
I'm giddy because I told my mom about Pasang's incredible artistic talent, his desire to take a break from monastic life after 14 years, his gentle patience with the younger monks and capacity to teach, and my silent wish that I could bring him to America as a master craftsman to share Buddhist art and technique with the West.... I'm giddy because my mom is so passionate about others; she believes in their talents and dreams and has offered to help me help Pasang and is actively looking for schools, universities, art guilds, monasteries, and Buddhist foundations that may sponsor or host him.
I'm joyous because I live on top of the world, and at this moment I wouldn't trade the breathtaking view from my bedroom for any of the First World comforts.
I'm thankful because I can't imagine a more blessed life than this.

Guatemala - Part II: "Esperanza"

Her name means hope. Esperanza is seven years old and studies in the third grade. She lives with her mother and sisters in Chajul -- a community of 3000 people in the highlands of central Quiche -- and speaks Ixil, one of 22 languages spoken by 22 distinct ethnic groups in Guatemala.

The Ixil [ "ee-sheel"] people are descendants of the Mayans.  A visit to their remote villages scattered throughout the valleys and steep mountainsides of Quiche reveals women in traditional red woven skirts and whipils ["whee-peels"] which take the women on average two and half months to hand weave on homemade looms.

It's a complex process, I learn, as I make my first attempt under the supervision of Esperanza and her family.  At seven, Esperanza has already mastered the basics of weaving. As I struggle to keep track of the many wooden tools involved, her mother, Maria Asicona, smiles over me and adroitly adjusts my errors.  Esperanza studies my blonde hair and foreign features as she stands nearby, transferring a spool of thread to another tool with nonchalant expertise. Her eyes bear a quiet confidence beyond her years.

UK is in Kentucky?

As the oldest of six kids, I'm know I'm under close watch -- not in a bad way, just in the sense that there are five sets of little eyes constantly waiting to see what I'm going to do, how I'm going to do it, and (hopefully) ready to learn from the things I mess up. I step back from time to time and try to think about how I can set the best example for all of them; what I can do to help set them up for success is this crazy, fast-paced world; and how I can encourage them to take off running towards what they really want to do in life.

It's not always easy being hundreds -- more often, thousands -- of miles away from them for 50 weeks out of year, and even with cell phones, texting, and the magic of Skype, I still haven't figured out a way to tele-port myself to my sister's soccer games....not even when her team won regionals this year.  But every once in a while one of them will do or say something that brings a huge smile to my face and lets me know I'm doing something right.

This note from my mom today definitely was definitely one of those happy occasions...

Shirah, I'm reading your blog right now. Raam just walked up and saw the UK’s Patterson Tower title under the pic you posted and he asked, “UK...Wait is that the Ukraine or United Kingdom Patterson Tower?”  I said, “Neither, it’s the University of Kentucky’s Patterson Tower.”  Pretty neat how all of your traveling has opened up his world.  

I left home when Raam was just 5 years old; I think all he's really known is a big sister who's constantly in strange, faraway places with weird names, always bringing home odd toys and souvenirs.  I never thought about it before, but we should really sign this kid up for a geography contest.  I LOVE that he has such a global perspective already at this age!

Lexington & the UK PhD in Management

This weekend I enjoyed a trip to Lexington, Kentucky, where I had the chance to learn more about a PhD program at the University of Kentucky's Gatton School of Management. My specific area of interest is in social network analysis, and Gatton has some of the world's leading researchers in this field; it was such a treat to spend the day getting to know them, hearing about their current projects, and sitting in on an afternoon seminar with other students currently in the program.

In my continuing survey of PhD programs I found this website on online PhD programs being offered by several US colleges. Even though it doesn't seem like something for me, I found it interesting to learn that there are opportunities to complete a doctorate without having to regularly attend campus. While online education is emerging as a viable and cost-beneficial way to complete a degree, most colleges are still focusing on traditional campus based education and the benefits that arise from in-person interaction between students and professors.

