Photos taken by Aurora Brendtke (University of Michigan), Student Correspondent for CET Shanghai, Summer 2024
China or Cali?
![A building lit up at night in Shanghai](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Street-at-night_800x593.jpg)
Stumbling into this place, I almost forgot where I was. China, especially Shanghai, is so multifaceted, because it has it all. It has rural, it has developing, it has city, and it has upscale! Shanghai’s bars and restaurants can be really neat and creative. Also, it’s public. Some things that I love about China are the amenities and infrastructure, which are built for community living and working. You will find restaurants, bars, parks and open galleries right below high-rise houses and apartments.
I <3 Luckin Matcha
![A CET Shanghai student holding up a cup of matcha latte while walking outside with earbuds in](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Coffee_800x449.jpg)
These past three weeks, I have been ordering the same oat-milk no sugar matcha latte from Luckin Coffee, China’s cheapest coffee chain. This cup is almost always cheaper than I expect, only 11 RMB or $1.50. Recently, the promotional packaging was changed to hearts, so I took that personally. Luckin loves me too.
Grilled…Cheese
![A hand holding up grilled cheese with chopsticks at a restaurant](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Grilled-cheese_700x757.jpg)
I’ve had grilled cheese, but I’ve never had GRILLED cheese. Chinese barbecue, or Shao Kao is about as delicious as hotpot, and has its own assortment of interesting flavors, colors, and textures. If you look closer, you’ll see many different dishes. Before this there were mini rainbow sausages, a peanut sauce dish, cold apple noodles, and assortments of pork, lamb, and beef.
Episode 3: WHY Laoshi!
![Three women sitting on a sofa while posing and holding up roses](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Internship_800x650.jpg)
For Episode 3 of Internvision Season 1, we invited WHY Laoshi to chat with us about her team’s visual art exhibition, ‘不止玫瑰’ or More Than Rose. She was an outstanding, charismatic guest with a mind full of keen and interesting opinions. She talked to us about her exhibitions past and present, the span of her career, and her advice to young students and artists. A pleasure to work with her!
Spot the Difference
![A CET Shanghai student posing and standing by life-size cutouts at a mall](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Dragon-dream-mall_700x935.jpg)
My friends and I often go to Long Zhi Meng, ‘Dragon Dream’ Mall. This time, we discovered a floor dedicated to anime and manga. The characters were life-size, so I had to join in. Plus, the grunge fashion was a good choice for photos. I will miss these kinds of adorable things that are painfully lacking back home.
Enchanted Hanfu
![A student taking a close-up photo of hanfu, traditional Chinese wear](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Hanfu-traditional-clothing_800x594.jpg)
I am speechless. I was rushing, looking to buy hanfu in my last few days before I left, but I never expected to find something so exceedingly beautiful. It’s multilayered, embroidered, soft and shimmery—It’s also in my favorite type of sea and mint green. This is possibly the most elegant, mystical garment in my closet. I feel like a fairy princess in this dress!
Xinjiang Middle Eastern Spot
![The inside of a middle eastern restaurant in Shanghai](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Middle-eastern-food_800x513.jpg)
Out and about, we found a hole-in-the-wall spot that trendy & upscale areas in Shanghai usually have. Inside, Middle Eastern food! I was drawn in by the prospect of eating a shawarma. To be honest, not what I expected, but still an 8/10 pretty delicious. The atmosphere kept me comfortable and equally entranced. Striking up a conversation with the owner, we found out that he was from Xinjiang, and spoke fluent English and Chinese. We talked about his experience growing up in China, being from the most Western place in the East, his business in Shanghai, and world travels.
Internvision Party
![A group of women sitting together and posing for a photo](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Intership-Featured-Photo_1600x1325.jpg)
Since I’m leaving, my internship program decided to throw me a little going-away party after our season 1 debrief meeting. They all wrote sweet things on a card and handed it to me along with a few gifts. My boss gave me her organization, Sherewires’ merch, and a beautiful deep indigo embroidered bag. I have truly enjoyed working with these women on our project, Internvision S1 video series. I am proud of us and the passion we have put in!
On the Last Day…I Had a Hamburger
![A CET Shanghai student sitting at a restaurant with burger and fries](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Food-hamburger_700x935.jpg)
It’s not really that I miss the US, I just really like this hamburger and this café. It’s the super popular influencer spot right next to our school, Petit George. I love them so please go check it out, future CET! But I do find it funny that it was specifically this. Look how pretty this picture is! My roommate always takes the best pictures. It was a quiet, comfortable last day with all the things I love at once. Ate a cute cake and spent time with my favorite people, wearing a beautiful set of hanfu.
Dreams & Wishes
![A CET Shanghai student sitting at a restaurant hovering over a little cake](https://cetacademicprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Blog_Shanghai_Summer-2024_Aurora-Brendtke_Food-cake_700x935.jpg)
I’ve been thinking about the expression ‘the last mile’ a lot lately, and what it means. As of August 4th, It’s my last week in Shanghai. I’m feeling a lot of different things. The night before my flight, I stayed up to eat Haidilao hotpot and to watch the sunrise with someone special.
For a grand exit, I even got driven to the airport in a cool BMW. I don’t want to leave, but I’m going to Japan to study abroad next semester, so a trip to China is already in my plans! China was like a really long dream. I laughed, cried, and learned a lot of Chinese. I made real, good friends. It was a full chapter in my book, and it feels like a second home to me now. Anywhere I am in the world, I will always look back on my life here. Thank you, CET Shanghai.