01/8/13

Exploring Shanghai: A Brief Look

To the western world, Shanghai (上海: Shànghǎi, “the city above sea”) is now mainly known for its looming skyscrapers, sprawling subway system, and its impressive shopping centers devoted to what appears to be the pursuit of consumerist ideology – it almost sounds a bit like New York, right? That said, if you are willing to make the trek and look beneath the layers of industrialization and modernization, you may be able to unearth a number of hidden gems that showcase Shanghai’s rich cultural history.

Here are some of the places that are must see locations in Shanghai.

1) Waitan (外灘) – The Bund

Probably the first stop for most tourists, the Wàitān, or the Bund is a must see landmark in central Shanghai that spans a distance of about 1 mile along the Huangpu River. It was once home to many banks and businesses from the US, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium. The Bund is particularly beautiful at night when all the European inspired architecture is lit up with extravagant, luminous lights.

2) Qibao Laojie (七寶)

Part of the greater Shanghai area, Qibao (七寶: Qībǎo, “Town of Seven Treasures”) is a quaint little town with an interesting legend for a backstory. While only two of the town’s mythical treasures have exist to this day, Qibao is still worth the visit due to its tantalizing food options. See my upcoming article for more details on Qibao delicacies.

3) Yuyuan Tourist Mart (豫园旅游商城)

A modern take on ancient architecture – this so called mart is more like a gigantic, tacky outdoor mall where all the shops and restaurants are housed underneath buildings shaped like pagodas. Known for knickknacks and souvenirs, the mart also sports a number of fast food places (McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Haagen-Dazs to name a few).

4) Nanjing Lu (南京路) – Nanjing Road

Nanjing Lu is a crowded, highly-commercialized shopping and food mecca that attracts tens of thousands of visitors daily – perhaps a fitting rival to New York’s Times Square. Among the recognizable stores on the strip include Apple, Gap, and American Eagle. Many luxe brands can also be found here – just be careful of those peddling counterfeits. If shopping and fast food is not on your to-do list, Nanjing Lu is also home to the Jing’an Temple (a historical landmark over 1,700 years old) and the Shanghai Art Gallery. If you’re more in the mood for people watching, try the People’s Square, located conveniently near the midpoint of Nanjing Lu.

5) Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC)

As the tallest building in mainland China and the second tallest building in the world, the SWFC is a behemoth worth a visit. Thus, if you want an aerial view of Shanghai’s urbanscape, the SWFC’s observation decks were created for that purpose.

01/7/13

The Importance of a LinkedIn Profile

Ever wondered where recruiters and HR managers of your dream company hang out? Ladies and gentleman, they are constantly searching for intelligent individuals like yourselves on LinkedIn believe it or not. Just like Facebook, LinkedIn enables one to connect with a company and its affiliates directly.

Your profile gives recruiters a chance to know you and contact you directly. It’s that simple. Ensure that you have a professional and up to date profile that will make you stand out and get you one step closer to attaining your dream job! Avoid using overused buzz words (refer to our previous post on what these buzz words are). Furthermore, if you do not have a LinkedIn profile, get one today! It’s easy to set up and completely free!

01/1/13

Buzz Words NOT to Include in Your LinkedIn Profile

At all costs avoid using empty terminology in your LinkedIn profiles. LinkedIn profiles are crucial because they can make or break you.

Here’s a list of some overused words that you may want to avoid using :
1. Creative
2. Organizational
3. Effective
4. Motivated
5. Extensive expertise
6. Track Record
7. Innovative
8. Responsible
9. Analytical
10. Problem solving

This may be tough love for people who have used these terms, but we all need a little constructive criticism sometimes. Don’t jeopardize the risk of having your profile overlooked because of monotonous overused words.

12/15/12

Weekly Newsmakers: North Korea Launch, 911 Update, and Your Ticket to NYC Events

As the holidays are approaching and many in the Baruch community are ready to take a well-deserved break over the winter, we’ve decided to include a few more exciting NYC activities in this edition. Even better, these events are free to the public, so don’t miss your chance to enjoy the arts in our great city. Also, from everyone at the Center, we wish the best to all our students as they enter finals week!

