Suzhou Rayhua Bilingual Academy

1. Suzhou Rayhua Bilingual Academy Summer Chinese Language & Culture Camp June 4-22, 2007

2. Location • Located in the Municipality of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, Rayhua Bilingual Academy is located about 70 miles west of Shanghai. The school is a privately owned K-12 boarding/dayschool that offers afull-scale curriculums according the national educational standards stipulated by the Chinese Ministry of Education. As such, the Academy is fully accredited by the Chinese Government. • The school occupies 128 acres of land with classroom buildings, A/V rooms, science and computer labs, and a library. Other student service facilities include a gymnasium, track & field, basketball and tennis courts, a cafeteria, dormitories, business and administrative buildings, school nurse’ office and a security office. • Half of the students enrolled in Rayhua are placed in the bilingual program, with classes conducted in both English and Mandarin.

3. While at Rayhua, students will most likely stay either in the student dorm or one of the faculty houses. Each dorm room is equipped with a/c, bunk beds, all necessary beddings, desks and chairs. It also has maid service. The shared bathrooms and showers are in the hallway. During summer season each student is also given a mosquito net. Each faculty house usually comes with 5-6 bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen and a large living room. It also has a/c and cleaning service. Dorms

4. The school provides three Chinese style meals a day to the students. Breakfast usually includes rice porridge, steamed buns and small dishes such as marble eggs and Chinese pickles. Lunch and dinner include rice and various stir-fried dishes. Suzhou is the birth place of the Su-Style cuisine, also known as the Shanghai cuisine. In downtown Suzhou, which is about 10 minutes ride by taxi, students can find a wide-range of restaurants serving a variety of food from local flavors to regional cuisines, as well as Western fast-food such as Big Macs (McDonalds) and fried chicken (KFC). Food Services

5. Throughout history, Suzhou has housed and produced some of the most prominent literati in China. Many great poets wrote poems and prose in praise of the natural beauty of the city and its famous gardens – widely considered the prototype of Chinese garden style architecture. Suzhou is one of the most important historical cities in China. The city was first built during the Spring and Autumn Period as the capital of the Kingdom of Wu. Beginning from the Sui Dynasty, Suzhou enjoyed a tremendous prosperity due to its central location on the Grant Canal of China. Surroundings – Downtown Suzhou

6. Surroundings - Mudu The name "Mudu", meaning "timbers blocking the river", comes from an ancient story: During the Spring and Autumn Period, King Wu set to build “the Guanwa Palace " for his concubine Xishi. The large quantity of timbers needed for this palace rafted from the upstream and got stuck at the Mudu section of the river. With many Ming and Qing period gardens, Mudu is also known as “the town of Gardens". • Rayhua Academy is within 5 minutes bus ride to Mudu (木渎), a historical town with cultural significance.

7. Program Overview • I.Chinese Language Instructions: Students will be placed according to their language proficiency into different Chinese language classes. Each morning students will have two periods of Chinese language training and two periods of cultural communication class with the local students who are enrolled in the bilingual program. • II. Art and Culture Classes Students will explore Chinese arts and cultures through afternoon and evening classes such as martial arts, calligraphy, Chinese paintings, Chinese music and the Kun-style opera. These classes are usually taught by professional masters and performers in Suzhou area. • III. Cultural Field Trips: A. On weekends students will participate in scenic tours to Suzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou and the Tai Lake Areas. To ensure the students’ maximum exposure to Chinese cultures, these tours are conducted jointly with local Chinese students. B. Once a week the students will also participate in culture tours to the Silk Museum, the Embroidery Museum and the literati gardens such as the Humble Administrators Garden, the Lingering Garden and the Lion Grove Garden.

8. Program Overview - continued • IV. Chinese Cultural Topics Evenings at Rayhua can be lively, with activitiessuch as Chinese cooking classes to introduce students to the Chinese food and dining culture, Chinese fashion show to demonstrate the history of traditional Chinese costumes, and performances of Chinese opera or the Suzhou-style music/story-telling. • V. Contests and Activities To encourage the cultural and language exchange between the international students and the local students, Rayhua will also host special events and contests, such as Drama Contest, Sports Competitions, etc. • VI. Community Service Service to others is a virtue that should be carried out wherever one goes. At Rayhua students will be provided with opportunities to serve as English tutors, sports coaches or in other capacities as needed by the school, the local students, and the neighborhood. Service hours can be recognized by the Christian Service Program at Bellarmine.

9. Costs • Airfare: around $1000 San Francisco ---- Shanghai Pudong International Airport: Participants can arrange air travel together through a travel agency, or purchase tickets on their own. It would be preferred if students can arrange to arrive on the same day. Airport transfers: Shanghai Pudong Airport ---- Suzhou Rayhua Academy: Rayhua Academy will provide airport transfers between the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and the Rayhua Academy at no extra cost to the students. • Tuition and fees: The tuition and fees for studying at Rayhua will be $220 per week, which includes full room and board, class materials, all local transportations, program-sponsored field trips and tours. • Travel extension: add about $500-800 One week travel extension (June 23-28) to Beijing and Xi’an is available at extra cost.

10. Safety and Medical Care • Chaperon: This trip is not sponsored by Bellarmine; therefore Bellarmine does not provide chaperons at any time. Once students arrive in Shanghai, they will be chaperoned by the faculty from Rayhua Academy, which is a fully insured and accredited institution. • While common-sense precautions should be exercised at all time, China is a relatively safe place to travel and stay. This is particularly true at Rayhua. The campus is enclosed and has 24 hour security guards on campus and at each entrance. • There will be safety boxes for students to safeguard their travel documents and valuables. • Students should provide their own medical insurance should there be a medical emergency which requires medical attention at local hospitals. Minor injuries can be treated by nurses on campus. • Students with special medical needs or history of allergies should provide documentations to the Rayhua administration upon arrival. They are also advised to bring necessary medication with them. • While tab water in China is safe to drink, Rayhua also provides bottled water to students daily.

11. Registration and Communication • Students who wish to participate in the Rayhua Academy Summer Chinese Program should submit their applicationforms to Ms. Xu no later than April 15th. • Disclaimer: The Rayhua Academy Summer Chinese Language & Culture program is not a Bellarmine-sponsored program, therefore Bellarmine College Preparatory does not assume any responsibilities related to this program. All agreements to the program will be made between the Rayhua Bilingual Academy and the participants. • Considering the fact that most participants of the program will be from the Mandarin classes at Bellarmine College Prep, Ms. Lanting Xu, the Mandarin Teacher at Bellarmine would help facilitate the communications between the participants and the Rayhua Academy and coordinate the travel arrangements and special needs of the students and families. This by no means imply that the teacher can be held liable should the participants encounter difficulties or problems while studying at the Rayhua Bilingual Academy. • Contact information at Rayhua: Program Coordinator: Ms. Teresa Yang Tel: +86-512-6636-5762, 6636-1588，+86-133-8214-3289 (Tel & Fax) Location: #99 Fengjiang Road, Mudu, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China Website: www.rayhua.org