The drive to Lexington was beautiful, especially on Friday morning as I drove east toward the sunrise. Lexington itself is a quaint little town compared to Nashville, and it's set in rolling green hills neatly partitioned by the white picket fences of the horse farms for which the city has earned itself global renown. Navigating the campus of a huge state school was much different from Belmont; luckily the folk were friendly and, apparently not trusting my internal positioning system, always insisted on walking me to my destination instead of leaving me with even detailed directions.

UK's Patterson Tower - view from the walking bridge

July 2011 - A Whirlwind of Excitement!

It's hard to believe that it's been practically an entire month since I've updated No Journey Wasted!  I appreciate the concerned notes from family and friends, but I don't want you to worry -- I've really been quite well (and busy!) and just haven't had a chance to upload any of the hundreds of pictures I've taken during my recent trips to Kiev, to Yalta (in the Crimea region of Ukraine), and to Chisinau (Moldova).  These have all been fantastic journeys during which I've met wonderful, interesting people; been confronted by a mixture of beautiful scenery and impoverished peoples; and experienced some events that I will surely never forget.  Among these: Watching dolphins in the tranquil, early morning waters off the Black Sea coast in Yalta; Playing cards all night in the train with an adorable Moldovan girl and her ballerina mother on the way back to Odessa from Simferopol, Ukraine; and randomly meeting one of my best childhood friends who was vacationing in Odessa while on leave from his deployment in Afghanistan.  Life continues to be full of surprises!

Odessa: Ultimate Eastern European Vacation Destination

I've been in Odessa for less than 48 hours, and already I've explored downtown on foot, eaten at some delicious local restaurants, refreshed my wardrobe with attire appropriate for the 95F (35C) weather, attended a spectacular performance of Madame Butterfly at the world-famous Odessa Opera House, spent a morning sunning on the beach (during which I fell asleep in the sun and will continue to pay for that nap as my sunburn becomes more and more painful), swam in the Black Sea, and made Ukrainian friends at the Irish pub next door to my apartment.

Quest for King's Gate

On my last day in Helsinki, Kiri and I took the ferry to the island of Suomenlinna, where we spent the afternoon exploring the old fortress.

Our first stop when the ferry landed was the Visitor Information building, where I picked up a map and immediately started looking through the "special attractions" page.  I don't often follow the guides very closely, as my sightseeing strategy falls into the "wander and see what happens" category, but I always browse the recommended достопримечательности (say "dostopreemyechatyelnostee," the Russian word for "tourist attractions") and usually pick one or two of them to set as my destination.  You should never wander without a final destination.

We decided that King's Gate would be our terminus, and very quickly our capricious exploring turned into the "Quest for King's Gate."

Waiting for our ferry to depart from the mainland,
we walked around the market at Kauppatori
(in Finnish 'kauppa' means 'market' and 'tori' means 'square')

A Fairytale Come True

You can't imagine all the fun I've had at work this week – I really do have the best job in the world! The U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg is a major sponsor of the International Dance Open Ballet Festival, and this year was the 10th anniversary of the festival. Our Consul General gave two speeches – at the opening press conference and the awards ceremony – and I went along as a Consulate representative in support of her. Of course, we had fantastic seats for all the performances! There were several American dancers who had come to compete in the festival, and one group, called “The Bad Boys of Dance” came as crowd energizers. The first night we were in the Alexandrinsky Theater, a very famous one built in the 1800s. Everything seems to be covered in either gold or red velvet; I felt like a queen! We were sitting front and center, with the jury who was judging the festival! I got to sit next to the Artistic Director of the American Ballet Theater in New York; that alone was amazing! The best part about sitting with the jury is watching and listening to their responses to the dancers. One poor ballerina slipped on something that was on the floor right as she was landing a jump, and ended up flat on her back. She was okay, fortunately, and kept dancing. But it was interesting because the jury gasped before anyone else knew anything was wrong. They know ballet so well that even the slightest deviation from proper form immediately allows them to project what's going to happen next.  The next night we had equally great seats for the gala concert, this time at the Oktyabrysky, a brand new theater that seats 4,000 people.  The entire place was packed! I really appreciated being able to drive up in the official car, complete with the diplomatic American flags. Everyone got out of the way and we just got to zoom on in – no waiting in lines! But the real highlight of the night was the awards ceremony afterward. Only about 100-150 people were invited: the dancers, trainers, judges, and sponsors of the festival. The ceremony was held in The Marble Palace and it was truly incredible, right out of a fairytale!  The Marble Palace

The VIP Lifestyle

I could get used to this.

