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Silk Roads Field Course

Spring Break 2016

WHAT: Asian Studies 221 Silk Roads Field Course (2 credits)
Offered by Professors Heidi Dobson (Biology) and Brian Dott (History), this semester course will meet once a week and include a two week educational trip to China. Class discussions will prepare students to fully benefit and learn from sites visited in China.

WHEN: Spring 2016 Semester and Spring Break
The two week educational travel in China during Spring Break will supplement a semester long Asian Studies course (meeting once a week).

GOAL: Hands-on Experience along the Silk Roads of China
While traveling in China during spring break, students will document actual examples of the production, processing, movement, and geographic situation of trade items and cultural exchanges.

ELIGIBILITY:
To participate in the Asian Studies 221 Silk Roads Field Course, students must register for two co-requisite lecture courses BIO 121 (2 credits) and HIST 121 (2 credits) offered Spring 2016. Students who took these course in Spring 2012 are eligible to apply for the Asian Studies 221 Silk Roads Field Course. The field course will have limited enrollment and students will be admitted based on an application process.

ITINERARY: MARCH 12 thru 26, 2016:
(Whitman reserves the right to modify this itinerary for security or other reasons.)
Route for Silk Roads

  • Depart Walla Walla - fly to Seattle and then to Xi'an (through Beijing).
  • Northwest Polytechnical University (NPU) - Lectures from local historians and biologists and site visits to include museums and the famous tomb of Qin Shihuangdi – the Terra Cotta Soldiers
  • Dunhuang (travel overnight by train in sleeper compartments) - Site visit to the famous Mogao Buddhist caves, ride camels and slide down sand dunes!
  • Turpan (travel overnight by train in sleeper compartments) - Site visit to the ruins of two ancient trade cities as well as experience local village culture
  • Urumqi -  Site visit to the provincial museum to see some of the famous Tarim Basin mummies and a nearby alpine lake
  • Khotan (in-country flight) - See examples of silk weaving, carpet making, paper making, and jade carving - Site visit to a local village market and short excursion into the Taklamakan Dessert.
  • Depart Urumqi - fly to Seattle (through Beijing) and then to Walla Walla

ADDITIONAL TRIP INFORMATION

  • Both Professors Dobson and Dott will be leading the trip.
  • Chinese guides will be assisting the group in Xi'an, Dunhuang, and a Uighur guide in the other areas (Xinjiang)
  • Both Professors have traveled with students on multiple international trips
  • Accommodations will be in moderate, clean hotels; double occumpancy
  • 10-15 students

CLICK HERE FOR IMAGES FROM 2012 SILK ROADS CHINA TRIP

Download Application  - pdf document or Word document

Application Deadline:
October 15, 2015 in the Off-Campus Studies Office, Mem. 205

Program Cost:
Program fee: $2,250 (International airfare not included)
International airfare: $1,650
Total estimated cost: $3,900 (tentative)

Financial Aid:
Students with financial need are strongly encouraged to apply for funding as a substantial amount of need-based scholarship assistance is available through the David Deal China Exchange Endowment. In the past, both partial and full scholarships have been awarded.*

*Please note that students who have received financial aid previously for China trips through the David Deal Endowment, such as Whitman Summer Studies in China and Archaeology in/of China are not eligible for further funding from this endowment.

Office Information
  • Memorial Building 205
    345 Boyer Ave.
    Walla Walla, WA 99362
  • Email or Call to Schedule a Virtual Advising Appt.
  • 509-527-4992
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