Our Adventure Continues to a New City!

This blog was written by Special Olympics North Carolina Unified Pair, Gavin Rodriquez and Daniel Bartholomy during day 3 of the Global Unified Youth Exchange in China.

The day began with an early rise and breakfast at 6:50 AM. Shortly after breakfast, as a group we checked out of Beijing International Hotel and boarded our bus. We were headed for our next adventure. Our first stop was at SOHO China, one of Special Olympics China’s largest supporters. SOHO is China’s television programming station and is a testament to the innovation and creativity China possesses. We were divided into groups, one group going to the photography studio and the other to the headquarters.

Our next stop was Beijing Airport. We said our farewell to China’s capital of Beijing and braced our flight with excitement for the journey to come. We flew into Hangzhou, China around 3:30pm. We soon realized why this was called “Paradise on Earth.” Our first stop was at an arts and crafts shop, which was previously owned by an ancient Chinese family and emperors used this shop to create art. We participated in a Unified tye-dye experience with local Special Olympics athletes. Afterwards, we enjoyed a traditional Chinese dinner, followed by some shopping, exploration, and fun right in the heart of Hangzhou with our fantastic hosts from China. Our night in Hangzhou was one for the ages. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!