Orientation Session 2

Fall 2007 Study Abroad

Southwest University

Beibei, China

1.  Update  

a.   Passports

c.   Moodle Discussion Board:   Fall 07 China:   

2.  Preliminary Health Information:

You need to set up a consult with a travel clinic.  These are medical clinics that specialize in advising travelers.  The Health Service at SJU is a certified travel clinic.  You may also use one in your hometown.  You will need to get

• vaccines (Hep A, Hep B, DPT)

• prescription for antibiotic for GI infections (such as Cipro)

• TB test

3.   Airline Tickets/Meeting in Beijing

• arrive in Beijing: August 27

• fly with Dani and I or on your own.  If you fly with us, or meet us at the airport when you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by people from SWU's Office of International Exchange and Cooperation and get a free ride to the hotel.   If you arrive at any other time, you will meet us at Rainbow Hotel, Beijing. 

• Website for arrive plans:  under construction 

4.     Get to know you group

•  Divide into pairs (with someone you don't know or know well).  Find out some something interesting things about your partner (that they would be willing to share with the whole group) 

•  Introduce your partner to the group

5.    Safety Issues

• Review Safety and Risk Management Suggestions: CSB/SJU
• Center for Global Education: USC
  • SAFTEI:  Safety Abroad First Educational Travel Information from USC
  • General Study Abroad Handbook  from USC
  • Study Abroad Hancbook for China from USC

6.  Cultural Awareness

• Read Body Ritual of the Nacirema
• Read The Green Banana
• Read Language and You
• Where is the center of your world.  Why did you chose it?  Did you have a choice?

7.   Your Goals for the program: 

• Discuss your personal goals at your table.  Each table will present a collected list of goals to ther group. 

8.  Culture of our group:

• There will be many inconveniences and discomforts that you will not be used to and yet it is important for us to create a culture on this program that sees these things as a cultural experience and not a source for complaints. You will want to examine your tendency to complain. Ask your roommate if you are a complainer and begin thinking about that tendency.
• We want to create a culture of gratitude for this experience as a whole.
• Alcohol abuse, getting drunk at bars is not part of Chinese culture nor of this programs culture. Finding ways of having fun while not abusing alcohol has been part of the benefits of the China program.
• We want to promote mindfulness (conscious awareness) of our experiences, both inner and outer experiences.
• Discuss ways at your table to promote this culture.

9.  Senior Seminar Update: Please order these

• Elements of Moral Philosophy, James and Stuart Rachels

• Miracle of Mindfulness (optional) by Thich Nhat Hahn

10.  For Orientation Session 3: 

• Do the self orientation forms at the address below:

http://www.csbsju.edu/internationaleducation/orientation.htm

You may work in groups of no more than 3.  Submit the material electronically.  You will be prompted to print the completed forms.  Do so and give copy to the director.

•  Encountering the Chinese by Hu Wenzhong.  Groups will be assigned certain chapters to present at the next orientation session.

11.  Question/Answer:  Time to ask questions, and maybe get answers