| 
The SStS Tibet Program begins in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu. This rapidly expanding industrial hub not only has over 14 million residents, but it also has over 2000 years of history. The group will spend the first days visiting cultural sites, such as a panda breeding center, before catching a flight to the city of Kangding on the Tibetan plateau. At this point, the group will begin to work directly with SStS’s non-profit partner, Tibetan Village Project. Tibetan Village Project (TVP) is an organization dedicated to promoting sustainable development while preserving the rich cultural heritage of Tibet through projects that are locally supported and sustained. After arriving in Kangding, the TVP staff will introduce the group to their project in the nearby village of Tagong. The primary focus of the project work will be improving the facilities at the Tagong Thangka Center, a school and home for 40 young children and three teachers. This center aims to provide these students with an education and the skills necessary to produce traditional Buddhist Thangka paintings.
While in Tagong, the students will live with local families, which will provide them with the opportunity to be fully immersed in the lives of traditional Tibetan villagers. In addition to directly experiencing the rhythms of this ancient culture, the group will also spend time hiking in the magnificent Tibetan landscape and visiting local monasteries to learn more about the Buddhist traditions. Significant time will also be spent developing relationships with the kids and staff at the Tagong Thangka Center. In many ways, the contrasts that the students will experience between life on the Tibetan plateau and in the bustling industrial city of Chengdu will help them to better understand the divergent forces at work in the rapidly changing nation of China.
SStS: Tibet is structured in three phases:
|
Phase I: Pre-departure education and preparation
|
• Includes staff meetings, reading materials, detailed travel information sessions (e.g. vaccinations, insurance, clothing, etc);
• Students will be included in all sessions through teleconferencing, email, phone, fax, blogs, and mail;
• Introduction of the "5 lenses" curriculum through on-line activities.
|
|
Phase II: In-country Service Trip (June 18 - July 4)
|
• All projects have definable goals that will be outlined in pre-trip meetings;
• In-country liaisons are assigned to us by Tibetan Village Project;
• The in-country experience includes varied work projects including improving the facilities at the Tagong Thangka Center. Other activities may include living with local families, hiking in the magnificent Tibetan landscape and visiting local monasteries to learn more about the Buddhist traditions.
• Evening "debriefing" sessions will focus on cultural, political, geographic and economic variables that affect the area.
|
|
Phase III: School and Public Presentations (January/February)
|
• Students will coordinate to create presentations appropriate for their community at large and for a younger, school-based populations;
• Students at each school will be expected to coordinate with their classmates to create a cohesive presentation;
• The multi-media nature of these presentations has unlimited potential, yet the goal will be to share collective insights through the 5 lenses of SStS.
|
* PROJECTED IN-COUNTRY COSTS - $5080
SStS is in search of curious, compassionate, globally-minded students. We are an investment in the future. Thus, we will do all that we can financially to support students whose circumstances preclude paying the full cost. If you would like to be considered for financial assistance, please indicate so on the application.
- Please note, price does not include airfare and immunizations.
- Trip costs are all inclusive with the exception of personal expenditures (e.g. souvenirs).
- Tickets and medical evacuation insurance are purchased as a group. The cost of this insurance is included in the in-country costs.
- Talbot Travel Agency provides pro-bono travel services for SStS, working personally with us to find the least expensive fares
TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS
Please note that we expect all participants to travel together, adhering to the identical itinerary. We will depart the United States as a group from a gateway city. Exemptions will be made for international students. Additionally, travel in the developing world inevitably includes "the unexpected" (e.g. weather disruptions, transportation strikes, etc.). SStS will adjust the itinerary accordingly, making the best of uncontrollable situations. Due to the unknown variables in international travel, participants are asked not to make travel plans or to enroll in programs that start immediately after their return. SStS is not responsible for expenses incurred due to missed flights if the group is delayed in their return.
|
