Michelle Mitchell '06 - China
“My trip was amazing; I never imagined that I would have so many incredible experiences – the time that I spent in China broadened my horizons and helped me to have a more international perspective with respect to global political affairs.”
Michelle grew up in a military family and moved several times, although most of her childhood was spent on Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, DC . Maryland is the family's current residence. Her father is a musician, her mother is a small-business owner, an older sister recently graduated from Trinity and a younger brother is in college. Always interested in science, she remembers how much she enjoyed the family trips to the Smithsonian museums and the zoo. She played violin in the DC Youth Orchestra for two years, was a Girl Scout for five years, and tended a small garden. In middle school she played softball, began dancing in a dance troupe, and joined Virginia Military Karate Dojo. She is particularly appreciative that all through her life she was able to spend a great deal of time with her family. Her parents have been a tremendous and positive influence in her life, as well as her church.
History and literature were particular interests in high school, and she spent a great deal of time reading and writing poetry. She continues to enjoy dancing with her dance troupe, acting in small drama productions and practicing karate. During summers she worked as a front desk coordinator at a Wellness Spa, as a clerk in the Finance Department of a nursing home, and as a counselor at a Christian Performing Arts Camp.
She chose Trinity because she liked the idea of a small college where she would be more than a number, a place where she could “learn, thrive, and make lasting connections.”
Michelle is majoring in Political Science and is also very interested in Economics. A class that she took, “Weapons and Peace”, inspired her interest in the world of intelligence. After graduation she would like to go to Georgetown Law School , and eventually to work on Capitol Hill doing lobbying or advocacy, or in an executive branch agency.
China , which Michelle visited between May 25 and June 9, has held an endless fascination for her, and she was thrilled at this opportunity to visit and learn. She is interested in China as a booming economy, and in its history. One of the earliest civilizations, China had an advanced technology, and is now once again becoming a strong competitor in the world market.
Michelle and Leah traveled together, and each has a unique perspective:
“The People's Republic of China is a beautiful country with beautiful people; surprisingly, it is also a country that I had never envisioned myself traveling to. I suppose that I had never dreamed of traveling there because I felt that it was out of my reach. Before my trip to China , I may have been content to live out my days within a couple hundred miles of the place where I grew up. This international experience has changed my life and my perspective.
I was a diplomat in a 17-day long International Mission on Diplomacy to the People's Republic of China which spanned four great cities. We began in Beijing , traveled to Xian, spent a day in Suzhou , and finished our tour in Shanghai . The mission was designed for students to “en gage in career-focused study about the history, profession and global impact of diplomacy.” Studying China 's current and future economic, social and political environments, my travels included discussing Sino U.S.-China relations with senior level members of the Foreign Ministry in Beijing and meeting with China 's future diplomats at the China University of Foreign Affairs. During our stay in Beijing we had diplomatic relations with the Chinese Friendship Association and were briefed by members of the U.S. Embassy to receive the American perspective on the issues we were examining.
The mission was a perfect blend of educational and culturally enriching experiences. In Beijing , we climbed the Badaling section of the Great Wall of China, toured the famous Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City which was the imperial palace during the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties. We also toured the Summer Palace and took a dragon boat across the Empress Dowager's lake. In Xian, we were able to experience the history of China ; we toured the 6,000 man Terra Cotta Army site, visited the War and Horses Museum and Toured the Great Mosque. During our time in Xian, we sampled the different types of food of the region. After Xian, we traveled to Shanghai where we visited the Shanghai Institute of International Studies and spent the day in lectures and break-out sessions designed to help the students exchange ideas with their Chinese counter-parts.
During our stay in Shanghai , we ventured out of the city to visit a simple Chinese village and learn about village life from some of the local families. We also took the train to Suzhou which is the part of the ancient Silk Road . In this wonderful city we toured the Silk Factories and Rug making factories, sailed down the Grand Canal, ate Mongolian Barbeque and traveled back to Shanghai . Visiting the Bund and the historic French and British concessions was amazing. I also felt very privileged to attend a performance at the Shanghai Grand Theatre. One of the best aspects of the mission as we neared the end in Shanghai was that we were given a chance to experience China on our own. These days of ample free time were very valuable; I saw it as a chance to get to know the country on another level. I took my money out of my hotel safe, packed my video camera and set out to discover whatever I could discover. On my little exploration journeys I felt the most in touch with the country — taking the subway, taking the ferry, shopping, and visiting the Pearl TV tower were included in some of my exploits. All of the things that we were exposed to were crucial to our role as diplomats in a country we were unfamiliar with. These experiences helped us to understand the perspective of the Chinese people when discussing the issues that the United States and China must face. Thus we were in a unique position to contemplate, and were encouraged to discuss, our ideas about what would be successful foreign policy on the part of the United States .
On my tour of China we used plane, train and automobile to travel, see, and learn about the country that we were in. I learned that jet-setting around the world can be quite tiring; however, in China , there was no time to be tired. Recognizing that I was on a trip that could possibly be a once in a lifetime opportunity, I vowed not to rest until I returned home to the States. Of all of the things that I learned in China what was the most profound was the simple realization that Americans and the Chinese, as well as people all over the world, have an uncanny sameness that is constant regardless of our many differences.”