Masters School China 2009

Day 04 June 10, 2009 Wednesday Beijing/Kunming
(Partial Travel Day) Fly to Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan province in southwestern China.

Upon arrival, we will be met by a local guide/translator and taken to visit the Kunming Observatory, where we will learn about the history of Chinese astronomy. The exact program will be partially determined by weather/visibility.

Day 05 June 11, 2009 Thursday Kunming
9:30-11:00, we will visit the Kunming office of The Nature Conservancy to learn more about the environmental diversities and challenges in Yunnan.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Botanical Garden in Kunming and attend lecture. A Botanist from the Kunming Botanical Research Institute will introduce various plants (and show them to us in the garden) while explaining the botanical environment of Yunnan Province. We can ask the botanist questions about agricultural production /food cultivation and distribution in China as well.

This evening we will explore the city and choose our own meals for supper in small groups.

Day 06 June 12, 2009 Friday Kunming/Chuxiong
After breakfast we will climb the Western Hills where there are Taoist and Buddhist temples on the top. Included will be a discussion around Human-Nature relations, connecting Taoism and Buddhism to the program focus themes. Enjoy the beautiful view of Dianchi Lake from the top of Dragon Hills Gate.

Then drive to the Stone Forest, one of the natural wonders of this area, and a Karst formation typical of the geography of this region. (The group will hold a discussion about economic development vs. environmental preservation.)

Later, proceed to drive to Chuxiong for lodging.

Day 07 June 13, 2009 Saturday Chuxiong/Dali
Drive to Dali, an important stop on the Yunnan-Tibetan Highway and a hub of indigenous culture and ethnic diversity. The crystal blue Erhai Lake and the green mountain range nearby look like a Chinese painting.

Next the group will visit the symbolic emblem of Dali, the Three Pagodas, built 1,300 years ago.

The group will enjoy a leisurely stroll on the cobblestone streets of Old Town Dali during the evening.

Day 08 June 14, 2009 Sunday Dali
A day hike into the mountains surrounding Dali – Cangshan Mountain. The group will be provided with lunchboxes to take with us.

In the afternoon, we will visit a local teahouse. Supper in small groups.

Day 09 June 15 Monday Dali/Lijiang
Rise early to explore the morning market in Dali. Later, drive north to Lijiang. Lijiang, on the edge of the Tibetan plateau, is a small town with a spectacular mountain backdrop which is an UNESCO heritage site. We will have time to explore the ancient town of Lijiang.

While in Lijiang, we will be staying at a local Chinese family-run guesthouse in Dayan ancient town. There will be two students to a room. Please note that a shower might not be readily available and the restroom is shared.

Day 10 June 16, 2009 Tuesday Lijiang
After breakfast, we will visit the Nature Conservancy’s Lijiang Visitor Center. This center provides an overview of the rich biological and cultural diversity of northwest Yunnan and is intended to arouse visitor’s interest and desire to protect the spectacular and unique nature and culture of Northwest Yunnan, guide them to consider environmentally-friendly methods of tourism, and encourage their support for related conservation activities.

After that we will visit the Lashihai Lake to see the exceptional aquatic bird habitat. Next we will visit the Black Dragon Pool and the Dongba Culture Exhibition Museum, which feature the Dongba Pictographic Characters and Naxi Culture, some of which continue to use a matriarchal social system.

This evening we will explore and choose our own meals for supper in small groups and later enjoy an evening concert by the Naxi Orchestra, who perform using ancient traditional instruments.

Day 11 June 17, 2009 Wednesday Lijiang
Day of Service/ Excursion to a farming area worked by Naxi or Chinese farmers. Learn about water issues & food distribution through spending a day on a working farm. Students will first tour the farm with the farmer and a local guide/translator with chances to ask questions about food production and water needs. The group will then engage in some hands on work assisting with crop cultivation or harvest. Supper will be in small groups.

