2020 Montessori School of Evergreen China Program
| Travel Dates: | March 9, 2020 - March 20, 2020 |
| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: |
$3,190 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Confirmed Airfare: | $1,278 |
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What to Expect
Please read through all of the information below. More details will be added as your departure draws closer.
Itinerary
We do everything possible to run safe, engaging, and immersive programs for our travelers and given the unpredictable nature of international travel we must remain flexible in our planning. Changes to a schedule are uncommon but, we reserve the right to adjust programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 9 | USA | Today we'll depart the USA and fly across the Pacific en route to Beijing, the capital city of China. | In flight |
| March 10 | Beijing | We'll arrive in Beijing and get settled at our accommodations in the historic Ming Dynasty Hutong alleyways of the old city center. We'll take the afternoon to rest after our long flight, get some food and do a bit of exploring. | Drum Tower Hostel |
| March 11 | Beijing | We'll begin our morning bright and early with a hutong scavenger hunt, exploring our neighborhood and soaking up Beijing's unique culture. We'll make our way to the Drum and Bell Tower Square for a demonstration of how time was kept in ancient times by beating drums. We'll then hop on the subway heading towards Qianmen, the old front gate of the city wall. We'll walk through Tiananmen Square, and reflect on the significance of the events that took place here. Then, we'll make our way to the Forbidden City, the Chinese Imperial Palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. After a busy day, we'll spend the late afternoon in Jingshan park and enjoy the sweeping views of the Forbidden City from above. | Drum Tower Hostel |
| March 12 | Beijing | Today, we will visit a restored section of the Great Wall of China, Mutianyu. We’ll be able to take the ski lift up, walk as much as we want while taking as many pictures as we can stand, and then tobogganing down. In the afternoon, if we have time, we’ll check out the Lama Temple, Beijing’s largest active Buddhist temple. In the evening, we’ll try our hand at Chinese cuisine with a cooking class in the Hutongs. | Drum Tower Hostel |
| March 13 | Beijing | Today, we’ll spend the day working on a service project. We’ll learn more about Chinese culture while making a contribution to our temporary home. Details about the project can be found in the "Host Community and Project Details" section of the webpage. For our last day in Beijing, we will celebrate with one its most famous dishes, Peking duck. | Drum Tower Hostel |
| March 14 | Transit | "Today, we will journey from Beijing to Chengdu on China's famous high-speed rail. We will zoom through the Chinese countryside at 200+ miles per hour. We'll arrive at Chengdu in the evening for a later dinner. "Today, we will journey from Beijing to Chengdu on China's famous high-speed rail. We will zoom through the Chinese countryside at 200+ miles per hour. We'll arrive at Chengdu in the evening for a later dinner. | Xishu Garden Inn |
| March 15 | Chengdu, Sichuan | After a good night's rest, we’ll check out the famous Wuhou Temple and eating our fair share of Chengdu's specialty street snacks on Jinli street. We'll also stroll over to the People's Park to hang with the locals while they get fit and socialize through ballroom dance, kite flying, tai chi, and more! For dinner, we'll try our hand at expert level DIY Sichuan cuisine, hotpot! | Xishu Garden Inn |
| March 16 | Chengdu, Sichuan | Today, we will continue our exploration of Chengdu by visiting one of its most famous Buddhist temples, Wenshu Monastery. In the afternoon, we’ll head to Chengdu’s famous Wide-Narrow Alleys to learn more about Chengdu’s history and pick up some souvenirs. | Xishu Garden Inn |
| March 17 | Dujiangyan, Sichuan | Today, we will continue our exploration of Chengdu by visiting one of its most famous Buddhist temples, Wenshu Monastery. In the afternoon, we’ll head to Chengdu’s famous Wide-Narrow Alleys to learn more about Chengdu’s history and pick up some souvenirs. Early this morning, we'll make our way to the Panda Center at Dujiangyan to begin our volunteer programing. Our tasks will including cleaning panda enclosures, preparing bamboo and “panda bread, as well as hand-feeding the pandas. | Xishu Garden Inn |
| March 18 | Dujiangyan, Sichuan | Today, we'll make the journey again to Dujiangyan from Chengdu for another morning of volunteering with the pandas. In the afternoon, we'll explore the trails and waterfalls of Qingcheng, an important Daoist mountain in Dujiangyan. | Xishu Garden Inn |
| March 19 | Anlong - Chengdu, Sichuan | Today, we'll make the journey again to Dujiangyan from Chengdu for another morning of volunteering with the pandas. In the afternoon, we'll explore the trails and waterfalls of Qingcheng, an important Daoist mountain in Dujiangyan. Today we will visit and tour Anlong Village to learn about the work of Chengdu Urban Rivers Association and pitch in to help with some of their sustainable agricultural education programing. We'll enjoy tea and mahjong on the shores of the surging river while we experience the relaxed pace of life in rural Sichuan. We'll also have the unique opportunity to enjoy family style meals in local farmer's homes. After heading back into the city in the evening, we'll enjoy an entertaining Sichuan opera performance featuring traditional “Face Changing” acrobatics, and more. | Xishu Garden Inn |
| March 20 | Chengdu- USA | Fly home | Your own bed, eventually! |
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Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing program accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, clean and safe. We vet and inspect the accommodations to ensure they uphold the ethos of our programs, are great values for our travelers and nice places to rest after enriching days of travel.
