Highlights

Following is a sample itinerary for Dragons' China: A Comprehensive Survey Summer Abroad 6-Week Program. Our Comprehensive Survey 4-Week Program will have a slightly different itinerary to accommodate a shorter course. Our sample itineraries are based on past courses; in order to meet instructor team goals, as well as the goals and interests of particular student groups, future itineraries are subject to change.

Week One:
Orientation in L.A. Fly to Beijing: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven. Begin study of Mandarin Chinese. Hike and camp along a remote section of the Great Wall. Wander through traditional hutong neighborhoods and speed though modern subways. Marvel at the Beijing acrobats; discuss the legacy of the nomads from the steppe lands with traditional Mongolian BBQ; feast on Beijing Duck; begin survey of political history; meet with academics, business executives and advocates for labor and minority groups. Discuss China's rapid economic growth and related development issues. Train to Xian: Terra-cotta Warriors; ponder over ancient history and the unification of China in 221 BC, ideas of national identity, philosophy and systems of government. Decide on Independent Study Project topics.

Week Two:
Train to Chengdu: Visit China's foremost Panda Breeding Center; discuss land-use and conservation issues; lessons on Sichuan cooking; Sichuan opera and cultural show; explore Chinese artistic traditions and teahouse culture. Visit Buddhist and Daoist temples and learn about Chinese philosophy and religion. Possible opportunity to visit communities devastated by the May 12, 2008 Sichuan earthquake and collaborate with a local NGO on an earthquake-relief service project. Continue with language instruction and Independent Study Projects.

Week Three:
Rugged travel in northwest Yunnan Province. Examine traditional architecture and construction; witness the conflict between rural development issues and tourism. Meet with representatives from The Nature Conservancy and learn about environmental stresses based on development and consumption. Introduction to Naxi culture and discussion of ethnic minority issues. Trek or bike amongst Naxi minority villages and enjoy home-stays with local families. Possible opportunities to teach English at a local primary school or orphanage, or work on a village-based service project. Continue with language instruction and Independent Study Projects.

Week Four:
Kunming: Urban home-stay with local Chinese families. Visit local NGOs and survey development work in China. Intensive work on Independent Study Projects. Daily language lessons, cultural presentations and seminars at the Dragons Program House. Explore Traditional Chinese Medicine and massage, instruction in Tai Ji Quan (Tai Chi), calligraphy, painting, and traditional Chinese music.

Week Five:
Train and bus to Guangxi and/or Guizhou, provinces that remain dramatically underdeveloped and rich in minority culture. Possible activities include: rural home-stays with ethnic minority families in a remote village seldom visited by travelers, village-to-village trekking or biking, a service project addressing issues such as environmental conservation and resource use, teaching English at a local primary school or orphanage, opportunities to learn about rice farming and sweet potato cultivation while laboring alongside local people in the fields. Continue with language instruction and Independent Study Projects.

Week Six:
Spend a few days exploring the dramatic landscape of Yangshuo, Guangxi. Float down the Yulong River on a bamboo raft; bike through picturesque villages and rice paddies; hike to the top of the stunning Moon Hill; visit the night market and sample local delicacies such as fried silkworms and barbecued ratif you dare! Train to Hong Kong. Introduction to the cultural, political and economic differences of China's Cantonese-speaking people; the Chinese Diaspora; the history of Imperialism and Colonialism, as manifested in the Opium Wars; and China's reluctant opening to the West. Discussion on "One Country-Two Systems"; explore the British legacy by visiting Victoria Peak, Victoria Harbor and the famous Star Ferry; press through the crowds at the Temple Street Night Markets and in hi-tech Mongkok; be overwhelmed at the unbridled conspicuous consumption that makes Hong Kong property the most expensive in the world. Wrap up Mandarin study and present on Independent Study Projects.

Travel Types

• 4th World Studies
• BackPacking Abroad
• Heritage Tourism
• Camping
• Cooking
• Dancing
• Hiking
• Homestay
• Language Immersion
• Martial Arts
• Environmental Studies
• Overland Tours
• Native Culture Studies
• Nature Tours
• Trekking
• Volunteering

Type of Programs

• High School Study Abroad
• Adventure Travel
• Community Service / Volunteerism
• Language Immersion
• Cultural Exploration

Languages

• Chinese

Languages Used as a Medium of Teaching

• English

Cost in US$:

6,950 USD

Cost Include Description:

Tuition includes everything except international flight medical insurance and small personal expenses (personal calls home personal snacks aside from meals laundry services, email/internet cafes, etc).

Credit Available

no

Age Range

This Program is open to

Worldwide, Asian, Kiwi, South African, Australian, Canadian, European, American Participant.

Participants Travel to China

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Written Application
• Letters of Reference
• Phone/Video Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Typically The Application Process Time is

Where There Be Dragons's Mission Statement

Dragons programs are authentic, rugged and profound learning adventures that expose the beautiful and complex realities of the countries in which we travel. Featuring extended itineraries, Dragons programs encourage deep immersion into strikingly different physical and cultural landscapes, combining the best in experiential education, travel, service learning, and physically and intellectually challenging experiences. While programs vary in their focus - with some trekking and wilderness intensive, others strong on service and development studies, and still others language-oriented - all Dragons journeys are designed above all else to be fun, safe and honest educational experiences.

Year Founded

1993