Guidelines for Summer Camp to China

1. Who: Your school parents and students will greatly appreciate you to organize the summer camp event.

2. What: China is welcome overseas Chinese Youth to visit their home country during the summer. Last year, it hosted over 2000 people at one time, and participants will never forget the great event. This year, it has decided to spend even more money, and host more people at one time. But the whole camp will be mainly hosted by each province/city Qiao Ban, may or may not have a budget to help reduce the cost. All camp groups to local province/city Qiao Ban are coordinated by the national Qiao Ban for 4 days in Beijing.

3. When Any time most convenient for people in your area. If you like to join the 4 days in Beijing, you may plan accordingly, and tour other areas before and/or after.

4. How to organize

4.1 You are strongly recommended to form your own team for your school, and your area, since parents feel more comfortable to see their kids go with someone they know or from their local area. Considering cost factor, as the team leader usually be reimbursed for the international air fair and/or camp related expense, a group needs to have 15+ members to breakeven, with less than $100 to share per member. If your school and area can not get enough participants, you need to consider work with another organization, or join schools in another area. Or let interested school families to join other groups that CSAUS members offered

4.2 Age requirement. Generally speaking, if the whole tour is to travel a lot, we recommend you accept students age 12 and above, so they can prepare own belongings in a timely manner. If the trip is to travel less, younger students can join too. And if parent(s) are to go together, age requirement is not important.

4.3 Each group is to decide its own tour plan. It is recommended to include the highlighted days in Beijing, as the best part of the camp. Before and/or after, your may go any other place your members like to go. For example, people in different groups toured Cheng De, Shan Dong, Xi' An, Huang Shan, Shang Hai, Hang Zhou, etc. respectively. The China National Overseas Chinese Office, Qiao Ban, has requested all local Qiao Ban to support this event. Wherever you want to go, you can get supports from the area. If you need assistance in contact the area officer, CSAUS may help you.

4.4 Cost level design. Based on our understanding of the cost factors in China, you may want to specify 3+ Star Hotels with two members in each room. Roughly, cost ranges $30-50 per day including lodging, meals, travel, tickets, tips, and misc. Totally, a 14 day camp cost can be $600 - $1200, depending on where you go, how far you go, and how you travel. If your group is associated with, or supported by, a certain local Qiao Ban office, or other "friendship" organizations, the cost may be further reduced. You may need to consider the "affordability" of people in your area in design your camp.

5. How CSAUS to coordinate and help. CSAUS coordinated a total of about 500 people in 16 groups in year 2000. As the approach is different this year, and since CSAUS has built up close relationship with many Qiao Ban offices, who may offer varied camp plans and may send us invitations soon. We will post all plans to the web for your school and individuals to select and to join. You are advised to stay updated with us by visiting our website time to time.

If your school has set up a group, and permits people from other areas to join, please send your plan to us as soon as possible, so we can incorporate your plan to our list, and help your enrollment process.

6. Other suggestions: Keep in mind the First thing first: safety, safety, and safety. If there is another thing equally important, Health.

Any questions and suggestions, please contact Lzheng@twmi.rr.com

Please keep visiting our website for most updated information.

Last update March 12, 2001