Sleepy Inn
The cosmopolitan and vibrant atmosphere make this hotel a wonderful experience for our student groups. Selected for the great service, clean rooms and advantageous location, Sleepy Inn is an excellent place to relax between adventures around Beijing. Rooms and bathrooms will be exclusive to our travelers.
Xishu Garden Inn – Chengdu
Xishu Garden Inn is a colorful and lively hotel located in the heart of Chengdu. It is inviting, charming and will offer a great place to retreat at the end of the day. Wifi and AC are available throughout the property and breakfast will be served each morning in the dining area. Students will be split between genders in double, triple or dorm style rooms depending on hotel availability.
Group Flight
| Type | Carrier Name | Carrier Code | Flight Number | Departure Airport & City | Departure Date and Time | Arrival Airport & City | Arrival Date and Time |
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Outbound
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United Airlines
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UA
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682
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DEN – Denver International Airport, Denver, United States
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March 9, 2020 at 8:17AM
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ORD – O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, United States
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March 9, 2020 at 11:42AM
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Outbound
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United Airlines
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UA
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851
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ORD – O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, United States
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March 9, 2020 at 1:50PM
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PEK – Beijing Capital International Airport, Shunyi, China
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March 10, 2020 at 4:35PM
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Inbound
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United Airlines
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UA
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8
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CTU – Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu, China
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March 20, 2020 at 11:20AM
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SFO – San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, United States
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March 20, 2020 at 8:55AM
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Inbound
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United Airlines
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UA
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223
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SFO – San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, United States
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March 20, 2020 at 11:00AM
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DEN – Denver International Airport, Denver, United States
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March 20, 2020 at 2:34PM
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Once your flight has been confirmed, the itinerary will appear here.
Walking Tree will secure a seat on the group flight for each participant unless otherwise instructed.
Travelers are responsible for checked baggage fees. Please visit the airline’s baggage webpage to learn if you should expect to pay anything.
We will provide a group manifest – complete with reservation codes and ticket numbers – to the Group Organizer/s before departure, and travelers will need to check in at the airport in order to receive their boarding pass and have documents verified. We recommend arriving no later than three hours prior to the scheduled departure, but contact your Group Organizer for specific details on exactly where and when to meet on the day of departure.
FLIGHT INTERRUPTION, DELAY OR CANCELLATION
Air travel can be unpredictable. Regardless of proper planning, there may still be instances when a flight is delayed or cancelled due to staffing shortages, weather, mechanical problems, etc. Please note that in such an event, Walking Tree Travel (WTT) is not financially responsible for unanticipated costs incurred by travelers en route. Our programs officially begin and end in the destination country, and because our staff doesn’t fly with the group, Group Organizers (the traveling faculty member/s) become the front-line advocate for the group in the event of a delay. In most cases of cancellations or delays, the airline will be the one who re-books travel or possibly arranges a hotel and food the night. Our primary role will be to keep families updated and provide support to the Group Organizer to reach a quick and effective resolution.
Host Community and Project Details
We will spend our day of service partnering with an NGO that works with the children of farmers around Beijing. We will make dumplings with our 10 year old buddies and have plenty of play-time with the kids in the morning. The dumplings will involve going with the kids to the store, shopping for the ingredients, and preparing the meal with the kids as our lunch. We will prepare an English song to teach the kids and present them a token to commemorate our time spent together (this can be something handmade the students have made themselves, school supplies they haven’t used, a postcard, etc). The kids will also share their own songs with us. If the weather is good, we’ll play some games in a nearby park. The activity will last from the morning around 9 AM to around 3/4 PM in the afternoon.
Packing List
What follows is a sample packing list that is provided as a guideline. Feel free to augment as you feel necessary. We recommend you bring a larger piece of luggage like a roller, duffel bag, or backpack, as well as a smaller backpack that you can bring on hikes, weekend excursions and shorter activities.
“Less is more” is a packing tip we encourage for all our travelers. The list below should cover everything you would need, but know yourself and what you are comfortable traveling with. We suggest bringing only as much as you would be able to carry on your own.
Finally, we recommend consulting a weather forecast for your destination.
The region of the country you will be visiting is in a lush tropical rainforest and next to the ocean and therefore humidity is omnipresent and it can take a while for clothes to dry. Keep this in mind when selecting your clothing fabric.