Walking into my favorite 24-hour hangout, "Kofe Hauz," a few minutes ago, I passed a billboard advertising the two biggest events in St. Petersburg this weekend.  Thanks to my amazing internship and a great new friend I made at a concert a few weeks ago, I have VIP passes to both events at no cost to me. I'm really having the ultimate St. Petersburg experience.

Orphanage No. 9

I wake up every day with an incredible sense of anticipation for what the day holds. No two days have been alike since I've been here, and every day has brought at least one new experience that I never thought I'd have. Honestly, this is the most amazing internship in the world. I can't think of anywhere else in the world I'd rather be right now.

The band: Brian, John Forté, Patrick, and Ryan

Today I accompanied our Public Affairs Officer to St. Petersburg's Orphanage No. 9, where the Consulate hosted and provided translation for John Forté and his band.  John has an amazing story. Having grown up in a rough, what he calls "not very affluent" neighborhood, he knew his only chance to step out of that community was academics, and so after committing himself to his studies he received a full-ride scholarship to the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy and then continued at New York University. He made some great connections early on, and his music career exploded. He told the kids at the orphanage today that "sometimes when you get what you think you want early on, at a young age, you don't know how to handle the pressure."  His music had taken him all over the world, but when his new album was "met with critical acclaim yet experienced commercial failure," he says he blamed everyone but himself.  He was then released from his contract with Atlantic Records, and decided to pursue a solo career as an independent singer-songwriter. Just one problem, though: by that time he had spent all the money he had earned.  He was approached by some people who said they could help him get the money he needed, and unfortunately he joined an illegal enterprise - something having to do with cocaine - and that one bad choice landed him with a 14-year prison sentence when he was caught.  The room full of 100+ chatty kids fell silent upon hearing these words from the humble, gifted musician before them. 

Belmont's First International Entrepreneurship Course

I was approached by one of my entrepreneurship professors a few weeks ago during an event we put on for International Business Society.  It was a Food Around the World fundraiser that I think I blogged about -- it was a great success and created a great environment for faculty and students to mix and mingle, sharing thoughts and a meal.

I might have mentioned before that I've been given the privilege of creating my own major -- one that's not in the catalog -- which, to me, was one of the most appealing facets of the program when I applied to Belmont. The major I've put together is called International Entrepreneurship; I've essentially fused our International Business and Entrepreneurship programs and thrown in some language/cultural focus, a neat internship, some study abroad trips, and a relevant thesis. I'm finding that the major I've put together is very pertinent to the demands of today's global economy, and I've been pleasantly surprised at the way prospective employers have reacted to seeing it on my resume. In fact, during my first phone interview for the State Department internship, I was told that this never-before-seen major was one of the things that immediately stood out and distinguished my application from those of the standard Political Science and International Relations majors who constitute the majority of applicants. My interviewer essentially said that a global focus on entrepreneurship is a rising objective of the State Department, and my educational background uniquely prepares me to step into a role in this field.

12 Reasons to Smile

1. It's the middle of October, and still 80 degrees in Nashville!  I'm soaking it in, and trying not to think about the Moscow winter ahead of me.

2. I've recently rediscovered Fido, the best coffee shop in Nashville.

She thinks my life warrants a book?

I had the privilege of having lunch today with two of my favourite ladies in the world...my great friend Caleigh and her mama, Miss Stacie.  (We don't do first names in the South -- if a person is more than a few years older than you it's always Mr., Mrs., Miss., Dr., etc.) We went to homey, family-style Italian place called Buca di Beppo which had quite possibly the most complex floor plan I've ever seen in a restaurant.  I spent literally 3+ minutes weaving in and out of little corridors, looking for the restroom, and walked into enough broom closets and kitchen doors and off-limits rooms that the manager even chased me down and personally escorted me to the restroom. 

