By Quentin Monasterial
Courier Staff Reporter/Columnist
Ms. Du is hosting her first trip to China that is set to take place June 15th to June 23rd of 2016.
Because of our obligations, like school and work, many of us don’t see much of the rest of the world and are instead constrained within the boundaries of our local areas. As a result, our conceptions of the world itself begin to constrain to only the parts of which we see regularly.
To prevent this, the high school teacher Ms. Du has made it her mission to broaden James Logan students’ perception and vision of the world by exposing them to an environment entirely different from that of America.
Alongside Ms. Du, students who sign up for this trip will embark for Beijing, Xi-an, and Shanghai, allowing for exposure to what Ms. Du explains as “modern and ancient China.” Even though students won’t be traveling to cities like Hong Kong and Taiwan (as that would be too expensive), the exposure would be much for rewarding in the personal, cultural, historical and spiritual sense.
What inspired her decision to host it?
First off, she teaches the Chinese course here at Logan, so it isn’t surprising that she wants students to have a more practical, real-life experience of what they learn in class. She believes that a trip to China would be an enriching in a way that only this said trip is.
“I think it is a great experience,” said Ms. Du
Secondly, the idea of this trip has always been in Ms. Du’s bucket list of things to-do—just at the bottom of it. It didn’t begin to garner consideration until recently, when she heard her fellow AP colleagues discussing similar trips to other countries. In fact, one of Logan’s own Spanish teachers hosts similar trips to countries in Latin America, further bolstering and encouraging her to officially announce the trip.
Though the cost of this trip is fairly high, the deal is unbeatable. All travel is pricey, regardless of where you are going; it is a matter of how high the price is. Each student would have to pay about $3,400, but the features that are covered by the expenses makes the investment worthwhile, especially considering the amount of personal growth the experience itself stimulates.
The organization that Ms. Du and her students will be traveling with is Educational First, and from what Ms. Du hears, it is thoroughly accredited. They provide a number of services that are included in the fee, such as a plethora of office locations, the provision of bilingual professionals, a full time tour guide, sightseeing and hotels.
According to Ms. Du, most of this money is either parent sponsored or gained through fundraising. This money is accumulated over the course of the entire year, paid either in installments or all at once.
Things like lunch and souvenirs, however, are not included in the price.
Students will even have the opportunity to gain course and college credit for the potential education they receive on the trip. This option have may include an additional fee. But regardless of the students’ choice on this matter, the experience is still enlightening.
Students would be experiencing China first-hand, and, in the process, gain more knowledge, cultural insight as well as the opportunity to practice the language skills they attained in the class (if they have taken or are in the class).
But there is a cache: Ms. Du has to have a minimum of six students signed up otherwise the trip will, sadly, have to be cancelled. She said, “I’m a little disappointed with the turnout.”
It isn’t too late to sign up; if you have any desire to broaden your horizons or just want more information, you can contact Ms. Du via email at sdu@nhusd.k12.ca.us or here. Furthermore, her extension is 60249.
“The sooner [you sign up],” she says, “the better” because it may cost less than it would signing up later in the year.
