Dimensions of China is an improved version of the former Glimpses of China program, which was founded, organized, and supervised by the Head of China Programs.  The following are some of the reviews given by attendees (or their parents) of the Glimpses of China program between 2002 and 2009:

“I had never visited China or any other Asian country.  As I was departing for Shanghai, I thought I was in for an educational month.  Little did I know that not only was I in for one of the most intriguing educational experiences of my life, but also one of the most fantastic summers I can remember.

I returned home from the program with 41 screen names of kids from across the globe.  I also had the e-mail addresses for eight US and Chinese college students and several teachers, as well as promises of places to stay during college visits and my future travels throughout the world.

With those personal connections, I also brought home a multitude of memories: the excitement of actually giving directions in Mandarin to a cab driver (or at least trying to), the thrill of walking through the streets of a city and hearing nothing but a foreign language, and the simple joy of discovering a whole new world with a group of friends.  I will truly never forget my glimpse of China.”

“My conversations with Shanghai locals were a highlight of my visit to China.  I found the Shanghainese to be quite friendly and generous.  I frequently found myself engaged in fascinating conversations with Chinese of all social standings.  Not only were they more than willing to discuss controversial issues such as Chinese politics, but they were also genuinely interested my views as an American.  I had studied Mandarin Chinese for two years before my trip, and the Shangainese were thrilled to hear that I could speak any Chinese words at all and were patient when I had trouble communicating.  I learned more about Chinese culture through my casual interactions with the Shanghainese than I could ever have learned just in a classroom.”

“Before I arrived in Shanghai, I felt somewhat uneasy about what I would find.  I was sure people I met on the streets would laugh at me, a white girl from suburban Los Angeles trying fervidly to speak Mandarin with anyone who would indulge her, buildings would be run-down and technologies primitive.  I was sure I would feel out of place.  I knew, mostly from the media, that China produced children’s toys with lethal paint and that China was on the rise economically, possibly to the detriment of the US economy.  At least, that’s what I was led to believe by my home environment.  Everything changed the moment I arrived at ECNU.  The courses I took showed me from an analytical perspective how China fits into the global economy, and how Chinese history continues to have a huge presence in Chinese society.  The TA’s I lived with shared amazing personal stories that often left me speechless.  The Shanghai residents I met opened my eyes to the diversity of Shanghai city life and the richness of Chinese culture.  Glimpses of China broke down the barriers the US media had raised between me and Chinese culture, opened the door to an entirely new phase in my life, and left me thirsting for more even after I left for home.  It is to Glimpses of China that I owe my ability to understand Chinese culture in a way that would otherwise have been inaccessible to me as an American high school student.”

“When I left Berlin I didn’t know what to expect.  Although I had read many articles and books on China, I had never actually been there.  The moment I got into Pudong airport, I found myself in culture shock.  Starting with the heavy, humid air, everything seemed to be so different from what I was used to.  After I was picked up by a very friendly TA, the first thing we did was to take the Magnetic Levitation Train into town.  At a speed of 430 kph, it took us exactly 7 minutes and 34 seconds!  The best day I experienced was the field study in the “New Chinese City“ class when we actually explored living conditions and talked to a variety of Shanghainese people.  I cannot describe the feelings I developed for China, but the memories will always remain in my heart.  Give me the chance and I’ll return to China immediately, anytime!”

“I have to admit I looked forward to my trip to China with nervous trepidation, yet something at the back of my mind kept reassuring me that this was a chance not to be missed.  It was an opportunity to be immersed, 24 hours a day, in a culture with its diverse history, language, geography, philosophy and of course food, that had all seemed so mythical to me.  Yet it was also, on a very personal level, a chance to meet some amazing characters.

I will never forget just ‘hanging-out’ with Wenjie, a Chinese high-school student from Suzhou, who was my age and just happened to have won a scholarship to Yale.  To my humiliation I discovered that he beat me on an SAT English test, a subject I have been studying for more than twice as long as he had!

I will always remember meeting Rabbi Greenberg, the only practising rabbi in a city of some fifteen million, and eating a fully kosher dinner with him at his stealth synagogue.