The Unthinkable has happened

Two years ago, I walked into the office of Belmont's most forward-thinking Sociology professor, and told him I was planning a trip that would be the apex of my college experience and the culmination of my life schooling.  A trip that would incorporate my thesis research and result in a documentary promoting youth study abroad.


That is, a self-directed study abroad journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
21 days and 5,772 miles from Moscow to Vladivostok.


I put an initial proposal together, set out a book list of sociological, economic, political and historical volumes and other material that would provide me with a solid foundation of the area, researched a budget, read up on logistical concerns such as visa requirements and lodging.

But there were obstacles.  Time, money, credit transfer, administrators who were quick to point out risk and liability concerns, individuals who said, "cool, good luck!" but didn't buy into the dream.


....Until yesterday.  After finding out I had secured an internship in Russia with the State Dept. and would able to extend my stay for intensive language study programs through the School of Russian and Asian Studies (SRAS), I once again became hopeful that my Trans-Siberian dream trip might materialize in the near future.  I had not given up on it, merely put it aside for a time.  At any rate, I emailed the director of SRAS yesterday morning, explaining my vision for the trip and inquiring about any interest her organisation might have in sponsoring the trip -- not financially, but more in the way that a friend would attend  your concert for moral support.  A sponsoring organisation takes on logistical planning, helps travelers to obtain visas, arranges for lodging and other excursions, works with the traveler to set an itinerary, gives advice, purchases tickets, assumes liability, provides travel insurance, and provides emergency support.  Sponsoring a trip like this is no small matter.

The Trans-Siberian Route in Red - click map to enlarge

Yet, just hours later, I received a reply from the Director, saying "It is something that requires a lot of planning,".....but "definitely something we can help with.....And it certainly is something we would be quite interested in getting involved with."


I literally about fell out of my chair.  This is the response I did not let myself even hope for.  I read the email once, twice, a third time -- still not convinced that what I was reading was real.   I had restrained my enthusiasm in writing the first, proposal email to the Director, attempting to appear casual, calm, and nonchalant.  But now....I couldn't hold back.  My reply to her was an outpour of all the ideas and possibilities that had built up in my head for this trip.  My only request was that she somewhat sort through them, dismissing the unfeasible ideas and working with me to develop the good.


The implications of securing a sponsoring organisation go far beyond the simple logistical planning of the trip.  Having secured such a sponsor, I am now eligible to apply for a Lumos Scholarship -- a grant available through my university to students who propose a specific voyage that will enable them to "travel with a purpose."  I would never be able to pull together the resources for a trip like this without a financial sponsor as well.


As I mentioned before, an objective of this trip is to film a documentary promoting study abroad, appropriate to share with 6th graders through high school and even college students.  My next task: find a videographer. I have an idea of what I want this documentary to look like; I want it to be professional.  Belmont has an abundance of skilled film artists, but it's not simply about skill.  This person must be mentally, socially, and physically prepared for the rigors of a trip like this.  They must be able to stay calm and work well under pressure, deal with conflict well, have a desire to integrate into a new culture, and be able to handle spending 21 days in a small group in a foreign land.  Doesn't sound like much to ask, but believe me, quality travel partners can be few and far between.  


But for now, I'm still reveling in the excitement of acquiring sponsorship and moving this project onto the next step!!

International Student Retreat 2010

In the craziness of the past few weeks I have woefully neglected my little blog.  But I have accumulated many great stories to share in the process.

Here's a snapshot from my mom's and my trip to Nashville, where she helped me move into my new dorm and, more importantly, enjoyed her first outing to Pancake Pantry, Nashville's all time favorite breakfast joint.

Munching away with my cousin Kelsey and her roommates.

