AIS China Immersion & Exchange Program 2020

Home , Chengdu, Shu (state)

AIS China Immersion & Exchange Program 2020 Chengdu 成都 | Leshan 乐山 | Shanghai 上海 v. October 14, 2019 EdOdyssey creates one-of-a-kind, fully customized immersion experiences. With careful guidance from our Western and Chinese educators, this program has been designed for Atlanta International School students and faculty so that they will gain invaluable insight into China’s long history, rich cultural heritage and contemporary importance in Shanghai, Chengdu, and Leshan. For this program we will be collaborating with our long-time partners, Chinese Language Institute (CLI), to create an incredible and educational student experience with a special focus on Chinese culture and Mandarin to complement students’ language study.

Program Page: www.EdOdyssey.com/aischina

April 11 - 18, 2020: Chengdu | Traditions of the Vibrant Southwest

Day 1 | Saturday, April 11 (Atlanta to Chengdu) All Day Fly from Atlanta to Chengdu

Day 2 | Sunday, April 12 ( Chengdu) Early Evening Arrive in Chengdu and travel into the city center; check into your hotel While traveling into Chengdu, engage in a comprehensive orientation session to understand and conceptualize the journey ahead, and share program goals and expectations amongst your fellow travelers.

Late Evening Welcome to Chengdu! Enjoy a festive welcome dinner at a local specialty restaurant

Day 3 | Monday, April 13 (Chengdu) Morning Embark on the Discover Chengdu Scavenger Hunt in the Wide and Narrow Alley The Discover Chengdu scavenger hunt is a cultural icebreaker designed to introduce you to your new surroundings, both geographically and culturally. Meet local community members and compete in teams of fellow classmates and local students with prizes awarded!

Noon Group lunch on the ancient Jinli Pedestrian Street, followed by a foot massage!

Evening Sample famous Sichuan hotpot during a group dinner

AIS China Immersion & Exchange Program 2020 Chengdu 成都 | Leshan 乐山 | Shanghai 上海 v. October 14, 2019 Day 4 | Tuesday, April 14 ( Chengdu) Morning Spend the morning with students at a local school in Chengdu Tour the school’s campus in small groups led by Chinese students, then engage in direct cultural exchange through games and activities.

Noon Small group lunches with local student buddies

Afternoon Visit the Sanxingdui Museum to learn about ancient art and metallurgy Sanxingdui is an ancient archaeological site with artifacts from the Bronze Age. Archaeologists excavated remarkable artifacts that radiocarbon dating placed in the 12th-11th centuries BCE, during the kingdom of Shu.

Evening Group dinner at a Chinese BBQ restaurant

Day 5 | Wednesday, April 15 ( Chengdu) Morning Explore the Dujiangyan Irrigation System This UNESCO world heritage site i s an ancient irrigation system constructed in 256 BC by the State of Qin as an irrigation and flood control project.

Noon Group lunch nearby

Afternoon Learn the ancient Chinese art of kung fu and expand your Mandarin vocabulary with local student buddies during an immersive class led by a master Called gongfu (功夫) in Chinese, this esteemed martial art has been practiced in various forms for hundreds of years and depicted in popular culture for decades. In its purest definition, kung fu emphasizes the process of strengthening the mind and body in harmony, valuing education and development rather than physical practice alone.

Evening Group dinner before attending a Sichuan Opera performance Traditional Sichuan Opera presents a unique technique known as bianlian (变脸) where the performers magically switch masks.

Day 6 | Thursday, April 16 (Chengdu) Morning/Afternoon Visit a panda research center to glimpse Chengdu’s most famous residents Get a glimpse of Sichuan’s most famous residents outside of a zoo

AIS China Immersion & Exchange Program 2020 Chengdu 成都 | Leshan 乐山 | Shanghai 上海 v. October 14, 2019 Evening Group dinner with local students

Day 7 | Friday, April 17 (day trip to Leshan) Morning/Afternoon Discover the Leshan Giant Buddha while learning about Buddhism in China Standing at an impressive 233 feet, the Giant Buddha of Leshan is the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world and is by far the tallest pre-modern statue in the world. The statue and surrounding scenic area is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Evening Return to your hotel and enjoy a group dinner nearby

Day 8 | Saturday, April 18 (Chengdu) Morning Explore the ancient Hakka town of Luo Dai According to legend, the prince of the Shu Kingdom, Liu Edou, accidentally dropped his jade band in an old well while trying to catch a carp. Luodai (洛带) means ‘to drop a band’ in Chinese.