Most importantly, be sure to remember your PASSPORT and STUDENT ID.
CLOTHES (quantities depend on your trip length) :
- Underwear
- Socks (a mixture of good hiking socks and casual socks)
- T-shirts (some quick dry)
- Long sleeve shirt
- Long sleeve quick dry shirt (for activities under the sun such as rafting or surfing)
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Travel/athletic shorts that are breathable and light
- Comfortable/hiking/everyday pants (NOT all jeans)
- 1 nice shirt/top to be worn to more formal dinners (girls might want a skirt or something a little nicer for such occasions, boys may want to opt for a polo shirt or button up shirt with jeans)
- Durable athletic/hiking shoes with good grip
- Sandals (Chaco/Teva/Keen/Merrel sandals are great to have for water activities)
- Thick long socks (for the sand fleas)
- Bandana for work site (optional)
- A hat that can protect your neck
- Swimming suit, for surf classes a rash guard is recommended for sensitive skins
TOILETRIES: BRING THE BASIC TOILETRIES YOU NEED PLUS:
- Sunscreen (You will use a lot. Natural products/lotions are preferred over aerosol, especially for the beach)
- Mosquito repellent (non-deet/lotions are preferred to reduce environmental impact)
- Band Aids and Neosporin
- Anti-itch cream
- Hand Sanitizer
- Medication in properly marked original container. It’s important that medication travel in its original container, as customs officials have the right to confiscate it otherwise.
MISCELLANEOUS:
- Sunglasses
- Journal and pen
- Book
- Camera (digital, disposable, waterproof)
- Alarm Clock and watch
- Debit card/US Dollars (we recommend about $50-$150, depending on number of desired snacks, souvenirs, extra items etc.)
- Durable water bottle
- 1 quick-dry towel
- Flashlight/headlamp
- Batteries
- Deck of cards or other portable games
- Chinese/English dictionary
- Electrical converter and adapter
**China runs 220V, 50Hz AC electricity. A converter is only necessary if your device does not have 120-220V range.
RECOMMENDED ADDITIONAL ITEMS:
- Small luggage lock
- Portable charger (for long train ride)
- Wet wipes
- Ziplock bags
- Travel pillow
- Ear plugs
Support Team
At a minimum, one experienced Program Leader will travel on every trip. In addition to this full time leadership presence, Walking Tree has additional support staff in all destinations and 24/7 support from our headquarters in Denver, Colorado. Below you’ll find a list of the team members involved in the planning, organizing, and leadership of your program.
Alena Shish
China Country Director, Program Leader
Middlebury College – B.A. in Chinese Language in Literature; Minor in French & Francophone Studies
Born in Ukraine and growing up in the United States, Alena is no stranger to thriving in different cultural environments and studying foreign languages (so far, she speaks four: English, Chinese, French, & Russian). While at Middlebury College, she had the opportunity to study in both Hangzhou, China, and Paris, France. Her time abroad inspired her to see the potential in study abroad and intercultural exchange for personal growth and cross-cultural understanding. Having fallen in love with the Chinese language, food, and culture while abroad, after graduation, she moved to Shenzhen, China to help Chinese high schools students through the US university application process. Since then, she’s also traveled around Russia, Israel, East Asia and all over China. So far, she’s been to 19 provinces, 4 municipalities, and 2 administrative regions in mainland China. When she’s not hiking or spending time reading, she’s obsessively baidu-ing (the Chinese Google) new Chinese slang, new Chinese dishes to try, or new places to explore in China. She’s excited to see to share her love of China, Chinese language, and travel with all her trip participants.
Emory University – B.A. Sociology and minor in Latin American History
During college, Luke spent a semester living and traveling in rural Mexico. His experience sparked a fascination with Latin America and a commitment to community service that continues to this day. Upon graduating from college, he joined WorldTeach and lived with a local family in a small village in Costa Rica while teaching elementary English. After this experience, he moved to San José, the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and wrote for The Tico Times newspaper. Luke has since traveled to over 60 countries on five different continents. Now settled in Denver with his family, he continues to crave massive helpings of rice and beans.
Paul Laurie
Professional Guide
Santa Clara University – B.A. Marketing and International Business
During college, Paul spent a semester abroad studying Spanish and European Commerce in Madrid, Spain. After graduation, he embarked on a three-year journey that took him all over the world. He traveled from Times Square to Tierra del Fuego and from Siberia to Singapore, enjoying distinct cultures, great food and meeting lifelong friends every step of the way. Today, Paul leads programs all over the world and enjoys connecting travelers to local communities and helping to expand travelers’ comfort zones. He specializes in programs in Central America and Mexico and often leads treks to remote communities.
