Chinese language students travel abroad for cultural studies in China
Sixteen Tucson Unified School District Chinese language students returned recently from a nearly month long visit to China. The group spent their first two days in Beijing, visiting Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, before flying to Kunming in Yunnan Province for three weeks of language and cultural studies at the Yunnan University Secondary School. The group was led by Jing Ma, a Chinese language teacher at Palo Verde Magnet and Rincon/University high schools.
In the morning, students in Kunming studied Chinese language. Afternoons were set aside for cultural activities such as calligraphy, painting and Taiji; excursions to local attractions; and interactions with Chinese students and host families.
One of the highlights of their trip was a visit to a Shaolin Buddhist temple in Henan Province for kung-fu lessons. Their Shaolin master instructors also performed during the opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympic Games.
Our TUSD students not only enjoyed themselves, but also made a good impression on their Chinese hosts. Their teachers were especially impressed by the skit our students prepared at the end of the camp to demonstrate their Chinese language skills.
Pan Asian Studies is planning to make the summer study trip to China a voluntary annual event for students who have completed two years of Chinese language study.
Students who attended were: Ernesto Barraza, Phillip Brenfleck, Patrick Dewitt, Jeffrey Espinosa, David Fan, April Klocko, Ann Lee, Betty Lee, Kevin Liu, Futu Paul Ma, Bryan Tom, Savanna Vig, Stephanie White, Derek Wong, Audrey Zeldin and Youfen Su.