Two weeks in Zhengzhou and Beijing to get to know a faraway country and its people, to discover that knowledge of English language is really the key to get to know the world.
We will learn and practice English or Chinese language walking on the Great Wall and visiting the royal rooms of the Forbidden City; we will also learn about Kungfu and experience Taiji Kungfu classes, we will learn about Chinese cooking and how to make delicious dumplings, we will also learn about Chinese calligraphy.
We will learn English and/or Chinese
We will live with Chinese families and study with Chinese students
We will explore China and its culture
We will visit the most famous Chinese attractions
We will have fun together doing a lot of activities
And finally, we will also learn Taiji Kongfu!
Zhengzhou museum is a modern museum, founded in 1957, it is a comprehensive local museum, the first batch of national first-class museums. It integrates cultural relics collection, exhibition, publicity, education, scientific research and other functions in one, equipped with advanced computer network system, multimedia touch screen system, digital voice navigation system, simultaneous interpretation of the multi-functional hall, and can receive multi-level academic conferences and multilingual groups.
Shaolin temple is the birthplace of Chinese Zen Buddhism and Chinese kung fu. It is a world cultural heritage site, a national key cultural relic protection unit and a national tourist attraction. It is located in Dengfeng, Zhengzhou, Henan province. Founded in the 19th year of Taihe of the northern Wei dynasty (495AD), it was built by Emperor Xiaowen at the northern foot of Shaoshi, Songshan mountain, opposite the Luoyang, which was the capital at that time, in order to settle the respected Indian Monk Bhatuo. Shaolin temple is a world famous Buddhist temple and the ancestral temple of Zen of Chinese Buddhism. Shaolin kung fu is famous for its painstaking research and development of Shaolin kung fu, known as “Shaolin kung fu is the best the world".
Yu Opera was originated from Kaifeng, Henan province, and is one of the five main operas in China. Henan opera is based on the Bangzi of Henan province. After the founding of Henan referred to as "yu", so called opera. Yu opera is famous for its sonorous singing, cadence, smooth speech, clear articulation, mellow flavour, vivid, and good at expressing the inner feelings of the characters.
The Temple of Heaven is located in southern Beijing. It was included in the UNESCO world heritage list in1998. With an area of 2.7 million square meters, it is the largest of its kind in the country. Built in 1420, the 18th year of the reign of Ming Emperor Yongle, the temple represents the place where emperors went to worship heaven for good harvests.
Ringed by 3.5km of scarlet citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco listed Forbidden City is the China’s largest and best preserved collection of ancient buildings, and the largest palace complex in the world. Steeped in stultifying ritual and Byzantine regal protocol, this other-worldly palace was the reclusive home to two dynasties of imperial rule, sharing 900 plus buildings with a retinue of eunuchs, servants and concubines, until the Republic overthrew the last Qing emperor in 1911.
Shougang Art Park is China's industrial cultural park: it integrates industrial culture, iron and steel science, environmental protection, patriotism education, modern art, tourism and other themes, covering an area of 8.63 square kilometers. The park is rich in resources and beautiful in scenery. Three main landscape groups are located in the park: east gate landscape area (including rose garden and factory train), three blast furnace experience area (three blast furnace and sculpture art gallery), and Qunming Lake experience area (music fountain square and 3D exhibitions). Guest can have a special experience in a relaxed and happy atmosphere through a variety of activities. Shougang Art Park has been rated as "National AAA Grade Scenic Site" by the national tourism administration. The park targets on the youth groups in Beijing and all of China, it makes contributions to their ability growth and quality improvement.
The Great Wall is one of the largest and most celebrated achievements of ancient China, with 19 different dynasties contributing to its construction from the 7th century BC to the 16th century AD. The Great Wall is the longest wall and consists of many sections. It is unparalleled in the world in scale and span of construction, meandering from the east to the west of China like a giant dragon. It traverses a changing topography of deserts, grasslands, plateaus and mountains.
Qianmen was the south gate of the inner city of Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Founded in 1419, it is one of the "nine gates of the capital" in old Beijing. It is a complete ancient defensive architecture system and it represents the work of the old Beijing city wall architecture. Now only the city gate and the arrow tower are left, but still it is the only well-preserved city gate in Beijing. In 1988, the state council announced it as the third batch of key cultural relics under state protection. After a massive refurbishment lasted over one year, the Qianmen Street was opened to visitors.
Friday - Flight To China
Saturday - Arrival in Zhengzhou, meeting with the host family
Sunday - Language Classes, Lunch time, Taiji Kongfu or Chinese Paper Cutting, Dinner time, Tea Art Experience
Monday - Language Classes, Lunch time, Visit Henan Museum, Dinner time, Chinese Porcelain Experience
Tuesday - Language Classes, Lunch time, Make Dumplings, Dinner time, Chinese Calligraphy Experience
Wednesday - Language Classes, Lunch time, Visit Shaolin Temple, Dinner time, China-Italy Cultural Capital Show Rehearsal
Thursday - Language Classes, Lunch time, Yu Opera, Dinner time, China-Italy Cultural Capital Show Rehearsal
Friday - China-Italy Cultural Capital Seminar, Lunch time, China-Italy Cultural Capital Final Show, Dinner time
Saturday - Host-family Day & Final Greetings
Sunday - Train from Zhengzhou to Beijing, Pick up, Lunch time, Temple of Heaven, Dinner time, Back to the hotel and rest
Monday - Breakfast at the hotel, Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Lunch time, Shougang Art Park, Dinner time, Back to the hotel and rest
Tuesday - Breakfast at the hotel, Great Wall, Lunch time, ArtDist, Dinner time, Back to the hotel and rest
Wednesday - Breakfast at the hotel, Qianmen Street, Lunch time, Olympic Park, Dinner time, Transfer to the Airport
Thursday - Back home
English and/or Chinese lessons will be led by certified mother tongue English/Chinese teachers. Classes will be in the classroom during the first week in Zhengzhou (15 hours), and on the road while travelling in Beijing. Language is alive, it’s a tool of communication ... so we will learn to communicate, to ask questions, to understand and use English in the most varied situations: buying a train ticket, listening to a lecture at university, listening to the stories of emperors and revolutionaries. We will learn to “speak English"!
In addition to the time spent with host-families and our Chinese classmates, we will have some free time to try Chinese calligraphy, gastronomy and local artistic expressions, we will visit Museums and temples.
Certificates and certifications:
Certificate of participation for the Experience Camp issued by ETN + Certificate of English issued by the hosting organisation.
In Zhengzhou and Beijing, the families are carefully selected and the students will always be accompanied during all the activities and supervised in the hotel by ETN tutors.
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