Last September, Mandarin Chinese teacher Wan-tzu Chen was just teaching her students how to say hello, now they are planning a trip to China.

The 10-day long trip occurs in June The trip will visit three cities: Shanghai, Xi’an, and Beijing. A tour guide will be there to show the group around and give the attendees a more in depth experience when they see the light shows in Beijing, the Great Wall of China, the Terra-cotta warriors in Xi’an, and the finance capital in Shanghai. The students will also visit the homes of locals.

“We get to experience the lives of aboriginal people. It’s going to be exciting!” sophomore Kaitrin Francis said.

The trip is designed to be a learning experience and a chance for the students to immerse themselves in culture.

“You are there to learn, but to also be a tourist. I want to learn more of the language. I’m really looking forward to experiencing the culture and the way they live,” sophomore Gwyn Worobec said.  

Mandarin Chinese I and II classes have increased enrollment.

“A lot more people are interested in joining, and the class itself has grown. And we have the trip planned, so we’ve come pretty far,” Francis said.

The thrip to China casts around $4,000 for the trip. The flight takes 16 to 18 hours to get to Shanghai.

“My family is funding my trip because they want me to develop an understatement of a new culture. It’s going to be an experience of a lifetime,” Francis said.