This is a super late entry but….
I arrived in Asia on 17th of Aug. to Hong Kong first at a family’s place

Then left for HK and China early to vacation with my parents, two uncles, and one auntie. We stayed at our family’s house in Hong Kong to get over our jetlag because we were to go one two tours, a 7-day-6-night tour of Shanghai and cities around it and a 6-day-5-night tour of Guilin, before my semester started…you know to at least get a taste of where I’m going before I start classes. Unfortunately these tours were not a good experience because of our “shopping stops.”

Granted our family did see some amazing sites as well as take awesome photos, but these tours are said to be sponsored by the Chinese Government because they are so cheap. But in reality they are also sponsored by private companies that own these Shopping Stops, so it is required for us to go on them.
The worst shopping stop would the last day at a jewelry store and probably be the worst experience on both tours. You would start by having your group led into a conference room and and told the person explaining the tour was “new” at explaining the product. Then the same person would talk you up to a friendly state and then lead you to a VIP room. In the VIP room he/she would show off a few extremely expensive products and then say…”Since we are friends I will give you something good for free.”
(In Shanghai, we got a jade pendant and in Guilin we recieved a small “sapphire”. I knew they weren’t real because when I bit into both of them my tooth left a white indent… )
Then they try to prove the authenticity of the jewel and then convince you to buy another thing of jewelry for a “special price.” Idiots…

Watch out for those tours guys.