In May 2012 Ron Pen joined a delegation of UK faculty and students that visited Shanghai University to participate in three days of academic discourse, conversation and presentations. Students from Shanghai University welcomed the summit program through a night of many traditional Chinese performances. Pen also performed Appalachian music such as; Frog Went a Courting, Moonlight, and Cool of The Day.

Pen kept a journal of his experiences during the trip, which you can read here.