Next Step China’s Summer Study and Travel Program in China offers program participants the opportunity to live for several weeks in the vibrant cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, or Guilin and Yangshuo and use the mandarin skills acquired via an intensive Chinese language instruction.

Participants will use their Chinese to communicate in daily life activities and on the journey, improving both their fluency and pronunciation. In the process, students gain a greater awareness and understanding of cultural differences and diversity.

What does the program include? Glad you asked!

Course tuition at ONE of the FOLLOWING (You Pick!):

Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) (4 hrs a day and receive college credit)
Beijing Global Village School (BGVS) (4 hrs a day of class)
NSC’s Intensive Tutoring Program (4 hrs a day 1 on 1 tutoring sessions)

Accommodation: You have the option of either residing in a Dorm accommodation with 2 people in a room (Dorm Double) or by yourself (Dorm Single). The other option is to reside in our Luxury Accommodations which is comprised of either 3 bedroom or 2 bedroom apartments where you share a room with other participants. While traveling you will have the choice of staying in a hotel in a double room or single room and will be placed in a Chinese standard 3 or 4 stars hotel (Beijing, Shanghai and Yangshuo 3 stars hotel; Xi`an and Guilin 4 stars hotel).

Sightseeing, Activities and Transportation: All sightseeing trips and activities arranged by NSC are provided to program participants. Airport pick-up, sightseeing trips, activities onsite visit, train/bus/flight transportation between cities, transportation to nearby city of departure.

All of the Next Step China programs include the following program features:
NSC Standard Program Features
NSC Fun Activities

Here is the itinerary for this summer! If you are only interested in the travel option please contact us!

NSC Study and Travel Program (6 Weeks) #1

Dates: June 21, 2012 – July 30, 2012
Description: 4 weeks of study in Beijing, 2 weeks travel to Xi`an, Shanghai, Zhouzhang, Hangzhou, Guilin, and Yangshuo
Program Starting City: Beijing
Program Ending City: Beijing (we can help you arrange travel to your city of departure)

DEADLINE to APPLY IS MAY 31st

Arrangements can be made for students looking to spend additional time studying in Beijing for longer than the allotted 4 weeks. Also, individuals only looking to take part in the travel portion are welcome, as well. Please email Info@NextStepChina.org for details and prices.

PROGRAM #2

Dates: July 18, 2012 – August 30, 2012 NSC Intensive Tutoring or Beijing Language and Culture University
Description: 4 weeks of study in Beijing, 2 weeks travel to Xi`an, Shanghai, Zhouzhang, Hangzhou, Guilin, and Yangshuo
Program Starting City: Beijing
Program Ending City: Beijing (we can help you arrange travel to your city of departure)

Arrangements can be made for students looking to spend additional time studying in Beijing for longer than the allotted 4 weeks. Also, individuals only looking to take part in the travel portion are welcome, as well. Please email Info@NextStepChina.org for details and prices.

Xi’an

Home to the famous terracotta warriors unearthed only 30 years ago, Xi’an is undoubtedly the historical center of China. Over the millennia, Xi’an has been host to more than a dozen Chinese dynasties. It was also the terminus for the ancient Silk Road and was visited by merchants from all over the world.

Today, the rich and deep-rooted historical and cultural heritage of Xi’an is visible through a wealth of cultural relics, museums, and historical sites, including the world-famous terracotta army of China’s first Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. The highlights of this section include the Bell and Drum Tower, the Stone Forest, the Neolithic Banpo Village, a visit to the Huaqing Hot Springs, and of course Qin Shi Huang’s great mausoleum and the terracotta warriors.

Shanghai and Outlying Areas

Shanghai is the largest city in all of China. It’s the financial heart of China’s massive economic growth, and also the site of its modern cultural and political renaissance. This is new China. Strategically located where the Yangtze River Delta meets the Pacific, Shanghai is one of the world’s most modern cities and pulses with a vibrancy of a people on the cusp of world greatness. The highlights of the Shanghai tour include the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Hu Pu river cruise, Shanghai acrobatic show, the Bund, the French Concession, and the Yuyuan Garden.

From Shanghai, students will be taken on daytrips to Hangzhou, which Marco Polo proclaimed the “most beautiful city in the world,” and to the water townships of Zhouzhuang and Tongli, the “Venice of China.” Canals run throughout both of these villages, and their inhabitants traverse from place to place in small boats and gondolas. Here, students will experience well-preserved ancient residential houses, boat rides through the canals and under bridges, and observe local customs as merchants sell their wares from their gondolas.

Guilin

The Chinese government thinks so highly of Guilin’s natural wonder and beauty that they have placed its iconic image on the back of the 50 yuan bill. Before this, its cloud-covered peaks have adorned water colorings and inspired Chinese poets for centuries. In fact, the Seven Star Park, thus named because it resembles the Big Dipper, has been a tourist attraction since 517 AD. After touring Guilin’s famed peaks, caves and cruising along the Li River, prepare for bike rides and hiking through the nearby Yangshou countryside.

*All hotels stays, entrance tickets, and transportation from Beijing to the Program ending city on the tour are included in the cost of the program.