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WSC planning trip to China in 2011

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WSC planning trip to China in 2011

Posted: Jun 02 2010
WILLISTON - If your dream has been to see the world and get a chance to see other cultures, Williston State College has an opportunity for its students and the community at large. Adjunct Instructor Taryn Sveet will be teaching a class in the spring of 2011with the highlight being a trip to China.
"WSC is offering a humanities class next year, studying the history and culture of China, called ‘Business and Culture in China' with a travel component," Sveet said. They'll be working through a company that specializes in alternative spring breaks and alternative study tours.

"The main reason we want to offer this class is because China is a major world player especially in economics so it is a great opportunity for the students and community to learn about another culture as well as gain a great competitive edge in the job market if they possess knowledge of the business practices seen firsthand," Sveet said.

"The best way to learn is by seeing, tasting, touching, going to these places and actually experiencing the awe of The Great Wall, tasting the traditional tea, touching history that is hundreds of years old," Sveet said. "We are working on arranging more study trips and becoming more active here at the Williston State College."

The group will tour three different businesses in each of the three cities, attend a business lecture from a professor at a university in Shanghai as well as have free time to network and talk about life in China with other college students.

"We'll also be going to Shanghai's World Financial Tower and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange," Sveet said. "We'll spend four days in Beijing, three days in Shanghai, and three days in Hong Kong. Besides business orientated travels, we will experience cultural routines such as learning about the preparation of and enjoying a traditional Peking duck dinner; learning the importance of tea in Chinese culture and the custom surrounding this ancient pastime as we are served tea a traditional tea house."

She said that they will also do some fun side trips, such as visiting the Forbidden City, the Jade Buddha Temple, Tiananmen Square and more. "They just had the World's Fair in Shanghai which means that we will see buildings erected for the international world not just in Beijing for the Olympics but in Shanghai as well. We even will be taking an arranged rickshaw tour of the hutongs, which are ancient city alley ways that still provide access to dwellings for half the total urban population."

Traveling from March 7 to 18, cost of the trip will be $3,200, which includes transportation, lodging in hotels with private bathrooms, a full time native tour director and most meals. "Right now, we're looking to get as many as we can to go," she said. "If we get 48 people, we'll get our own bus. Otherwise, we'll share a bus with another university. The only thing not included is tips, a few meals, any extras, and the price of a passport and travel visa."

Sveet said that she will help everyone who wants to go make sure they have their documents ready and if they need to get them, she will help them as needed.

To register or to get more information, email Sveet at taryn.sveet@wsc.nodak.edu, or call her office at 774-4526. There is a website (www.efcollegetours.com) that you can visit to get more information, but to register for the tour, you need a tour code, which Sveet will give to those who are interested. She encourages anyone who may be interested in traveling with them to get their passport updated or, if you don't have one, to apply now. "Passports take up to six months to get," she said. "It could take longer, depending on how backed up they are."
 
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