Students interested in traversing the Great Wall of China and everything else China has to offer will have the opportunity to do so this summer with a study abroad trip being offered.

Dr. Joy Zhao, professor of English and Study in China Program leader, coordinated a team of faculty on a two-week research tour of China in the summer of ’07, which inspired her to further research and set up the Study in China Program during summer ’08.

“I enjoy leading the Study in China Program for the wonderful opportunities it will provide to participants who will visit, experience and gain from the must-see sites of historic and cultural importance in China,” she said.

Jannette Alvarez, 20, anthropology major, said she has always wanted to join a study abroad program and is registered for the Study in China Program.

“You can only learn so much from books and videos,” Alvarez said. “What better way to learn about another culture than to immerse yourself in that culture?”

Alvarez said she wants to learn more about Buddhism and Confucianism and how China really is; she wants to take a look at the other aspects that aren’t distorted by the U.S.

“You only get so much of China from the media, and most of the time it is very biased because the U.S. doesn’t really like communism,” Alvarez said.

Zhao said the program will include lodging at four-star hotels during the 11 days of travel to 10 famous cities, one of which includes Xian, burial site of the First Emperor of China during the Qin Dynasty, a mausoleum which took 11 years to finish and contains thousands of life-sized terra cotta warriors and horses.

“Our participants will surely enjoy this breath-taking site and gain lessons of Chinese history at the same time,” Zhao said.

Also included in the 11-day tour are Beijing (capital and site of the 29th Olympic Games), Qufu (Confucius’ hometown), and Thousand Buddha Mountain.

“What I’m looking forward to most is the Forbidden City. It’s a city that was built exclusively for the emperor, so back in the day no one else could enter,” Alvarez said.

Of course, the program can’t be all fun and no studying; there will be 16 days of campus study at Shandong University, Wehai.

Zhao will teach Critical Thinking and Composition and Creative Writing.

Florence Baker, professor of history and co-leader of the Study in China Program, will teach History of Asian Civilizations and History of World Relgions.

“What better place to learn about Asian civilizations than in an Asian country?” Alvarez said. The Study in China Program is scheduled from June 21-July18, 2009. The total program cost is $3,599.

Financial aid is available to those who qualify; interested students should contact Molly Villalobos in the Financial Aid Office at [email protected].

Zhao said that every study abroad program offered by EC has great value and every student who is serious about his or her future should consider participating in at least one of the programs.

“As Augustine pointed out a long time ago, ‘The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page,’ I do hope we have a lot of global-minded ‘world’ or ‘book’ readers and travelers at EC,” Zhao said.