During the 2000 and 2001 Spring breaks, the Gannon
International Business (IB) Program sponsored a Splendid China Study Tour to
Beijing, China. The itinerary for both tours included the Great Wall, Tiananmen
Square, Forbidden City, Mao Mausoleum, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Lama
Temple, Beijing Opera, Acrobatic Show, Silk Alley, Giant Panda, and visits to
several businesses and schools. Both
tours were extremely successful and exceeded the participants’
expectations. Comments of participants
on these two tours are as follows.
Sp00 tour
Everyone who participated in the Sp00 tour had a great time. Some of
the comments include the following: awesome, a trip of a life time, best
experience of their life, and would recommend to others.
Sp01 tour
The Sp01 tour was even more successful than the first tour. The
following is the excerpt from an Email received from one of the student
participants upon the day of return:
Dear Dr. Mahan
I would first like to sincerely thank you for such a splendid opportunity. It
was a phenomenal trip that I will never forget. I couldn't have asked for more
and I enjoyed every moment. It was one of the most planned and organized trips
I have ever experienced and I want to truly Thank you for allowing me such an
opportunity. But I want to thank you
again for such a wonderful trip, it is an experience that I will carry with me
forever.
Johanna Wostl
Student participants who received China Study Tour grants were required to
write an essay on the educational value of the experience. The following are
excerpts:
Richard Bridger: The tour itself was a nonstop sightseeing extravaganza. Each
day was packed with interesting places to visit. Our tour guide provided us
with every detail possible. She went
out of her way to make sure that all felt at home and returned with as much
knowledge of Chinese culture and history as possible. I enjoyed the trip and
would recommend it to any fellow world travelers out there. There is no place
in the world like China, and if presented with the opportunity, I would love to
travel there again.
Johanna Wostl: My trip on the China Study Tour was enlightening and eye
opening, an experience that was both educational and exciting. My trip to China
was a cultural enhancing experience that will last a lifetime. My study in
China was a cultural enhancing experience that allowed me to view and study a
lifestyle so diverse from my own, with different traditions, customs and
beliefs. While touring China it was the cultural differences that I readily
noticed and was enthralled by. Beijing is unbelievably breathtakingly beautiful
city that has enormous and endless heritage. The beauty and respect for the
culture in Beijing is infinite. The China Study Tour allowed me many unique
opportunities that I will probably never-again experience. I met and became
close with many students who I otherwise would never have had an opportunity to
meet and know. I saw sights and had experiences that I will cherish forever,
that will make a strong impact on me and my actions for the rest of my life.
April OLeary: Participating in the Splendid China Study Tour was an educational
and exciting experience that I will always remember. During my time in China I
learned more about the country, people, and the culture of the Chinese. I was
surprised at how safe the city of Beijing was, and how I felt comfortable and
welcome walking around even during the night. It was a very pleasant experience
to stay in China. I will always remember my trip to Beijing, and the wonderful
experiences I had while I was there. All the knowledge I obtained during the
trip, whether through our tour guide, Jenny, or through my own experiences is a
phenomenal amount that I cannot begin to describe or remember all at once. I
truly feel that this was an opportunity of a lifetime, and would enjoy
returning to Beijing and China again.
Chirag Patel: My trip to China was one of my favorite experiences ever. I have
been to many countries and have seen many great places, but China is different.
The people of China are also very friendly.
The locals talk to us and greet us with a smile. I will never forget my
trip to China and hope to some time in the near future. I will be back in
China.
Nicholas Riccio: I feel that it is impossible to explain the complexities of
China, and the emotions I felt while seeing some of the great wonders of the
world. Because that is what they are, wonders I nor anyone else explain, it
must be lived. I feel that I truly experienced as much of China as I could in
the limited amount of time allotted.