It was this eclectic mix of big excursions and small events, famous names and fellow students, which ran all the way through the program that for me made it truly a chance not to be missed!”

“Glimpses of China2007 was definitely a formative experience I will in intense detail.  Words can hardly describe what it has done and is still doing for me.  It was easily the best experience I’ve ever had.

Firstly, it changed my perspective in many ways.  I am a well-travelled person but seeing more of the world deepened my knowledge and understanding of it.  Being among Chinese people, in China, was eye-opening.  Being able to talk to locals about their government, their knowledge of the West, and their studying and working lives was crucial to this experience.

Secondly, the mix of people in the program created a unique cultural learning environment.  I have never been among so many engaging, interesting students.  They each had their own stories to tell and were more than willing to share.  They were not only intelligent academically, but aware of the world around them and culturally-sensitive.  I felt at home among them and definitely learned just as much from them as I did in classes.  I made lifelong friendships.  One thing I still smile at is my 18th birthday.  Four days into the program I returned from shopping to find both students and administrators in a room with three cakes waiting to surprise me.  We got music going, and the evening was a fabulous icebreaker, as we had only known each other for four days even though I went on to become very close to many of these people.

Finally, I came back from China with a very positive outlook on life.  I am another person in this world, making something of my life, and I look forward to every new day because there is always something to do.  I can’t wait to go out into the world and work with different people.  I flourished in an international environment.  There is so much out there to discover and I’m going to experience as much of it as I can in the future.”

“The Glimpses of China experience is absolutely incredible.  It’s one thing to see it from sitting on your couch watching CNN; it’s another thing altogether to be right smack in the middle of it.  I was worried about the language barrier, having never taken Chinese, but the small-group tutorials and amazing teachers allowed even beginners to catch on quickly.  You’ll be bargaining before you know it!

What struck me most were the contradictions in calling the society either capitalist or communist.  There is clearly great wealth and abject poverty; people can own their own businesses but can watch only certain TV channels.  Being at such a crossroads between old and new, modern and traditional, capitalist and communist, right now China is an experience not to be missed.  Shanghai is changing fast; go be a part of it.”

“China, more or less, is something you cannot avoid.  In Glimpses of China I felt that I was involving myself in a vast number of amazing things: from culture and people, both Chinese and fellow students from around the world, to all the things I learned, both from the classes and the people.  It’s not possible for me to conceive of a more rewarding experience.  The bringing together of so many different elements into a cohesive, eye-opening experience, is just amazing.”

“I struggled with my parents to convince them to allow me to travel half-way across world to a different continent, country, and culture.  After much persuasion and determination, my parents finally agreed, and I was going to make the most of this special opportunity!  I can say that the sights, monuments, sky scrapers, photo opportunities, and museums of Shanghai were spectacular, dazzling, breathtaking, etc.  But what was the most life changing?  What changed my outlook on life?  The people.  The program students, the Teaching Assistants, the Chinese students, the cab drivers, the restaurant workers, the businessmen, the politicians not only gave me a glimpse of China, but a new perception of the world.”

“When I arrived at Heathrow airport to get on a plane with eight other people whom I didn’t know going to an unfamiliar country, I can say that I was quite terrified.  However, little did I know that in four weeks I would be crying because I did not want to leave either the country or the people I met.  What I had thought was going to be an informative educational trip turned out to be one of the most enjoyable summers of my life.

I had thought that learning Mandarin would be one of the biggest obstacles, but in small tutorial groups,with really excellent teachers I found that I was soon bargaining in the streets with vendors.  It was a little daunting at first to be in a group where many (mostly the Americans) already had experience with Mandarin but there were also many, like me, who could not utter a word, which was reassuring.

I will always look back on my trip to China with astonishment.  It was astonishing to meet native Chinese people and be able to really get a feel for what life was like for them.  I was astonished by the fluency of the Chinese students we met and talked with.  Singing in a karaoke club with a large group of Suzhou teenagers was certainly an experience I am never likely to forget.  It was incredible fun.  Lessons which I may have been apprehensive about before arriving in China turned out to be some of the best parts of the programme.

