A University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point short-term study tour will be offered over winter break, presenting an opportunity to experience the culture of China.

The noncredit program for adults of all ages will be offered by UWSP Continuing Education from December 27 through January 16, 2009. The group will be led by George Kung, professor emeritus of math and computing at UWSP, who is fluent in four dialects of Chinese and has led eight previous tours of China.

An informational meeting about the trip will be offered on the UWSP campus Thursday, May 22, at 7 p.m. in room 300 of the Communication Arts Center, 1101 Reserve Street.

This trip offers participants an understanding of China’s cultural contrasts. Highlights will include Buddhist temples, a river cruise, a visit to a silk factory, Wuyi Mountain, coastal Fujian Province and the island of Gulangyu. The group will also visit the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Tian’anmen Square and the Olympic Stadium in Beijing. This tour will include explorations of relics from the past and scenic landscapes as well as modern cities.

"This was the trip of a lifetime," said Judith Dukes, a member of last year’s tour. "The whole group was like one big family, with George and [his wife] Sonja setting the tone. Everyday was more special than the next. I saw things I never imagined and things I imagined I’d never see."

The estimated cost is $4,599, including round trip airfare from Chicago, lodging, flights within China, most meals, group ground transportation, entrance fees, guide fees and instructional costs.

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