China Trip, Summer 2009
The Study Abroad China trip 2009 was a collaborative program co-sponsored by Valdosta State University (VSU), Dalton State College (DSC) and the Asia Council of the University System of Georgia (USG). The program’s main host institution was Zhengzhou University (ZU), a comprehensive educational institution with 11 disciplines, over 36,000 students and four main campuses in China.
Read the student blogs from the trip!
Host City
Located in the middle of China, about 472 miles south of Beijing and 298 miles east of Xian, Zhengzhou is the capital city of Henan Province. It is a vital transportation hub and serves as the North-South-East-West railway intersection of China. Nearby is the famous Shaolin Monastery, where Buddhist monks developed China’s martial art form Kong Fu.
 The Highlights
Led by Dr. Juliet D'Souza, Professor of Finance, GGC students spent about three weeks exploring both urban and rural China in May and June. The whirlwind itinerary began in the capital city of Beijing, where students toured the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
The next stop was Xian, famous for its Terra-Cotta Warriors. The students then spent several days in the host city of Zhengzhou at the University. Here they attended classes and got to spend time with Zhengzhou University students. The extended time on campus exposed GGC students to the contrasts and similarities of student life in China. In a way, the students shed their "tourist" label and got to experience firsthand how a typical Chinese student lives, studies and views college life. Enrichment classes were mixed with field trips to the Shaolin Temple and Longmen Grotto of Luoyang, to name a few.
To round out the trip, the last stop was Shanghai, for sightseeing and a final goodbye.
Students were able to enjoy a balance of structured time including learning and tours with the freedom to explore and tour on their own. At the end of the trip, not only had they earned class credit, but they gained memories and experiences that last forever.
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