AAVE Trip BLOG » China
September 20, 2008
A Successful Summer Adventure in China!
Posted by AAVE Camper in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
It was 100% successful. This was Scott’s 3rd trip with AAVE and it met all our expectations (as have the other trips he has been on). We send him on AAVE trips because they “feed his soul” in a way that school does not seem able to do. AAVE builds his feelings of confidence and competence. He learns about other cultures and has a great time. He learns to live with other young people (an experience that will serve him well in university) and spends 3 weeks with terrific role models (your leaders). Alice was wonderful. -Karen Fuller
My summer was so successful, it could not have been any better. I feel like I have matured and I have gained a new appreciation for other cultures throughout my trips. I have learned so much about other people, the places I visited, and about myself. A total success, I would do it again in a heartbeat! -Scott Fuller
China Summer
September 12, 2008
A Fantastic Adventure Experience- China
Posted by AAVE Parent in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
We feel the China trip was a great and unique learning experience for Beatrice. She learned about a new culture and a big and important country, better than we could have shown to her. She also learned how to budget travel independently with her peer group, something we were unable to teach her. A fantastic experience! -Alja Tedeschi
Playing with the locals
September 11, 2008
WOW! AAVE China Summer
Posted by AAVE Parent in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
WOW! My only wish is that we did not find AAVE sooner to have given our older kids the same awesome experiences. We picked up Sam at Newark International on Aug 12, and he hasn’t stopped talking about those 21-days in China with Stony, Alice and the rest of the group.
Tiger Leaping Gorge Hike
August 28, 2008
China Teen Summer Camp
Posted by AAVE Parent in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
This is the second trip that Henry has taken with AAVE. He went on a spring break trip with another company (only because you don’t offer spring break trips) and I was expecting it to be as well organized and carefree as AAVE. There was no comparison. With AAVE, the minute Henry arrives at his destination, no matter how far away, I sit back with a smile and immediately know that he is going to be taken care of in the same fashion as if he were with our family. AAVE is extremely personalized, the leaders talk to you when your child arrives, and they are always pleasant and more than competent to be in charge of a group of teens. Thanks for two great summers that I’m sure my son will never forget. -Kristin & David Iannini
Tai Chi
August 23, 2008
AAVE-China!
Posted by AAVE Parent in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
I loved that not only did the kids get to experience and immerse themselves in another culture, but they still got to do fun stuff;ie; zip line, hold pandas, Tai Chi classes, cooking classes, etc. You also did a great job of keeping abreast of the opportunities and stayed flexible enough to allow them to be the first group to see the Pandas since the earthquake. This is our third year of travel with AAVE and I couldn’t be more thrilled with all of our kids trips. My only complaint is that I didn’t get to go, too!! I can’t tell you how many people I have personally told about AAVE. -Joanie Soboloff
Great Wall of China
August 18, 2008
China Teen Adventure
Posted by AAVE Parent in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Maggie loved her trip this summer and told us all about it. I was very impressed by the trips ability to immerse the kids in the real culture of China and not just stop at the tourist spots. She said it was all successful! She made incredible friends from all over the world and got to see China up close and personal! -Nancy Drain
Venture China
August 11, 2008
China #2 - Olympic Fever!
Posted by AAVE Leader in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Greetings from the beautiful town of Yangshou located on the Li River in Southwest China. We just finished cooking our own authentic, multi course lunch at a local cooking school and are packing up, doing some last minute shopping and preparing to leave mainland China and head to Hong Kong tonight.
Yesterday was extremely exciting and active. We rode bikes through the lovely countryside, hiked to the moon (well, Moon Hill), had lunch at a local farmer’s house, went rock climbing and . . . hmmm . . . something else . . . .oh yeah . . . watched the opening ceremony of the OLYMPICS!! Wow, people here were so excited. Shops closed early and we watched the show with a bunch of locals on a big screen at a neighborhood restaurant. It was a night (and day) to remember. In fact, this whole trip has been memorable and exciting and I know that all of us have made some lifelong friends! We’ll call from the airport on departure day.
Signing off from China.
Alice and the China 2 AAVE adventurers
August 5, 2008
CH2 - Greetings from Li Jiang, China!
Posted by AAVE Leader in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Good Morning from Li Jiang,
After a yummy breakfast feast, we are packing up and getting ready to start our two day trek in the beautiful, awesome Tiger Leaping Gorge today. Our group has bonded and already had many amazing adventures. Hiking on the Great wall was fantastic, definitely a once in a lifetime experience and physical challenge! After learning about them in school, the kids loved seeing The Terra-cotta Warrior army up close and personal of the beautiful city of Xian. We can’t forget to mention the cute, cuddly pandas in Chengdu!! That was a trip highlight for sure! Yesterday we got out of the city and did a trek to a remote mountain village where we had lunch at a local farmer’s home. It was authentic, fantastic and beautiful. Our travel days, China is a massive country, are filled with good conversation, lots of puzzling riddles, bus dance parties and silly games! We’re having a great time, taking tons of pics and can’t wait to visit the small town of Dali, go biking and climbing in Yangshou and end our trip (too soon) in the bustling city of Hong Kong. Ok, time to trek!
Lots of Love,
Alice, Stony, and the AAVE China 2 Crew.
Really? Yep, that's a real Panda
China #2 from Xi’an
Posted by Nate at AAVE in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Hello Abbott, family and friends from Xi’an!
We are preparing to go to dinner after a busy day (and night) traveling from Beijing to Xi’an and visiting the Terracotta Warriors! Friendships are forming and everyone is adjusting well to Chinese culture. Our trek on the Great Wall, while difficult, was extremely rewarding, beautiful and a great bonding experience. We are very excited to go see the Pandas in Chengdu but not before our Tai Chi lesson and visit to a local school here in Xi’an tomorrow.
Loving the AAVE Life!
July 16, 2008
China 1
Posted by Alice in : China , add a comment
Hello back home from Xi’an!
We are all resting up and showering after our overnight train adventure from Chengdu to Xi’an last night.
It was a bit hard to leave Chengdu after seeing the cute pandas and being treated like celebrities!! Yep, we were interviewed and filmed by the local news crew because we were the first large American group to visit the capital city of the Sichuan Province after the May earthquake. Chengdu wants to let people know that it is safe to visit (which it ABSOLUTELY was) and apparently we were good people to help get the message out! They filmed us visiting the pandas, touring a local temple and then invited us to a banquet with other tourists (all Chinese) to show their appreciation. It was a great, unique and special experience for the kids and I’ll be sure to send you pictures when I can.
We’re off to see the Terracotta Warriors this afternoon and tomorrow we get to learn some Tai Chi and visit a local school. Our journey wraps up with a trek on the Great Wall and some time in the Olympic city of Beijing.
The kids, although craving hamburgers, are sad that our adventure is coming to a close. They keep talking about how fast things have gone and how much they will miss one another. I think that’s a sign that this has been an amazing, unforgettable summer! Thanks for sending them our way.
Take Care,
Alice and Stony