HANNAH ROVNER (visual arts management major) writes:
Before writing this blog I must provide a little disclaimer: I am so happy that I am on the J-term Shanghai trip. Shanghai is truly an amazing city and I am traveling with a great group of students and instructors.
But there is one thing that I must poke fun at, the gourmet breakfast served every single morning 7 to 9 at our motel, Motel 168.
This is not your standard continental breakfast fare. The breakfast itself is not actually located inside the motel but in small building adjacent to the construction site next door.
Each morning you grab a ticket at the front desk that must be presented to the sweaty cook before grabbing a plate. It’s amazing that he is able to sweat because the room is rather cold and the food, well, let’s just say it’s lukewarm at best.
The menu changes day to day, but rice gruel in a pot comes standard. It is a grayish-white porridge that a few people on the trip seem to enjoy. Then there is a selection of red bean paste rolls (my favorite), scallion pancakes (my roommate's favorite), sweet potatoes, and Hot Tang. Yes, I mean hot orange soda. I have yet to see anyone drink the hot tang, including the locals.
Even though we find the breakfast quite odd, since the rest of the food in Shanghai has been absolutely incredible, you will find my roommate and me faithfully each morning, chopsticks in hand, eating breakfast.
There is something about this single-star breakfast, and its little quirks, that is making this trip so much better and so much more unique.
Hannah Rovner is a senior in visual arts management.