In the end though the most valuable part of the trip was having a chance to chat in the common room with a group of people from all over the world.  I didn’t just find out about Chinese culture, but also American culture and how it differs from both European and Chinese culture.  Discovering the different views our diverse group held was one of the interesting parts of the trip and I cannot imagine my first trip to China in any other way.”

“In the beginning I was doubtful whether four weeks in Shanghai might not be a little too long.  I did not know what kind of people and environment to expect, yet I was surprised in a very positive way.  Bright students from all over the world quickly melted into a friendly and dynamic group like I have never experienced before.  The guest speakers were all, without exception, very high ranking people.  The openness with which past, current, and future aspect of Chinese culture, economics, and politics were discussed surprised me.

It was undoubtedly a cultural shock in Shanghai where I not only met Chinese culture for the first time, but experienced such a large, pulsing city with people ranging from the very poor to the very rich.  The trips to Hangzhou and Suzhou were real highlights as they offered me a different perspective of China from the unbelievably busy Shanghai.”

“Glimpses of China was an extremely rewarding experience.  The programme leaders were some of the most warm and welcoming people I have ever encountered.  The homestay part of the programme was perhaps the most intimidating, but it was also one of the most interesting and memorable.

There are many things that contribute to the overwhelming success of the programme, however it is the international nature of the student body that makes it exceptional.  To be able to discuss topical issues facing China and the rest of the world with a diverse group of people of my own age was exciting and stimulating.  I found myself understanding new perspectives and appreciating those of others to a far greater extent.

The four weeks goes incredibly fast, a testament to the fact that you are having an amazing time.  After taking a glimpse of China, I am confident that I will return.”

“What is China to me?  A place that cannot be described in words, but requires you to see it for yourself.  This wasn’t just another vacation in some distant country.  I consider my journey as a work of discovery, a work of dismantling common beliefs, and a work of self-understanding.  I discovered the constant and unique shaping of China’s society throughout its history.  As a work of dismantling common beliefs, I have a better understanding of China’s meaning of communism.  As a work of self-understanding, I have come to know my own culture better, the similarities and differences between the northern and southern Chinese people.  Venturing beyond what I thought I knew was not only a changing experience, but also forged in me an even stronger desire to push even further beyond what I’ve already seen.”

“At first, the thought of four weeks spent half way around the world in a country that I knew very little about, with people I had never met, sounded daunting.  However, when I arrived in Shanghai my fears quickly melted.  The other kids, TA’s, and administrators surpassed my expectations.  Of course, life in Shanghai was something of a culture shock, but there was a feeling of home and welcome that radiated throughout the city.  Though the local Chinese were curious and at times wary of us as we traveled through their streets trying to snap photos of the magnificent architecture while dodging endless rivers of traffic, they never hesitated to point us and even lead us in the right direction if we were lost, answer our never-ending barrage of questions, and provide us with words of wisdom.  Not only did I make many new friends from all over the world on this trip, but the opportunity that I was given to begin exploring China has inspired me to continue that exploration here at home and to someday return.”

“I remember I was so full of confidence on the plane to Shanghai.  Thinking that since I have lived most of my life in South Korea, which is next to China, I knew so much more about China than any of my friends from Western countries.  However, spending four weeks in Shanghai with kids from all over the world completely disproved my assumption.

Not only were kids in the program incredibly smart and academically interested in China, China itself was much more immense and complicated than I thought.  Learning about Chinese history and diverse cultures, meeting Chinese experts and professionals in different fields, and discussing significant topics relating to China, I realized how ignorant I was about China.

Having conversations with people from Tibetan students to Shanghai government officials, hearing vivid stories from TAs about their upbringing in different parts of the country, exploring back alleys with friends, and buying Chinese snacks in supermarkets by myself gave me a new range of experiences and perspectives about China.

I know that this one-month stay was just a ‘glimpse’.  I hope I will visit China again in the near future to further develop my understanding and appreciation of this amazing country.”

“Before I left for China I was skeptical and a little nervous.  I mean, who wouldn’t be?  I was about to spend an entire month in a completely foreign country amongst 40-odd students I didn’t know and with only the barest knowledge of the language.  Of course, once I arrived in Shanghai, I instantly realized how wrong I had been.  At no point during the program did I feel alone; both the staff and students were incredibly friendly and welcoming.