North Korean Media Say Leader Supervised Rocket Launching – New York Times
North Korea’s Unha-3 rocket launched this past Wednesday setting a satellite into orbit. The launch was immediately met with media propaganda within North Korea for Mr. Kim’s potential as the nation’s leader. For the rest of the world however, the launch was met with disapproval, with the UN’s Security Council deeming the act “a violation of United Nations resolutions that ban the country from “any launch using ballistic missile technology.”” For the U.S., the launch will likely also mean that we will keep a closer eye on North Korea, seeing that North Korea has shown its technological capacity for potential wide-scale destruction. What are your thoughts about the N. Korean missile launch? Weigh in with your thoughts below.


911 text messaging service coming in 2014 – CNN

Presently, if someone were to text 911 in an emergency, more often than not, the text would be unseen by any emergency service representative. Most emergency centers are not equipped for texting (SMS) functions. However, according to the FCC, the top four wireless carriers in the U.S. have agreed to institute this service by May 15, 2014. Unfortunately, that means that the vast majority of emergency texts sent to 911 will still go unheeded until that date. In the meantime, the age old method of dialing 911 will still be available for use.

Brooklyn Night Bazaar Lights up NYC – Weissman Center Reports (Editor’s Pick)

Based on the night markets seen in countries such as Asia, the Brooklyn Night Bazaar offers guests a unique foodie experience, an opportunity to support local artists and businesses, and free entertainment.  Festivities run every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 12 AM, now through December 22nd. Location: 45 N. 5th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211.  For more details, visit: http://bkbazaar.com/

A Christmas Carol: Condensed! – Weissman Center Reports

If you’ve been praying to see a theater production in New York City, but claim that you do not have the time or money to make such an experience happen, look no further – The New York Classical Theatre presents a free 15 minute production of the holiday classic: A Christmas Carol. Two actors play all the roles, a feat sure to result in some holiday hijinxs. The play seems to cater to the busy New Yorker who wants quick entertainment during their lunch break. However, if you’re free next week on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (12/18/12 – 12/20/12), hop on a subway over to the World Financial Center Winter Garden to catch the performance. The production is performed twice a day at 12:30 PM and 1:15 PM. For more details, visit worldfinancialcenter.com.

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On a more somber note, our hearts also go out this week to anyone affected by the recent catastrophe in Newtown, Connecticut. We hope that peace will return to Newtown. United, we will always persevere.

12/14/12

How Smartphones Play a Role in African Business

The distribution of information in this day in age is almost immediate. One can send a message anywhere in the world and have it received in a split second halfway across the globe. Cellphones can be a medium for developing countries to find out about information all around the world.

Africa is using this service to its advantage, creating a rapid expansion spread within the continent. The technology that smartphones offer can help emerging nations in Africa play a role in the global economy. Isolated parts of Africa have lacked essential knowledge, such as the cost of food in the markets, hiring transportation services and calling for help during emergencies, until the cellphone.

Small businesses in Kenya have been able to find clients, make purchases and deposit and withdraw money through the use of smartphones. The 3G networks, already a standard in most regions, are finally moving to Africa, which is a huge step up from their current 2G speeds. The African region is finally stepping inside the generation of instant communication, and with that, businesses there are finally able to grow.

12/10/12

Intermix Thanksgiving Meal

Intermix is a Thanksgiving event hosted by Baruch’s Study Abroad Office. This was the seven-year anniversary for this particular event. A delectable replica of some of the common foods enjoyed at a Thanksgiving meal were served. The likes of mashed potatoes, turkey, sweet corn, cranberry sauce, stuffing, pumpkin pie and apple pie were included.

Evidently, this was the real deal! Not to mention the food was just superb! (Thank you Study Abroad Office :)). This was the first Thanksgiving experience for the vast majority of the exchange students who were in attendance. The chatter and excitement that filled the room resembled how such an experience for them was enlightening and ultimately part of the reason why they came to study in the United States. The event really gave the students a chance to experience some American culture.

Intermix this year had a great turnout! The amount of people who attended this fairly new event was surely a sign of the Study Abroad programs growing success. Not only did we get a chance to share what Thanksgiving is about with the students, we also got a chance to hear about other cultures from the students in attendance.