Jean Jin
Program Leader
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies – B.A. in Economics
Jean was born in Northeast China. Growing up in a family of Korean descent, she has always been fascinated by languages and cultural aspects of language learning. After getting her degree in Economics, she got her qualification in teaching English and has been teaching since. Her passion for learning about different cultures also took her to North America, the UK and East and Southeast Asia. When traveling, she enjoys visiting museums, tasting local food and photography.
Group Roster
Below is a list of the travelers enrolled on the program.
- 1 Charlotte Morse
- 2 Cole McFarland
- 3 Eva Atencio
- 4 Franklin Young
- 5 Gabriel Herman
- 6 Isabella Vogl
- 7 Jennifer Cicora (Group Organizer)
- 8 Joseph Purmort (Group Organizer)
- 9 Livia Erbe
- 10 Lucas Selvaggio
- 11 Manakai Levin
- 12 Meghan Phillips (Group Organizer)
- 13 Michael Benedick
- 14 Tanner Gray
- 15 Tiernan Wangaard
Blog and Communication
During travel we will work hard to keep families updated as frequently as possible with blogs and photos, giving you peace of mind that your traveler is safe and thriving on their program. Students regularly contribute to these posts, giving parents a great way to vicariously track the progress of the trip. You will receive an email notification when the first blog is posted, after which we recommend you check in regularly via the black “Program Blog” button at the top of this page.
Beyond this proactive approach to communication during the trip, most destinations are wired enough to allow participants semi-regular access to WiFi so you can also expect to communicate with your traveler directly. Ask your Walking Tree representative about the degree of connectivity on your program.
GLC Curriculum
Walking Tree has developed a curriculum of activities meant to help travelers get the most out of their trip before departure, during travel and after they return home. These simple and engaging activities are meant to spark discussion, frame experiences, and prepare participants to travel ethically and effectively both on this trip and on future adventures.For more information about student learning objectives and the format of the curriculum, click on the ‘learn more’ button below.
To view and complete the Pre-Program Activities, visit our online portal at the button below.
Standards of Behavior
In order to run a safe and successful program, it is important that we create an environment of trust, security and respect. All individuals participating in our programs are required to take responsibility for their actions and adhere to a high standard of behavioral conduct.
ABSOLUTE DISMISSAL
- Possessing, consuming or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Associating with participants while they are in possession of, or are consuming, or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Behaving in a way that consistently damages the group dynamic or jeopardizes personal or group safety.
- This includes consistently displaying a negative attitude, intimidating or excluding other participants, sneaking out, disobeying group leaders, and any other behavior that is not conducive to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR IN-COUNTRY CONSEQUENCE
- Getting a piercing or tattoo.
- Stealing, or deliberately damaging or defacing any personal property, buildings or materials.
- Threatening physical or emotional harm, or brandishing a weapon.
- Possessing, consuming, or distributing tobacco or nicotine, including vape pens.
- Riding mopeds, motorcycles, or any other type of unauthorized vehicle.
- Being out of designated area or accommodations after curfew.
- Breaking group rules.
These standards of behavior are essential for the successful completion of your program. Please take the time to review these as a family and make sure everyone understands and agrees to them.
Health and Safety
We strongly recommend visiting the CDC China website to get the most updated information on health and vaccination considerations in your destination country. In addition, we encourage you to consult with your personal family physician so you can be as informed as possible when making important decisions about vaccinations and other necessary health-related preparations before travel.
Our in-country staff prepare meticulously for all programs. Walking Tree will register our programs and travelers with the U.S. Department of State Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) in case of emergency. In country staff also verify the safety records of our partner organizations, vendors, and transportation providers, thoroughly vet homestay families via in depth interviews and home visits, and keep up on important current events in the region.
Program Leaders are seasoned travelers who are CPR and First Aid certified, undergo thorough training in crisis management, and participate in a multi-day leadership training retreat. We do our best to prepare for any eventuality and have detailed emergency protocols for our leaders, in-country staff and U.S.-based staff.
We receive medical disclosures from all participants to ensure we are able to meet every students’ needs during the program. Please inform us immediately of any additional health issues that you did not list during your initial registration process. Program Leaders will also hold an online information session before your departure, as well as an arrival orientation in-country, in order to give participants important instructions on food safety, hygiene and preventing injury and illness. Leaders and in-country staff always respond immediately to any mental, physical or emotional health issues and follow comprehensive emergency protocols.
Insurance
While we work hard to ensure the safest experience possible for our travelers on program, experience teaches that travel is never without risk. For this reason, we recommend that all travelers consider a travel insurance policy with two additional provisions: Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) and Bed Rest. Detailed explanations of both provisions can be found on the link below.
To provide families with a quality option, Walking Tree has partnered with Travel Insured International, one of the most respected providers in the industry. Begin by getting a quote here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: in order to secure coverage with CFAR included, you must purchase the plan within 21 days of your deposit/first payment. You must also insure 100% of your trip cost, so program tuition + flight.