Glimpses of China was an amazing experience, from boating on Hangzhou’s West Lake to political debates in Mandarin class.  Classes were fascinating and informative, the outings enthralling, and the scenery awe-inspiring.  Not only this, but we had an immense amount of fun between activities, wandering the streets of Shanghai or simply hanging out in the dorm.  The program gave me a wide and detailed look at the culture of China as well as a deeply moving and memorable set of experiences that I will carry with me forever.”

“We enrolled our daughter, Jumoye, in Glimpses of China2006 because we believed it would be a safe environment within which she could discover, learn, and experience an ancient and rich culture of people who led a very different way of life to hers.  We hoped the program would contribute to the development and broadening of her mind.  Glimpses of China did not only fulfil our hopes but went beyond our expectations.

The structured but flexible surrounding offered by the program leaders and teaching assistants, and the mix of classes, trips, and free time did not only encourage independence but also helped to draw out and nurture positive aspects in our daughter.  In just four weeks, Jumoye matured, developed emotionally, and gained a deeper insight of herself.  She became more confident socially and discovered she enjoyed intellectual arguments and discussions.  The students were all challenging and interesting, and she has made some lasting friendships.

The freedom allowed by the cross between school- and university-style ambiance was exciting and emancipating.  Several weeks later, Jumoye still talks about her experiences in China and we do not tire of watching her face light up with the memories.”

“First and foremost, I want to thank Glimpses of China for an unforgettable and eye-opening experience.  The classes were taught by renowned Chinese professors who gave us a thorough understanding of the China of yesterday and today.  Many conducted engaging classes that drew us into spirited (sometimes downright wild) debates.  During the field studies we were able to talk directly to people of many ages and backgrounds – and hear firsthand their widely varying opinions about their country and their lives, the kinds of things you could never learn in a textbook.  I am especially grateful for having had the opportunity to live with a Chinese family, first during the home stay in Suzhou and later as part of the language extension in Shanghai.  We were not just told about China, we got to live it.  The insights I gained into China and the Chinese people will stay with me for a lifetime.”

“When I first found out that I had been accepted to attend this program, I was extremely apprehensive.  It now remains in my mind as one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  Everyone on the trip was warm and welcoming, from the wonderful Teaching Assistants, who became more like friends, to the Directors who, at times, acted as surrogate parents.  Over the month I found myself becoming more and more confident and independent, something that seemed unlikely having lived all my life in London.  This growth was due to the accepting atmosphere and the new people who helped me show a different side of myself.  I was able to discover abilities and interests that I never knew I had.  I would strongly recommend this program to anyone who wants to meet wonderful people, learn new things, and laugh more than they have ever laughed before in their lives.”

“When I first found out about Glimpses of China, I wasn’t sure if I should apply.  I felt I already had many “glimpses” from my previous five visits to the country.  After spending four weeks with the program — meeting locals in neighborhoods, talking with CEOs of companies in Shanghai, and staying at the home of a Suzhou family — I found I had a much more in-depth experience compared with my previous visits to this strange country.  Hearing first-hand accounts of the Cultural Revolution or One-Child Policy is so much more than reading about them.  Looking out from the Bund seeing the changing landscape and all the construction, I know in a few years Jinmao will no longer be the tallest building in China.  I am so glad to have joined the program this summer.  Hopefully I will return in the near future, and check again what aspects the city has gained and lost.”

“During summer in the United States, many students take part in summer programs at American colleges.  Last summer I had the opportunity to discover China through an academic program based in Shanghai.  I had no idea what to expect when I first arrived in such a foreign place.  However, along with forty other students from around the world, I adjusted to China and learned firsthand what has happened and what is happening there.

The most interesting parts of the program for me were the cultural excursions into Shanghai and to Hangzhou and Suzhou.  I traveled extensively around Shanghai and interviewed many Shanghainese.  In Hangzhou I visited ancient sites and took a boat ride on West Lake.  In Suzhou I visited classic Chinese gardens, a courtyard from one of them I had only seen in its recreation in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.  I also had the chance to spend a few days with a Chinese high school student at his home.  This was the ultimate immersion into the Chinese culture since I was able to eat, sleep, and live the life of a Chinese family.