Another of the highlights of the past few weeks was Belmont's International Student Retreat that I helped out with last weekend.  We drove down to White Bluff, TN -- about an hour south of Nashville -- and spent a day and a half at a "camp."  It's not proper camping, by my standards, since we sleep in cabins and eat every meal in a mess hall....but there was a low ropes course, volleyball nets, a pool -- plenty of fun opportunities for teambuilding and getting to know all the new exchange students.

We have five German girls this year: Senta, Svea, Cindy, Yana, and Elisabeth; three French students: Arthur, Laure, and Chloé; two from Hong Kong: Jimmy and Cherry; an adorable girl from Japan: Nozomi; a guy from Denmark: Ali; a girl Sydney from Canada; another guy named Jimmy, from London, and four other students from Moldova and Brasil that are in their second, third, or fourth years at Belmont.  The international student community at Belmont is small, but tight-knit.  I love having the opportunity to learn so much about different places and cultures through my foreign friends, and reciprocating in showing them America - our many cultures, traditions, and values.  I know exactly what it's like to enter a new school or country knowing nobody and barely knowing a few phrases in the local dialect.  Most of the foreign students who come to Belmont speak English quite well, but I know quite well the implications of the lost, dazed look on a few of their faces.  So reaching out and befriending them - especially those that are struggling with the language barrier - is a huge goal of mine.  Since coming back from the retreat last weekend, I don't think I've eaten a meal in the caf without at least one of them in tow :)

Belmont International Student Retreat 2010

Sometimes, in life, you meet a person who shares the same enthusiasm and passion that you have for a particular topic, goal, or hobby.  I've learned over the past few years to really treasure my time with these people, because you never know when a change in circumstances might see them drift right out of your daily life.  I recently met one of these people - Jimmy, from London.  We must have spent over 20 hours talking this past weekend on the retreat.  We've discussed traveling, religion, politics, philosophy, history, languages, cultures....the list goes on and on.  Our beliefs certainly differ in many ways, but I think it's our shared enthusiasm for learning and exploring, as well as a genuine respect and eagerness to understand each other's beliefs and values, that makes our friendship work.

It was really hard for me to make friends during my first semester at Belmont, back in 2008. The last few years of my life I had spent overseas, and during that specific period -- age 16 to 18 -- is when you really start to solidify who you are.  Thus, your experiences during that time become wholly integrated into your personality and the way you understand the world.  So, naturally, every new experience is going to be judged or compared to a recent similar experience you've had.  For me, the new experiences I was having in Nashville all related back to people, places, and events I had encountered during my time overseas.

Americans don't have as many opportunities to travel internationally as many citizens of other countries, so our slightly isolationist attitude can't be judged too harshly.  But with this lack of travel and exposure to other cultures comes a sort of fascination mixed with jealousy of people who do travel often.  I've found that this reaction is especially pervasive among young Americans.  And so by simply trying to find common ground and share my life experiences in the process of making friends, I found that some students here at Belmont were a little put off by my lack of "American-ness."  I felt that some were jealous that I had gotten to travel, and others were tired of hearing about my life experiences in other places and cultures.  It was just difficult.  I had become so much a different person than I was when I had left Oregon at age 16, so it's not like I could just try to remember and pull out some experiences from back home that would aptly describe my interests or personality.  My character is a conglomeration of all these different places and cultures; it's not a fad - it's just me.

So, with that in mind, imagine how I felt when I met Jimmy, whose first words to me were, "Wait, so you're from Oregon.  So why are you on the International Student Retreat?"  Of course I had to explain, and of course we discovered in about ten minutes that between the two of us we had covered every continent and most of the countries on them.  He had even more exotic stories than I did...I think I was listening to one about monkeys coming down out of the Amazon trees and drinking his beer when I decided that we were going to be very good friends.  It was like I was free again to be myself, to share the stories that are a little too "out there" for most American students.  All in all I had so much fun that weekend, and my days are now full of fun new facts that I learn from my foreign friends!

No Time to Blog!

