Cindi C.

I didn't know what to expect when I decided to go to China. I've been to China before, but this was a chance to where I can understand and learn about the social issues in China that I wouldn't be able to otherwise. 

I have been interested in the social problems in China. My views on the issues haven't changed much, but the trip gave me a better understanding on these issues. 

One of the more memorable experiences was in Hong Kong, where we were able to eat dinner with Indonesian domestic workers at a shelter. I think actually talking to someone who is facing the problems that I have been hearing about makes the issue more real. The issues that the domestic workers face isn't something that I've been hearing about anymore but also seeing. We were able to go more in depth and clarify questions that we had about domestic workers in Hong Kong. 

"What excited me the most before going to China was the possibility of meeting a factory worker. During the trip, we were able to talk to a factory worker. There were similarities between her and the workers that we so often hear about in the U.S., but there were also differences."

What excited me the most before going to China was the possibility of meeting a factory worker. During the trip, we were able to talk to a factory worker. There were similarities between her and the workers that we so often hear about in the U.S., but there were also differences. She was young and came from a village in search of a better job. The area that we went to had old factories that were less likely to abuse their workers so they did get minimum wage and was paid overtime. Including eating at the workers cafeteria, this part of the trip gave me an idea of what a factory worker's life was like. 

I have never seen globalization and its problems before. Globalization and worker's issues are connected. Globalization has created jobs for the workers, but as seen from before, workers are always being abused. The urge to buy cheap goods by people in industrialized countries has forced developing countries to have lower regulations in protecting workers. 

Overall, the trip was a good experience and I was able get a better idea of the issues affecting China… We can share what we learned and experienced in China to our community by mentioning the similarities of the problems in China and the U.S. when we are talking about or working on a problem. We can also talk about these issues with our families and friends.