I will always remember my experience in China during this past summer.  However, I know I will return some day since there are so many aspects of China that I still need to explore.”

“I first saw Shanghai as the Chinese city erupting in wealth and prosperity, but our investigative trip for the “New Chinese City” class opened my eyes to a hidden city, one that could only be studied by experiencing it.  At first glance the Lilong Houses, constructed during the 1930s and surrounded by ultra-modern skyscrapers, looked nothing like a residential area.  Then our TA, following instructions from our professor, took us into this community full of traditional culture and values.  The Lilong Houses were packed with people, the facades looked run-down, and sinks and bathrooms were public.  Though we clearly looked and acted like foreigners, an elderly man warmly welcomed us into his home.  He talked to us, answered our questions, and shared his family’s experiences with us.  His kind hospitality revealed to me a uniquely Chinese sense of community, one that connects the old and the young, the Chinese and the Westerners.”

“We are writing to thank you for creating such a thoughtful and superior program.  Our son Keith attended Glimpses of China 2003, and through it he was able to connect in an honest and safe way to a new culture and way of life.  His four weeks in China broadened his vision of both the world and of himself.  We noticed a more confident, mature, and thoughtful teenager when he returned home.  The mix of classes, trips, lectures, and interpersonal interactions enabled Keith, in a short period of time, to explore Chinese culture and come away with a true desire to learn and experience more.  He has also made lasting friendships which continue to deepen.  Your flexibility, understanding, and attention to detail, both before and during the program, showed us that you were striving for and have indeed achieved true excellence.”

“In a country with five times the population of America, how can a lone Westerner not get lost?  After four weeks, however, the city began to feel like home.  I could shop, order, and bargain in Mandarin; I knew the streets and began to understand how a culture so ancient could move so quickly into the future.  I know I will return.  It is a country on the rise that cannot be ignored in the coming years.  I feel privileged that I have studied in China.  No matter where I will be in the next ten years, my worldview has been profoundly altered by those four weeks.  I will never forget Shanghai in the summer of 2004.”

“China had always been a shrouded mystery, a distant land filled with funny-looking writing, communists, and General Tao’s chicken.  When I arrived in China I was naive, nervous, but ready for an adventure.  My trip turned out to be the single greatest learning experience of my life.  I loved studying China – its economics, its cuisine, and its peoples.  I started learning Mandarin in my tutorial and then actually used it hours later to bargain in the market, much to the amusement and delight of our fellow Chinese students.  My brain hurt from constantly deciphering characters, and I never knew my mouth could be so sore just from trying to talk.  Classes were immediately interesting, absorbing, and relevant as teachers infused anecdotes into the framework of international discussion.  I quickly learned to challenge my assumptions and stereotyped conceptions as I considered the insights and opinions of peers from around the world.  But classroom learning wasn’t enough – we went out into Shanghai during many field studies.  The city of Shanghai itself was truly our classroom.  I departed from China with lasting friendships and an absolute infatuation with China.”

“As a Chinese martial artist, it had always been my dream to learn Kung Fu in its motherland.  This summer, thanks to the Glimpses of China program, my dream finally became reality when I was given the opportunity to train and study with not only an authentic Chinese Martial Art teacher, but with a four-time National Taiji Champion.  Who could ask for more?  Even though I knew little Mandarin and my instructor knew little English, there was no language barrier between us.  Our bodies, arms, and legs became our tongues and we communicated through our actions and movements.  I learned everything from kicks, strikes, and punches, to qinna (Chinese grappling), meditation, and stances.  I left Glimpses of China not only as a better, more confident martial artist, but with the greatest gift my instructor could ever give me: his comment that my form was “excellent.”  Coming from the four-time National Champion, I think I can take that as a compliment.”