In the past seven days I have:

• Driven to Boise for Chason's graduation from Northwest Lineman College
• Spent way too much time (approx. 49 hours) studying Accounting...it's a full-time job
• Had a complete car makeover in preparation for the trip to Nashville, and because my daddy loves me so much, he doesn't want me to ever break down. (New timing belt, serpentine belt, transmission fluid & oil change, new freon...the works!)
• Stocked up on all the no-sales-tax dorm snacks and school supplies my car can hold
• Hung out with family in town from San Francisco....saw a cousin I haven't seen in 10 years :)
• Successfully navigated six restaurants and party events without getting sick from gluten!
• Got dropped from all my Fall semester classes after a financial aid crisis, but enlisted the help of some great Belmont administrators who are making it possible for me to go back to Belmont this fall
• Not been to the gym nearly enough to relieve all this stress
• Downloaded a few audiobooks for FREE! for the drive to Nashville (www.booksshouldbefree.com)
• Received the 19 textbooks I ordered online for this semester
• Swapped crazy European travel stories with some family friends that just got back from a 3-month Euro tour in an RV
• Completed mid-terms for my two online Accounting classes
• Celebrated Raam's 10th birthday with a big family ice cream party
• Started packing my car...ETD is 4am tomorrow!

Rogue Valley Sunset

When your every day is permeated by such beauty, it is easy to forget the extravagance of the place we call home.  Yesterday evening, as the sun started to set and a golden sheen swept across the valley, I had a sudden urge to lay out in tall grasses and enjoy the last of the day's warmth.  I grabbed my camera and headed for the low hills of the East Medford, just five minutes from home.  I was greatly rewarded for my efforts and enjoyed a full hour of casual photo-taking along some one-lane country roads.  I even met a friendly little black and white cow, whom, for some reason, I named Dolly.

My idea of a perfect day....

....is when you're cleaning up from dinner and the leftovers fit perfectly into the tupperware.
Especially when it was a good dinner.

Tonight mom made chicken cacciatore with black beans and corn on the cob.  It had to be one of the best meals  I've had all summer.  But you know what just put it over the top?  When I was putting the leftovers away, there was a medium sized Glad-to-go container that fit the chicken perfectly.  And there was even a small container for the 1/3 cup of little black beans that were scattered at the bottom of the sauce pan.  But you'll never believe what I found when I opened the cabinet....a long, narrow, medium-height container which had to be custom made for the three cobs of corn that remained.  AND the matching lid was laying right beside it.  A true miracle.

I closed the fridge and walked out of the kitchen with my head held high.  I had achieved an amazing feat of finesse in the kitchen.

Perfect.  Just perfect.

A Dog and a Pool

"Hey Mom....at our next house can we have a pool?!
You have to have a pool for at least one day in your life.

A dog and a pool....(pauses, then continues wistfully, with a sigh of pensive satisfaction)
....are about the best things ever in life."

-Raam Foy, 9 years old

He was only 4 in this photo, but it's one of my favorites :)

Last Day of the Summit - 17 June 2008

**This is a never-before-published journal entry from June 2008.


Hi Mom! :)
The Summit is over! I can't believe it.  We had our final meetings, speeches, and dinner tonight. It's about 3am and I just got back from my one and only night of clubbing during this trip. You know I'm not much of a party girl, and the extra sleep paid off.  Out of 9 groups, my group came in first place. When I get back I'll explain the goals and objectives of this simulation that is the major academic focus of the program.
I'm already looking at CYLC's International Scholar Laureate Program next summer.  There's one focusing on Diplomacy and International Relations that will take place in South Africa.
I spent this afternoon stocking up on Louis Vitton bags, Gucci shades and shoes, and lots of other goodies in what we call the "black market" hehe.
I'm jealous of everyone that's flying back home tomorrow.  But I'm also really excited to see Christine tomorrow.
I love you tons!
Will keep you updated.

One of my favorite photos of the trip...

Shanghai slums in the foreground, skyscrapers in the distance

Saying goodbye after a great Summit!

Farewell Banquet in a ritzy Shanghai floating restaurant

My friend Athena (from Greece) poses in front of Shanghai by night