A small group of IU Southeast students and faculty members toured China over the summer to study the empirical history and culture of the Chinese people.
China: The Eternal Empire was a 16 day study-tour of China sponsored by the IUS Overseas Study program. 10 students and two professors traveled to China in late May to experience Chinese ancient history first hand.
Yu Shen, professor of history and coordinator of study-tour, said she was very happy with the success of the trip.
“Some people know nothing about the Chinese and most people learn about China through the media and politicians who have their own agendas. You don’t get the real picture unless you experience it for yourself,” Shen said.
China represents one-fifth of the world’s population and Shen said this is something that cannot be ignored.
“China is a big country and is quickly moving forward. Americans don’t know enough about China,” Shen said.
With the global environment we live in today, Shen said it is important for students to educate themselves with experiences outside of their immediate environment and outside of the classroom.
The trip, with a price tag of $3,815, included airfare, train and bus fares, entrance fees, health insurance, accommodations and all but one meal while the group was in China. Personal spending money, tuition, passport fees and visa application fees were not included in the price.
Taylor Keating, international studies senior, said the group did attend a few events that were not on the itinerary.
“We did see an acrobatic performance and a Peking opera that were not included in the price of the trip,” Keating said.
Keating said the acrobatic performance rivaled that of another performance she had seen, Cirque de Soleil.
She also said the guides that led them around the country were wonderful.
“The guides set-up things for us that you would not normally see or do if you were to tour China on your own,” Keating said. “It was better to be with a group than on your own because we had three translators. It is not very often you can go on a trip like this in a guided, safe environment.”
The study-tour took students from China’s capital, Beijing, to the bustling metropolis of Shanghai. Along the way they stopped at well-known landmarks like the Great Wall, the Palace Museum and Mt. Tai. The group also explored areas Xi’an and Qufu, the birth place of Confucius.
Keating said her most memorable part of the trip was when the visited the Great Wall.
“We were hiked to a 10 kilometer section of the wall that is 600 years old, not used by tourists and not restored. It was amazing,” Keating said.
Both Shen and Keating agreed that there are many cultural differences between China and the United States, but one of the hardest things for students to overcome is the food.
Keating said some members of the group were not willing to try the food and wanted to eat at McDonald’s or places that were familiar to them.
“The food was not anything unusual like pig’s blood, and we only had one meal that was bad. You have to be willing to try the food to truly experience the culture,” Keating said.
Shen said she is working on plans for another study-tour of China for the upcoming first summer session, but she is still awaiting approval.
“For this trip we will be going to some remote areas visiting minorities different from the Hun Chinese. It will be focused more on Chinese ethnicity.” Shen said.
Even though Keating will be graduating soon and will not be going on the trip planned for this summer, she said she would like to return to China to see some of the things she missed.
“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and one of the best trips of my life,” Keating said.
Financial aid and scholarships are available to students to help offset the cost of the trip, but are only available to qualified students.
“I wish the university had a fund to sponsor students,” Shen said. “It would give more students the opportunity to participate.”
Students who participate in the study-tour receive three credit hours, and for some it fulfills their history or cultural diversity requirement.
To learn more about the group’s trip to China visit the IUS Library where they have an exhibition on display. For information about the upcoming China study-tour contact Shen by e-mail at yshen@ius.edu or by phone at 812-941-2533.
By AMY STALLINGS
Staff Writer
akstalli@ius.edu