“When I returned home to England after visiting China, I found it impossible to convey the sheer magnitude of the Glimpses of china program.  How can you put into words that you have just had the most the most life-changing experience of your life in a way that does justice to it?  Any previous ideas about a communist country that, to the Western world, seemed so backward and perverse were immediately discarded and replaced.  Being exposed to the constant buzz of China was something I’d never seen before, not in London, Paris, or New York.  Visiting a country with over a billion people, seeing the contrasts between the futuristic cities and rustic houses really gave me a new perspective.  But what really made the program so unique were the people.  The selection of people from all over the world meant that you were not only constantly learning from China, in and out of the classroom, but also from the students who share a common interest and who each bring something unique to the program.  They say home is where the heart is – I feel my second home is there in Shanghai.  Glimpses of China really has changed my life and I will endeavour to keep in touch with the many people I have met during the program.”

“Ever since studying economics China has fascinated me with its rapid economic growth and development.  Glimpses of China allowed me to experience this first hand.  Possibly the most enjoyable element of the trip was the homestay in Suzhou.  By living with my host family for three days I realised how fortunate I was, and how hospitable they were.  The action-packed schedule was perfectly balanced with social, academic and athletic activities.  Interacting with the local Chinese and other international students proved invaluable to my personal development and maturity.  This trip has convinced me to return during my gap year.”

“Being Chinese and having been to Taiwan, I thought I knew what China was going to be like.  But being there and communicating with the people there changed the way I thought about China completely.  The huge population, tons of cars, and rich and poor areas are all similar to big American cities.  But the smaller cities like Hangzhou and Suzhou were so different from anything I had ever seen.  There was a beautiful blend of scenery and civilization, an amazingly gorgeous West Lake bordered by high-rise hotels and Starbucks.  In Suzhou there were computer cafés next to hundred-year-old gardens.  This is what China is, and it is slowly becoming more Starbucks and less West Lake.”

“Whenever I would mention to anybody that I was going to Shanghai for the month, they would say something along the lines of, “That’s the next big city!” or “I’ve heard it’s very futuristic!”  After having lived there for a month, walking its streets, climbing its towers, meeting its people, eating its food, and learning its history, I feel like it is my second home.  I could never have imagined being so comfortable and happy in a city half a world away.  But its dynamism is addictive.  Every day out in the city was an entirely new adventure, full of surprises and experiences you can only truly get by being there yourself.  Glimpses of China was exactly what I needed, something to open my mind to the wonders of the most vibrant and rapidly changing part of the world.”

“Our daughter, Kate, benefited enormously from her Glimpses of China experience both as a very valuable cultural experience and as an important personal opportunity.

Kate had to confront attitudes that were new to her as regards a completely different lanugage, history, economy, world-view, political system, and approach to human rights.  The course and the close relationships with TAs enabled these issues to be explored constructively – no concessions, but a recognition of the journey that a Westerner had to make to understand these ideas from a different perspective.  However, there were wider experiences.  Independence, so far from home but within a controlled environment was immensely formative.  Kate had the opportunity to make friendships, not only with Chinese people but, as importantly, with other programme participants from a wide variety of different cultural backgrounds.  The students were all able and challenging; some will be friends for life.  Then there was the self-reliance: not only to live in such a different culture but also to manage a university-style tuition and lifestyle.  She learnt much about herself and grew a lot during the short period that she was on the programme.

Finally, it was fun.  It was tough on occasions, physically, intellectually, and culturally.  But it was exhilarating and liberating.  Eight weeks later, she is still talking about it.”

“China was never a major topic of discussion in school for me.  Until this summer, I knew almost nothing about it.  After I arrived, I learned more than I could have possibly imagined.  My Euro-centric view of the world was shattered when I came to understand that, in reality, Asia is as important, if not more, than the Western world.  When I read history books, or studied art, the focus was always on that of Europe.  It took this trip to comprehend that China has had a thriving history, in so many ways independent from that of the one I was taught.  Seeing this has broadened my horizons.  I have always wanted to be a journalist.  This trip, however, has made me seriously consider studying Mandarin in college and writing in China.  I now feel that one way or another China will play a major part in my future.”

“As my family is Taiwanese and I have lived in England all my life, I was eager to learn more about China without any prejudices that I might have been given from my upbringing.  When I told my parents that I wanted to experience China for myself, however, they were so shocked that they tried everything to discourage me from going.  Yet Glimpses of China was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, not just because I was able to see China with my own eyes, but because of the program’s extraordinary focus on cultural immersion both inside and outside the classroom.  The lectures and discussions on history, culture, and politics perfectly complemented our personal experiences with the Chinese people and their lives.  My perception of China is now forever more informed and valuable.”

