Title: Chinese Cultural Immersion Youth Summer Camps
Preparation: Chinese Cultural Immersion Youth Summer Camps (中国“寻根之旅”夏令营) are mainly for oversea Chinese students age 12- 18 who want to know and improve their understanding of Chinese language and culture. Hotels, meals, admissions, activities costs are covered by "Qiao ban" or "Qiao Lian". 侨办侨联免费招待在营期间的食宿行. You only need to pay the flight tickets or any other transportation to get to the Camp. Your local agency or non-profit organization that organizes the trip from USA may charge a registration fee. Tour guides are parents who are volunteers to lead the summer camp team. In the Bay Area, Hanlin Education Foundation of America is the local organizer that can register your students. Wang, Rongqiu was the main contact when I registered my kid for Hunan Zhangjiajie Summer Camp. She is very nice, patient and very helpful. With Rongqiu's permission, her contact phone: 510-513-5921， Wechat ID: rongqiuw In Houston, Texas, Huaxia Chinese School is the local organizer that can register your students. Oriental Arts Education Center (东方文化教育中心) may also organize this kind of trip. My kid had joined the 2018 Hunan Zhangjiajie summer camp. Below is the overview from https://www.campofchina.org/2018-overview : The Organizer: Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council, China OR All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (FROC) 国侨办或侨联 The Co-Organizer: Local Overseas Chinese Affairs Offices OR local FROC offices地方侨办或侨联 The Overseas Assisting Organizer: North America Chinese Xungen Association 北美华人华裔寻根协会 These two-week youth summer camps are organized and sponsored by Overseas Chinese Affairs Offices at various levels in different provinces in China. They have been held every year for almost 20 years. They are Chinese cultural immersion camps, with the activities designed mainly for overseas Chinese teens to get to know and improve their understanding of Chinese language and culture. Camp activities: local sight-seeing tours of famous historical landmarks, culture museums, and tourist attractions. 参访当地名胜文化景点 language and culture workshops (i.e. brush writing, paper art, clay art, kongfu, chess, folk art, etc.) 学习传统中华文化技艺 sports/outdoor activities and fun sports meet with local students. 与当地青少年交流 Eligibility: 12 – 18 years old students of Chinese heritage, healthy and capable of taking care of self;侨办的各营都是要求12-18周岁健康的能自理的华裔青少年. Participants: 12-18岁, 身心健康的海外华裔青少年及 （1）父母是中国人 Parents are Chinese （2）父母一方是中国人 One of the parents is Chinese （3）领养的中国青少年 Adopted Chinese teens （4）在学习汉语的外籍青少年 Foreign teenagers who are learning Chinese Includes: meals, accommodation, excursions, local transportation in China as specified in the itinerary.侨办侨联免费招待在营期间的食宿行 Excludes: travel expenses to and from the campsite, medical insurance, visa, all expenses of personal nature and other extra services.其他费用自理
General opinion: This Youth Summer Camp is a good way to let the 2nd generation teens of immigrants family to learn Chinese language, culture, value, and understand the rapid developing of China. It also gives the kids opportunities to be independent and learn how to be self-sufficient and be cooperative in the team. It is worth to join.
Attractions and activities: If you'd like to register your kids, you need to contact your local organizer. See snapshots for the Bay Area Parents: Forms need to turn in: 1. Registration form 2. The specific summer Camp agreement or authorization form and the camp member guidelines 3. Hanlin_education_foundation medial waiver form (for the Bay Area Kids, if you are in some other area, find your local contact) 4. Passport, travel document or visa Items your kids may need to bring: 1. Raincoat 2. Mosquito repellent 3. Soap for hand-wash clothes. 4. Your kids may need to learn how to hand-wash their own clothes 5. A Certain amount of Chinese currency. 6. Some small gifts that can be given to the camp leaders or friends Registration we paid to Hanlin: $150 You kids are only allowed for this kind of summer camp or winter camp once a year. (1 time / 365 days) You have to book flight tickets and schedule all the transportation to / from Summer Camp site. What we have done is: ask my relatives to help. Reference: https://www.campofchina.org/2018-overview Below is from: http://usahanlin.org/zh-hans/ 夏令營-”中國尋根之旅”海外華裔青少年夏令營活動。為進一步增進海外華裔青少年對中國的了解，促進海內外青少年的溝通交流，弘揚中華文化，每年暑假與中國國務院僑辦及各地方政府合作舉辦，集知識性、趣味性於一體的夏令營活動，邀請世界各地的華裔青少年尋根中國，相約中國，瞭解中華文化。 http://newyork.china-consulate.org/chn/fwzc/zxtz/t1549281.htm 中国“寻根之旅”夏令营常见问题汇总 （家长篇）
Commute: You need to buy flight tickets for your kids and also schedule transportation to the summer camp. The local trip guide (volunteer parents) has the contact and you will know where, when your kids need to meet with them If you have other young age kid who is younger than 12 but you'd like to have both your kids go back to China for the summer by themselves, then you need to book flight tickets as "Unaccompanied Minor (UM)" and let the Air company crew supervise your kids. It will take time and some extra fee charge to do this. 1. ask the airline for the rules, or search their website. We booked the tickets from Air China. http://www.airchina.com.cn/en/info_and_services/tslk/kid02.shtml 2.Need to book an adult ticket for the younger age kid, with a different year of the birthday because Air China requires an adult ticket for the UM kid. Then call the Airline company to change back to the real birthday with Passport copy; Also need to fill in the form with information who will pick up in the destination, name, ID (id card, or passport), addresses, phone number, etc. You also need to provide your ID or passport copy, address, phone number, etc. 3. Pay extra $50 during the check-in. 4. When your kids fly back to US, you need to have some relative adult or friend to do similar things in China with the Airline. That adult needs to go there in person. Air China does provide a very good UM service. My kids were very happy with the trip. Email contact: lax031@airchina.com Below are the requirements from Air China: ... 请查收附件并打印UM（无成人陪伴）申请表，填写清楚后连同以下要求的文件以照片或复印件的形式在航班起飞前72hr回传，否则将因错过时限不予办理。 儿童旅客本人护照照片页 送机人护照照片页 接领人护照照片页 请注意UM表格中的始发站送机人和终点站接领人的姓名和联系方式非常重要，请认真填写。（如表格中有中转站联系人，请将终点站接领人的信息填入中转站联系人中）感谢您的理解与支持！ UM业务一般将于乘客回复邮件后48hr完成办理，请于此时间后回电确认UM办理成功。 在送机当日，请送机人携带护照原件提前3小时到达机场缴纳UM（无成人陪伴）办理费用，费用为每航段$50。 我们的联系方式是： 服务热线：+1(800)882-8122 传 真：+1(310)322-1133 ***为确保顺利出行，请您尽早与相关政府部门联系咨询旅行签证、证件等各类信息***
Things I wish I had known before: For UM kids to travel by themselves, when you and your kids go to the airport, remember to bring your ID or passport , you may be allowed to enter the gate with your kids and wait in the boarding area Until the crew guide them to on boarding.
