China

The China: Language & Culture travel program provides an excellent opportunity for students to improve their Chinese-language skills while also exploring China’s diverse landscape and culture.  The group will spend the first 14 days of the program in Beijing, where students will participate in a homestay to learn from, live and build relationships with a Chinese family. In the mornings, they will take Chinese classes through CIEE on a university campus, and in the afternoon, they will visit cultural and historical sites in Beijing to apply their language skills to more deeply connect with the sites and experiences in the city. Other local excursions potentially include: doing service work in a nearby orphanage, day trips to the Great Wall, cultural art classes, engaging with other Deerfield community members in China, and more. For the last 10 days of the trip, Deerfield students and faculty will travel to areas throughout China for example, but not limited to, places like Xi’an, Chengdu, Inner Mongolia, and Shanghai. Students will return to Deerfield with increased command of the Chinese language, and a deepened understanding of the rich geographical and cultural diversity in China, and grounded in connections made to a homestay family.

This program is open to all current 9th, 10th and 11th grade students with a preference towards those currently enrolled in Chinese II or above and who plan to continue their study of Chinese when they return. All interested students are encouraged to apply by November 4. Financial aid is available for all trips with priority for students who have not previously received aid for a Deerfield trip.