China/Tibet: Where Modernity Meets Tradition

  China

• Kunming: 
Kunming
• All Other Areas in China: 
Chengdu,  Guangzhou,  Lijiang,  Lanzhou,  Xining,  Baotou,  Dali,  Zhangjiang
• Xi'an: 
Xi'an

  Tibet

• Other Cities in Tibet: 
Lhasa,  Rural Areas

Term: Fall, Spring 
Duration of Program: 3-6 months

Description:
Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.
--Confucius

Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, community service, brush painting and calligraphy, Mandarin and Tibetan language study, folk dancing, music, community service, and much more will be included in this Global Learning Across Borders (Global LAB) semester program which offers participants an authentic, hands-on introduction to the remarkable cultures and traditions of both the The Middle Kingdom and Tibet.

Primary Locations

Guangzhou (Guangdong Province)
The semester begins with several days of orientation and exploration in the economic boomtown of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton and, among other claims to fame, birthplace of several renowned Chinese dishes, including Dim Sum) in the Pearl River Delta. Participants will visit the bustling Qingping Peaceful Market; observe (and perhaps start to practice) Tai Chi Chuan at the city's largest park, Haizhuang Gongyuan; enjoy a boat ride up the ZhuJiang and an excursion to BaiYun Shan, one of thirty nearby peaks where temples and monasteries preserve ancient spiritual traditions and practices.

Before leaving this region students will spend three days together volunteering in a health support role in medical clinic.

From Guangzhou, participants will board a sleeper train taking them on a journey through the southern provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, and finally to Yunnan, one of the most beautiful and culturally diverse provinces in China. Located in the countrys Southwest, Yunnans dramatic mountains and rivers (including stretches of the Yangtze, Mekong, Red, Pearl, Salween, and Irawaddy); diverse indigenous communities; and shared borders with Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, and Tibet, make it an unparalleled classroom for learning about China's extraordinary cultural and biological diversity.

Kunming, Chengdu and Xining (Yunnan, Sichuan, Amdo/Qinghai Provinces)

After a few days in Yunnan's capital city of Kunming--including a day trip to see the stunning natural wonder of the Stone Forest--the group will head north to the city of Chengdu (capital of Sichuan Province) where they will board a flight to Xining, the cultural heart of the Tibetan region of Amdo, located in the Chinese province of Qinghai. Participants will begin a study of both Islam and Tibetan Buddhism in this region where both faiths have deep roots. They will visit the Mengda Nature Reserve, home to a lake sacred to Muslims and Buddhists; the Great Mosque of Xining; and Kumbum Monastery, (historically one of the six most important monasteries in all Tibet). Students will visit the homes of rural Tibetan families and perform service work helping the teachers in a rural Tibetan school that meets in a monastery. Housing will be provided at the monastery where students will live and work for several days. Our service project will be coordinated with the Ngak-Mang Institute, a Tibetan NGO which works to preserve Tibetan culture through education, improved access to medical care, and other means.

Returning from the northern edge of the Tibetan plateau, the group will spend a week in Chengdu, visiting the Giant Panda breeding center and meeting with community leaders who will address issues such as the challenges of environmental preservation in a densely populated region and describe projects such as microcredit loans which are being implemented in Sichuan to help people move from poverty to prosperity. The group will visit cultural sites in Sichuan's biggest city and enjoy some of the hot and spicy food for which the region is famous.

The first homestays of the program will occur in Emei, Sichuan where students will continue language and cultural studies, engage in service learning and begin their first Independent Study Projects (ISPs). Students will spend about four weeks in Sichuan province altogether and will enjoy excursions to sacred sites such as Emei Shan (Emei Mountain) and the Tibetan communities in the western region of the province and to Chongqing province for lectures at Southwest China Normal University.

Zhongdian, Lijiang and Dali (Yunnan Province)

The group will move on next to northwestern Yunnan province (called Kham, by Tibetans) where they will experience a several day excursion to Zhongdian (officially renamed Shangalila in Chinese because some believe it is the location of the mythical paradise Shangri-la). This area is home to a large, active Buddhist monastery, and surrounded by Tibetans whose lives are centered on the raising of yaks, pot-bellied pigs, and barley. Traditional Tibetan practices such as polygamy and polyandry still occur in this fascinating area. A community service project with an environmental focus will be implemented with local leadership and participation.

Upon leaving Zhongdian the group will head south along the Mekong, continuing language learning while exploring the indigenous communities of Lijiang and Dali. In Lijiang the matrilineal Naxi utilize the only pictographic language still in use in the world today. We will also visit Baihua village, a minority village and see the Naxi orchestra. In Dali, the Bai people are a significant presence. In Lijiang or Dali students can enroll in cultural classes of their choosing, including but not limited to Martial Arts study and practice, calligraphy and brushpainting.

Zhanjiang (Guangdong Province)

The third month of the semester returns to Guangdong Province, where participants will embark on their second extended stay in one region, in the coastal city of Zhanjiang, on the eastern coast of the Leizhou Peninsula. Participants will live on the campus of Zhanjiang Normal University, befriending both local and international students, and indulge in some weekend explorations of the surrounding South China Sea beaches and islands, including an excursion to Hainan Dao (Hainan Island), Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region, and Shenzhen, a Special Economic Region. While continuing their study and practice of Mandarin, participants will again dive in to an extended Independent Study Project and/or apprenticeship of their selection, with options including intensive study/practice of Martial Arts, calligraphy, cooking, and traditional dance forms, or internships or volunteer projects.

The semester culminates with a final week long excursion that is designed and implemented by the program participants, with semester directors coming along for the adventure. Visits to renowned monasteries famed for their role in the development of Chan Buddhism and Martial Arts; a journey to Xian to witness the legendary Terra Cotta Warriors; or an excursion to see the sites of Beijing or Shanghai are among the many possibilities for this final segment.

After spending nearly thirteen weeks in China, learning Martial Arts, studying and practicing Mandarin, meeting with rural and urban inhabitants in various parts of the Peoples Republic of China and on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, participants will return to Guangzhou for a few final days of last minute shopping, reflection, and focusing on the task of bringing all that they have learned back home to their local communities in the United States.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: USD 10,845+

Please note: Additional expenses not covered by Global Learning Across Borders include: r/t international airfare or travel to point of group departure--NYC, inoculations, travel insurance and international medical and evacuation insurance; visa/passport processing fees; personal costs (laundry, phone calls/emails, souvenirs, personal spending money, etc.).

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American, Canadian and European Participants.

Participants Travel Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 10 or more

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Global Learning Across Borders's Mission Statement: Global Learning Across Borders exists to educate and inspire new generations of young people to become responsible and committed global citizens in their local communities and beyond. We do this through international cultural immersion and community service programs for young adults; global studies professional development programs for educators; and by partnering with schools to help design and launch experiential global education and service programs.

Year Founded: 2006