Day 12 June 18, 2009 Thursday Lijiang/Zhongdian
Full day tour takes you northwest of Lijiang Old Town to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is believed by some to be the deepest gorge in the world. Continue driving to Zhongdian, a city with a large Tibetan population where yaks and other livestock are raised and farming is practiced just outside of the main city.

Day 13 June 19, 2009 Friday Zhongdian
Visit Samzoling Monastery, an active place of worship and study in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Also visit Pudacuo Scenic Area including Bita Lake, Shudu Lake and Xiagei (a Tibetan Village). This evening we will explore and choose our own meals for supper in small groups. In selecting supper options students will do an informal survey of options in various parts of the city: how many places appear to be offering traditional local fare, how many are strictly catering to tourists, how much food is likely locally produced, what are the energy needs & costs of bringing some imported foods to the edge of the Tibetan plateau, how are water needs involved as well? We will compare our observations in group discussion.

Day 14 June 20, 2009 Saturday Zhongdian
Day of Service/ Excursion to learn about water issues & food distribution through spending a day on a working Tibetan farm. Students will first tour the farm with the farmer and a local guide/translator with chances to ask questions about food production and water needs. The group will then engage in some hands on work assisting with crop cultivation or harvest. They will also visit the home of the Tibetan family, hopefully having a chance to join them for some bocha (yak butter tea).

The following is just an outline to help students know the general flow of the day. There will be a few water breaks during the farm work.

09.00－Leave the hotel
10.00－Arrive in the farm
10.15－Learn how to milk cow
11.30－Finish the work in the morning
12.00－12.50－Lunch box
12.50－Learn how to make Yak butter and make your own one
14.50－Learn how to make Tibetan Yogurt and make your own one
It takes about 2-3 hours to have Tibetan Yogurt ready. So students first may taste the Yak butter tea made by the butter they just labored for. Then walk around to be familiar with the environment or talk to farmers to know more about the local life
17.30－Sample Tibetan Yogurt
17.50－Return to the city
Supper will be in small groups. We will consider the traditional nomadic and semi-nomadic way of life of the Tibetan people with the model which we will witness on the Tibetan plateau today.

Day 15 June 21, 2009 Sunday Zhongdian/Kunming/Beijing
Fly to Beijing via Kunming. Return to hotel in Beijing.

The Masters teacher group arrives in Beijing. Students will meet with their teachers. This evening enjoy a Chinese acrobatic performance.

Day 16 June 22, 2009 Monday Beijing
8:30-9:30 Start the morning with a meeting with Frances in the Conference room at our hotel. This will be a debrief session, a chance for the group to discuss and reflect on their time together as students prepare to return home to the US.

Afterward, the students and their teachers from Masters School will visit a local school, connecting with Chinese students and educators. (The specifics of this visit could vary to include visits to English language classes, speaking with students/teachers individually or Q & A in small groups about differences between China and the US, and topics related to food, alternative energy and water issues etc.)

The rest of the day will be free to explore the city in small groups, perhaps engaging in a simple scavenger hunt including supermarket and more traditional market settings to practice language skills and interact with locals. An adult will accompany each student group. This evening we will choose own supper in small groups.

Day 17 June 23, 2009 Tuesday Wednesday Beijing
10:00am - Meeting at the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs

Visit to Yonghe Lama Temple: students and their teachers from Masters School will visit the biggest Tibetan temple/monastery complex in the PROC (outside of Tibet). Students can take the opportunity to share with their teachers what they learned about Buddhism during the time in Yunnan and observe similarities and differences between practice in the Tibetan plateau and Beijing. (Most of the monks here are from Inner Mongolia but can speak Mandarin Chinese, hopefully some in our group can converse with some of them, aided by our local guide/translator).

Afternoon: a cooking lesson will be arranged. The students will learn how to make and cook Chinese food like dumplings, etc.

Day 18 June 24, 2009 Wednesday Beijing departure
(Students group) Transfer to the airport for the flight back home.