Pre-trip reflection

I hope to learn about the history of Shanghai and how it was affected by foreign countries that invaded China under the Qing government's weak ruling. I also want to know why it has not been affected as greatly as Hong Kong and also the reason it became such a bustling city. I hope that on the day where we go to the building behind the oriental pearl tower for sight seeing, we would be able to see the whole of shanghai's city clearly(without haze) and also find out how and why the city is seperated ,rich and poor, by a river. I would like to know what the purpose of that is and what the people on the poor side of the river do(e.g. Do they cross the river every day to get to work, how to get across the river, what's the housing conditions). Lastly I wish to bond closely with my class mates and improve our chemistry.