Overview
The purpose of the Educators China Trip is to introduce Houston educators to key aspects of contemporary China, Chinese culture, and Chinese education. Participation is by invitation only; all participants should be interested in cooperating with the Confucius Institute or planning to open Chinese classes in their own schools. The delegation will include approximately 10 Houston-area educators and one group leader from TSUCI. The trip will take participants to Beijing for 7 days and to Suzhou (near Shanghai) for 3 days. Planned educational activities include the following: a visit TSU’s partner university, Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU); four visits to observe Chinese primary/secondary schools; and a visit to Confucius Institute Headquarters (CIHQ) together with a meeting with CIHQ representatives. A second important focus of the trip is to introduce participants to contemporary China and Chinese culture. Planned cultural activities include the following: visits to famous tourist attractions, such as the Great Wall, Palace Museum, Temple of Heaven, and Beijing 2008 Olympic complex; martial arts and Beijing opera performances; and visits to Suzhou’s classic gardens—Tiger Hill, Lion Grove Garden, and the Humble Administrator’s Garden. Our planned itinerary is below.
We estimate the cost to participants will be $1800. In-country costs, including most expenses for travel, lodging, and meals will be covered by CIHQ. Costs to participants include the following: roundtrip airfare, approximately $1300; TSUCI administrative fees, $300; PRC visa fees, $150; supplemental insurance coverage, $50; and personal expenses. Participant costs may be more if airfares increase significantly. A list of expenses is below.
All invitees must be approved by CIHQ. If you do not have a passport, please immediately apply for a passport with expedited service. Participants should pay a deposit of $1300 to cover airfare by September 15 and pay the remaining balance no later than October 1, 2014.
We will have an orientation meeting, for invitees only, on September 9, 2014 from 5:00 to 6:00 PM at the TSU Confucius Institute, located in the Martin Luther King Building, Room 302. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Roger Hart by e-mail at HartRP@TSU.edu.
Schedule
The following is the planned itinerary for TSUCI Educators China Trip, October 27 to November 6, 2014:
| Day and Date | Time | Activity | Notes |
| Monday, Oct. 27 | 1:05 AM Central Standard Time (Houston time) | Depart from Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston (IAH) on China Air flight 996, nonstop to Beijing. | Flight leaves early Monday morning, just after midnight. Flight time is 14 hours and 55 min. |
| Tuesday, Oct. 28 | 5 AM China Standard Time | Arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK). | Flight arrives in Beijing one day later, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 5 AM China Standard Time. |
| 7 AM | Check in Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU) Hongguoyuan Hotel. | |
| 10 AM | Visit BJTU History Museum. | |
| 11 AM | Visit BJTU National Key Laboratories. | |
| Lunch | BJTU reception lunch. | |
| Afternoon and evening | Free. | |
| Wednesday, Oct. 29 | Morning | Observe BJTU international programs.
Meeting at the Center for International Education. | Room 107, Office of International Cooperation and Exchange |
| Afternoon | Observe primary/secondary school international programs. | |
| Evening | Free. | |
| Thursday, Oct. 30 | Morning | Observe primary/secondary school international programs. | |
| Lunch | Welcome lunch hosted by Vice President Chen. | |
| Afternoon | Visit Beijing Summer Palace. | |
| Evening | Free. | |
| Friday, Oct. 31 | Morning | Visit Tian’anmen Square and Palace Museum. | |
| Afternoon | Visit Wangfujing Golden Street. | |
| Evening | Free. | |
| Saturday, Nov. 1 | Morning | Visit Temple of Heaven.
Visit Red Bridge Market. | |
| Afternoon | Visit Silk Road Market (Tony's tailor shop). | |
| Evening | Red Theater Martial Arts performance. | |
| Sunday, Nov. 2 | Late morning and afternoon. | Visit Great Wall. | |
| Evening | Houhai Hutong and Courtyard House tour. | |
| Monday, Nov. 3 | Morning | Visit Confucius Institute Headquarters (CIHQ) and meet CIHQ representatives.
Visit Bird’s Nest, Water Cube, and Olympic Park. | |
| Afternoon | Take high-speed train to Suzhou. | |
| Evening | Check in Suzhou hotel. | |
| Tuesday, Nov. 4 | Morning | Observe primary/secondary school international programs.
Visit Tiger Hill and Lion Grove Garden, Suzhou. | |
| Afternoon | Visit Suzhou Industrial Park Guanqian Business Area. | |
| Evening | Free. | |
| Wednesday, Nov. 5 | Morning | Observe Suzhou Art High School. | |
| Afternoon | Visit Humble Administrator’s Garden, Suzhou. | |
| Evening | Leave for Beijing by high-speed train.
Check in hotel near Beijing Airport. | |
| Thursday, Nov. 6 | Morning | Pack and prepare for return flight. | |
| 3:00 PM China Standard Time | Depart from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) on China Air flight 996, nonstop to Houston. | |
| 2:40 PM Central Standard Time (Houston time) | Arrive at Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston (IAH). | Flight leaves Thursday afternoon China Standard Time; it arrives at 2:40 PM Central Standard Time (Houston time) on the same day, Thursday, Nov. 6 |
Note: This tentative itinerary outlines our preliminary plan for the TSUCI Educators China Trip. Please note that all activities listed herein are subject to change.
Estimated Costs for TSUCI Educators China Trip
We estimate the cost to participants should be about $1800 (not including personal expenses). Confucius Institute Headquarters and our partner university, Beijing Jiaotong University, will provide financial support for in-country costs, including most expenses for travel, lodging, and meals. Approximate participant costs include the following:
- Round-trip airfare from Houston to Beijing, nonstop, $1300.
- Texas Southern University Confucius Institute administrative fees, $300.
- PRC visa fees, $150.
- Supplemental insurance coverage, $50.
- Incidentals, such as personal expenses, gifts, etc.
Please note that these are estimates only.
Timeline
September 10: Deadline for invitation acceptance.
September 15: Deadline for paying $1300 deposit for airfare.
October 1: Deadline for paying remaining balance.