“After studying everything from Chinese seal carving to martial arts, and not just studying but actually doing, I have developed a whole new appreciation for Chinese culture.  I was fortunate enough to be taught by some of the best Chinese art professors who showed me that Chinese art, although it may look simple, is a truly delicate art form.  One wrong chisel while carving a seal can ruin the entire thing, and the simple act of drawing a lotus flower takes years to perfect.”

“Because the Chinese language has developed continuously over thousands of years in the same geographical region, it is directly related to the full sweep of Chinese culture and history.  To study Chinese is not just to study a language, but to study an entire culture.  (Of course there is also the benefit of being able to speak with nearly one-fifth of the human race.)  In Glimpses of China, besides learning many colloquialisms and everyday speech patterns, I learned classical words and sayings that are still in common use.  Whether these were quotations from The Analects or simply old sayings, the ideas expressed provided me with an insight into the deep culture and history of China in a way that I believe is unique to the study of language.”

“Being an enthusiastic economist, my trip to China fascinated me.  I learnt how different the Chinese economy is from Britain’s.  I also saw how rapidly the economy of Eastern China has developed in the past two decades.  The trip was especially interesting as all the theories and history that I was learning in the classroom I was able to see occurring in practice.  The traditions of old China are continuing side by side the new, whether elderly people practising taiji next to newly built hotels or children trying to sell their goods to tourists visiting new landmarks like the Jin Mao Tower.”

“Meeting, interacting, and living with native Chinese students was one of the most amazing experiences I had during Glimpses of China.  The native students who had been invited to join the program were extremely kind in helping us adapt to an unfamiliar environment.  Every sight, sound, taste, and feeling I had was enhanced by their patient explanations and trusting friendship.  The homestays in Suzhou allowed us to experience life in China first hand.  Everything that I had learned throughout the program was summarized during those days I lived in my Chinese home.”

“My homestay in Suzhou was among the most rewarding experiences of my trip to China.  Initially I was unsure whether I was prepared to live for three days with a Chinese family, but I soon realized that my host and his parents were very friendly and did everything to accommodate me.  Because they were not the wealthiest of people, which was undoubtedly the best part of the experience, I was given a rare glimpse into the life of an average city-dwelling family.

I was given a tour of his father’s workplace and of his high school, tasted exotic foods (among them, jellyfish), and met with other host students as well, who were, interestingly, all from different backgrounds.  I was able to combine what I learned from the homestay with what the professors had been teaching in classes.  From this short homestay I learned more about Chinese life than I could ever have hoped to learn from just reading books or taking classes.”

“There is nothing that we cannot do now that we have traveled halfway round the world not knowing what was in store for us.  I know that we have all found friendship, life experiences, and a sense of accomplishment from having taken on new challenges and overcoming them.  I felt like the students and staff were my family in China; I never felt homesick because I was already home.  There is no way of knowing what the future holds, but I feel a little braver because of the bonding we did in facing the delicious mysteries of China.”

“Whenever my friends ask me what China was like, I always have a difficult time letting them know.  I usually respond by saying, ‘It was fun,’ because there is honestly so much to tell.  What Glimpses of China gave me was a unique experience of China – sights, sounds, smells, and tastes – that I could never experience from school, television, or even Chinatown.  The typical tourist would never experience, or have the opportunity to appreciate, the many features of China that I have seen.  I was given a look into China’s culture, society, traditions, history, and people from an honest vantage point.”

“This program definitely was a wonderful experience for Yuki.  He was so lucky to be able to participate in this group to experience China for the first time in his life.  He not only enjoyed the Chinese culture, but he also made many good friends from the group he spent four weeks with.  He has already had a few re-unions with some of the members after he returned to San Francisco.  I am very much impressed by the program being so well prepared and well organized and by the excellence of the staff and group leaders.  The priceless experiences Yuki had undoubtedly will play important roles in his maturing process.”