Noon Group lunch

Early Afternoon Learn Chinese ink painting during a painting class with a professional artist and local student buddies

Late Afternoon Free time for shopping and small group exploration on Chunxi Road

Evening Enjoy a festive farewell dinner and program reflection with your peers and program leaders

Day 9 | Sunday, April 19 ( Chengdu to Shanghai) Morning Fly from Chengdu to Shanghai

April 19 - 26, 2020: Shanghai | AIS Sister School Program

Sunday, April 19-26 | (Shanghai) The Shanghai portion of the China Seminar will be organized by Atlanta International School and its local sister school, Shanghai High School.

Sunday, April 26 Shanghai (Shanghai to Atlanta) Afternoon Fly from Atlanta to Chengdu (arrival: same day to Atlanta in evening)

AIS China Immersion & Exchange Program 2020 Chengdu 成都 | Leshan 乐山 | Shanghai 上海 v. October 14, 2019 Program Fee: As an educational initiative we work tirelessly to keep programs affordable for students and their families. The per participant program fee for AIS’ China Immersion program is as follows, plus international airfare:

8-10 students $2,620

11-15 students $2,575

16-20 students $2,375

With our program fee there are no surprises – we promise. The program fee will not change and it includes just about everything (see below).

Note on international airfare (ATLANTA-CHINA): EdOdyssey will negotiate the best possible group flight and the cost of international airfare will be billed in addition to the Program Fee. Currently, round-trip airfare (Atlanta-Chengdu; Shanghai-Atlanta) is estimated to be about $1,000 USD per person (typically airfare ranges from as low as $800 up to $1,200 during this time of year). The cost of faculty chaperone’s airfare will be divided between students and added to airfare.

Program Fee Includes: ❏ All activities and site visits listed in the program itinerary ❏ Three meals daily (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) ❏ International airfare booking, reservation and ticketing ❏ Full-time program leader ❏ 24-hour assistances from EdOdyssey’s & CLI’s international and local teams ❏ Parent/Student Information Session Materials (when program is announced to school) ❏ Parent/Student Pre-Departure Meeting Materials (several weeks before departure) ❏ International emergency medical insurance and travel insurance - p lease see policy for full details ❏ All domestic transportation (ground and national airfare, Chengdu-Shanghai) ❏ All tips for drivers, local guides, restaurant attendants, etc. ❏ High quality housing accommodations (up to three (3) students per room, one (1) adult per room) ❏ Personalized, dedicated webpage for students, families, and faculty leaders ❏ PRC visa fee and visa application assistance and processing ❏ Two faculty chaperones from Atlanta International School

Program Fee Excludes: ❏ Personal spending money ❏ Snacks / meals during travel ❏ Extra baggage fees ❏ Passport fee(s) ❏ Other costs outside the scope of the program and/or not mentioned above

AIS China Immersion & Exchange Program 2020 Chengdu 成都 | Leshan 乐山 | Shanghai 上海 v. October 14, 2019

Money Matters: We value education, at all costs. We work tirelessly to keep programs affordable for students and their families, but know that does not mean accessible for everyone. To help, EdOdyssey offers: ● Financial Aid. For every family with demonstrated financial need, guaranteed financial aid is available. ● Scholarships. Each year EdOdyssey offers a number of merit-based scholarships to students from $50 - $300. ● Fundraising Tips. EdOdyssey posts fundraising tips and resources such as a form letter to help support students’ own fundraising. We also have a new online platform that allows donations to be credited directly to students. ● Payment Schedule. A deposit is due at the time of registration and the balance is divided over multiple payments.

Program Fee Schedule:

Registration & Non-Refundable Deposit Until November 3, 2019 ($500)

Payment 1 January 15, 2020 ($1,000)

Payment 2 February 12, 2020 ($1,000)

Payment 3 March 11, 2020 (balance; Program Fee (pending group size) + international airfare)

All payments should be submitted directly to AIS’ Business Office

Program Page & Registration Link: