As the 21st century unfolds, it is clear that China will take a leading role in shaping the way our world develops. The world’s most populous nation and dynamic economy has as its backdrop 5000 years of history and is home to a wide variety of rich cultural traditions and exotic cuisines. Furthermore, China is the world’s fourth largest country in area, with wide geographic diversity and stunning natural beauty. The China Immersion program provides access to all of this.

China Immersion Program, 31 Days

June 30-July 30, 2009

Tuition: $6250

Our month in the Far East combines breathtaking destinations, the pursuit of Mandarin language and other captivating Chinese disciplines. Flying in and out of Beijing, we will spend ten days in Kunming studying at one of China’s finest universities. The rest of our time will be spent exploring Southwestern China and the Tibetan Plateau and will include: visits to the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and exotic markets; study of Mandarin, Kung Fu, Chinese cuisine, Tai Chi, and calligraphy; visits to isolated ethnic minority villages, staggering Himalayan peaks on the Tibetan plateau; seminars with business leaders and government officials; biking though rice paddies and traditional farming villages, community service and more. If you’ve already been to China, know a little about the country, or are simply intrigued by it, our Explore China program is ready to impress on every level.

Beijing

After traveling half way around the world, we land in one of the most unique and dynamic cities on earth. Beijing is home to 15 million people and provides one of the starkest examples available of the political communism and economic capitalism that drive China forward.

We will spend four days visiting three of the best-known sites in the country: the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Beijing is a great introduction to the country and offers the ideal setting to recover from jet lag, initiate group interactions, and to discuss and prepare for the amazing trip ahead.

Kunming, Yunnan Province

Kunming, Capital of the southwestern province of Yunnan, will be our home as students enroll in a local university and study a wide breadth of China’s most intriguing cultural disciplines. In the mornings, two hours will be devoted to Mandarin language study taught by local university faculty. Each afternoon, students will work on organized group projects or individual internships with local businesses. Evenings will be reserved for cultural classes such as Kung Fu, cooking, Tai Chi, calligraphy and more. After a broad introduction to all of the disciplines, students will be able to pursue their favorite.

The group will live in university dormitories and will eat the majority of their meals on campus, while having ample opportunity to explore Kunming and the incredibly diverse culinary options that abound in this city of three million inhabitants.

Monastery near Dali

Further on in our month we’ll visit Dali, a popular tourist destination and a portal to China’s idyllic past. We will tour the giant stupas that stand guard to the entrances of the city and admire the brilliantly colored clothes and unique customs of local indigenous groups. The highlight of our time here will be a two-night stay in a shaolin monastery. High in the hills above the city, this complex of temples and living quarters is home to dozens of monks and young orphans who are taken in, fed and trained by the monks. Students will practice kung fu, learn the basics of meditation, practice their Mandarin and will help perform different chores.

Shangri-la

Shangri-La, known locally as Zhongdian, is a remote town at the foothills of the Himalayas, which is ethnically Tibetan and has a wonderfully distinctive feel. We will spend our first day getting used to the altitude and touring the city and abeautiful Tibetan temple. The following morning the group will hike through ethnically Tibetan villages along beautiful trails. We will have a picnic lunch and enjoy a full day outdoors.

Lijiang

Celebrated for its dazzling hanging red lamps and meandering waterways, Lijiang is a beautiful town full of vendors and food stalls and is ripe for exploration. Our group will practice haggling in Mandarin, have an epic scavenger hunt and enjoy the plethora of dinning options for a few days in this idyllic setting.

Tiger Leaping Gorge

A contender for the deepest canyon in the world, the gorge has been formed by the mighty Yangtze River and provides a unique landscape with spectacular views. Our group will depart early for two days of world-class trekking. We will spend the first day hiking into the gorge, where we will stop to relax and spend the night at a guesthouse. On our second day of trekking, the group will hike out of the gorge, stop for lunch, and will stay the night in Shu he, a traditional village.