Joining a Service Program
Thank you for your desire to serve our community in China! The first step is to apply for a service program through Global Volunteers. This organization is the oldest and largest volunteer service programs of its kind in the U.S. Through our partnership with Global Volunteers, the Sino-American Society is able to provide you a first-hand, premier opportunity to work with the people of China and learn about their lives. The service fee for first-time volunteers for China volunteers is $2,495 for 19 days, and $2,120 for 12 days in Kunming. Student discounts, internet processing discounts and former Global Volunteer discounts are available. The fee supports the program's on-going community development activities and covers the cost of your meals, lodging, transportation to and from the work site, project expenses, administrative costs, and the services of a trained Global Volunteers team leader. The service program fee does not cover free-time expenses, or your airfare or other travel to China. All fees, including airfare, are tax-deductible for U.S. tax-payers.
For more information about service program fees and logistics, contact a Global Volunteers Volunteer Coordinator or call 800-487-1074. You may also refer to the China Program pages on the Global Volunteers web site.
Learn more about the service program fees in China, ranging from $2,020 to $2,495 for each of these programs.
Logistics and Accommodations
You will meet your teammates at the airport in Kunming, China. There are several options for getting there. You can fly to Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong on a U.S. or Chinese carrier and then take a Chinese airline to Kunming. Once you arrive, you will stay at a very comfortable tourist-class hotel. The hotel serves Chinese and Western cuisine and its comfortable rooms have a private bath with showers and hot water. The hotel also features a natural hot springs pool. You will dine at the hotel for a western-style breakfast. For lunch and dinner, you and your teammates will dine at the hotel or at area restaurants. Vegetables and noodles are a staple of local dishes. Bottled water is provided.
Free Time Activities
As the capital of Yunnan Province, the city has many natural and man-made attractions. Stone Forest (Shi Lin), located outside of the capital city of Kunming, is one of the world's natural wonders. Here, massive pillars of gray rock have formed a gigantic forest of stone. Some of these natural stone formations have the appearance of animals such as snakes, elephants, birds, and dragons. Kunming has many interesting temples and parks such as Daguan Park, Black Dragon Pool, Zheng He Park, Bamboo Temple, Golden Temple, and the Western Hills, to name only a few. Each of these places has unique features that capture the imagination. For example, the Bamboo Temple has 500 life-size luohans that were sculpted in the 1800'. The Western Hills contains three temples: Huating Temple (from the 11th century), Taihua Temple, and the Sanqing Temple. At the top of the path, which takes about two hours to reach, is Longmen (Dragon Gate). Dragon Gate is comprised of sculptures, grottos, and pathways that were built by a Taoist monk in the late 1700'. The view from Dragon Gate overlooking DianChi Lake and the city of Kunming is spectacular.
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