As the spring semester comes to an end, certificate students and second-year MAIS students are finishing up their last weeks in Nanjing. I asked some of my classmates what their favorite places in Nanjing are and what they will miss most when they leave.
Wall Walk
Each year the Hopkins-Nanjing Center organizes a Wall Walk on the old Nanjing city wall. Portions of the wall have not been maintained, but the group can still walk where the wall used to be. In total, the walk is a little over 26 miles, making it a full-day event. Students are encouraged to go on the Wall Walk because it is an opportunity to meet and get to know lots of people from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center community. Over the course of the day, students and professors who attend can learn about each other’s backgrounds and interests before the semester gets busy.
Live Music in Nanjing
Many students enjoy going to Ola Live House in the Sun Palace entertainment complex to see concerts. Ola Live House hosts both local and international musicians, giving students a chance to hear music that they are familiar with and to learn more about the music scene in Nanjing.
Xuanwu Lake
For a more casual off-campus activity, students go to the nearby Xuanwu Lake (玄武胡), which has walking paths, areas to sit down and relax, and small food shops. Runners at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center frequent the lake for a run on less-congested paths. The lake is also a great place to get off campus with friends, just to chat and enjoy the scenery, especially when the weather is nice.
Purple Mountain
Students at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center are eager to see the historical sites in Nanjing before they leave. One favorite is Purple Mountain, where Sun Yat-sen’s mausoleum is located. In addition to the mausoleum, the mountain hosts the Meiling Palace (where Chiang Kai-Shek and Song Meiling lived), Ming Tombs, and a large park. Similar to Xuanwu Lake, the park has lots of open space and greenery for Nanjing residents and visitors to enjoy.
Museums
A couple favorite museums in Nanjing include the Nanjing Museum and the Aviation Martyrs Memorial. The Nanjing Museum includes lots of artifacts from China’s history, with many porcelain pieces from the Ming and Qing eras. The Aviation Martyrs Memorial highlights the Flying Tigers from World War II. To learn about this significant moment in Sino-US military cooperation, two classes at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center have taken trips to the memorial this semester. The site includes both a memorial to those who fought in the Air Force during World War II and a history of China’s air force development.
Trivia Night
Many students attend trivia night at a local bar each week. With different topics each week, trivia night is a fun way for students to begin the weekend and show off their knowledge from outside the classroom.
Written by Hope Parker, Master of Arts in International Studies, ‘20
