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Camps 冬夏令營
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Long Term Study 长期学习
FAQs
Feel comfortable and confident traveling with SLB!
Are you taking a student group on a trip to China, Taiwan
and/or Hong Kong? There are so many things to consider that it can be confusing at first. Logistics can be a nightmare when it comes to traveling internationally, especially with a group of teenagers. From finding a reasonable cost of tour packages, hunting down the most educational destinations, and preparing students to travel internationally, there’s no shortage of things you need to prepare for.
Whether you’ve received a recommendation from a fellow teacher or you’re just starting research from scratch, you need to make sure you find answers to the following questions about which student travel provider you should go with. Here are 20 tips for finding the best student tour company to Greater China.
For Teachers - 20 Tips to Why Choosing SLB as Your Student Tour Company
- 1. Does SLB work with schools from countries other than the U.S?
- Yes, we do. We work with schools across the globe. In fact schools traveled to China on our program were from various parts in the United States such as California, Florida, Kansas, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Tennessee, etc., and around the world, including France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, etc. Our school trip program is customized to the school's needs, so it doesn't preset the country where the student departs from. Participants could leave for China from their nearest international airport.
- 2. Is SLB trip price all inclusive?
- Our price is all-inclusive. We understand you're taking teenagers on the trip who carry limited amount of money. Asking the kids to pay out-of-pocket daily for meals, water, admisstions, and tips is not fun as it involves currency exchange and makes the experience unpleasant.
- 3. So what are included in SLB trip price that are not included by most other educational tour providers?
- The hidden fees often not included in the starting-at price of other educational tour providers include: fuel surcharges, airport taxes, insurance (partial), lunch (partial meal), optional excursions, tips to local guides and drivers, weekend surcharge, etc. Make sure you find them out at the begining.
- 4. Are there positive testimonials about Sino Language & Beyond?
- SLB School Trip Program has been featured with
positive testmonials on the media, Internet and by
word of month. We will provide the potential trip
leaders the contact information of our referrence
teachers upon receiving your request so you can hear
what they say about SLB.
In addition to teachers, numerous positive comments were received from the students who have been to our programs. 95% of the students ranked excellent, very good and good toward the overall satisfaction of ther trip. 100% of students ranked the same toward the overall satisfaction with their school visits, activities, and homestay. 89% of students ranked the same towards the overall satisfaction with their volunteer experience. 84% said they have learned more than or as expected from the trip, and 74% said their Chinese language skills got improved during the trip. - 5. What services does SLB provide to assist teachers to plan a successful trip?
- It takes a trip expert to work full time to plan
a trip to China. We understand this workload can't
be put to a teacher's shoulder given they're
already busy enough in their routine. Therefore we will
do everything for you before, during and after the trip in
relating to trip planning, campus promotion*
(including flyer making, info meeting with power
point presentation), student registration and payment, question answering*,
reservation for flights/ hotels/ meals/ shows/ school visits/ volunteer activities, Chinese visa
application, pre-departure meeting* and info package*, trip execution, 24-hour emergency support,
trip souvenir video-making*, etc.
Please note that services marked * are not provided by most other educational trip providers. SLB's superior service goes beyong our duties. You're welcome to compare. - 6. Does SLB's student tour group offer a truly educational experience?
- After all, the students are there to learn as much as they can about Chinese culture, history and lifestyle – so, what kind of educational experiences do they provide? This is an important question you need to have answer before deciding who you will work with. SLB's student trip includes abundant educational experiences rich in language, culture, service and learning, such as school visit, shadow Chinese students, observe a class, language practice, hands-on cultural workshop (calligraphy, brush painting, paper-cutting, Peking opera mask painting), cooking sessions (dumpling making, pack rice dumpling), Kungfu or Taichi, volunteer with the Giant Pandas, teach English to local kids or seniors, etc. In addition to all these activities, we also designed fun task-based activities to help students use their Mandarin in the real world.
- 7. Does SLB handle flying arrangements?
- Yes, we do. Flying to China with multiple destinations with a group of students can be stressful, there’s no doubt about it. When we handle the flying arrangements, you won’t have to worry about the finer details. For example, you don’t have to spend time searching for the best deal on airtickets, worry about finishing activity while getting to the airport on time when transfering to the next city, deal with student canceling a flight and getting refund, and you will have support when there’s a delay or cancellation.
- 8. Will your group be met at the airport upon arrival?
- Yes with SLB. With so many things happening after you land, and in a foreign environment nonetheless, it’s easy to get lost or confused. It’s best if your tour company has someone that meets you at the airport and get you proper transportation and take you wherever it is you’re going.
- 9. Does SLB provide a finalized itinerary before departure?
- Yes. We plan out everything before you announce the trip to your students, including all transfers, reservations, guided visits and school visits. Months prior to departure you will also have all the details about the schools where you will visit and contacts information. Our arrangement will help you avoid uncertainty when leading a group of teens.
- 10. Where will you stay?
- In SLB's tours to Greater China, you and your students will stay in 4-star hotels throughout the trip, with optional homestay with Chinese families or dorm stay at the local schools to experience Chinese people's life and culture. This is very important that wherever you’re staying is in a safe area, and at a convenient location so no precious time is wasted on commute. If a student tour company is offering accommodations at youth hostels, you want to think twice about signing up. Youth hostels are loaded with noisy coeds that might cause trouble amongst the youngsters in your group.
- 11. Where will you eat?
- We include all meals in your travel package. If meals aren’t included in your travel package, what will you do to feed you and your group? It will be troublesome to find the right restaurant at your destination, research the area you’re visiting to understand prices and availability. You probably don't want to put this burden on your shouder.
- 12. Who are your tour guides and what are their responsibilities?
- In SLB's tours to Greater China, you will have at least one guide in each city, and several guides for the whole trip. They're all certified guides, with many years of experience leading foreign groups, bilingual in both English and Chinese. They will stay with your group, and handle everything from giving you qualified talk about the history and culture of the sites you visit to coordinating with the drivers, hotels, restaurants, school visits and shows. They are also willing to answer all your students' questions about the city and life there, and often go beyond their duties assisting everyone with their special needs, such as money exchange, local phone card purchasing, giving advises of local shopping and eating, etc.
- 13. Which destinations does the travel company have the most experience with?
- While most educational tour provders in the US have more experiences with traveling to Europe and South America, few know more than we do about China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. SLB team members are all bilingual and have bi-cultural understanding. We have worked in US-China students exchange and traveling area since 2003, have great educational rescources and wide connections in China. Working with us ensures you getting a rich exeprience from your trip.
- 14. Will your student group be combined with another school group?
- Unlike some famous tour company who combines not two but five school groups, SLB will not combine different schools in one trip. In our trip each school will have its own charter bus with dedicated driver and guide. Think about if your group combines with another group, will they be compatible? Two different groups could have opposing opinions on preferred activities when traveling abroad, meaning your students might not see all of the attractions that they want to.
- 15. Will members in your group be participating in an exchange program or school visit?
- Definitely yes in all SLB programs. We believe in tours with educational influence. Our school trip offers students an immersive experience that gives them a taste of day-to-day life in China and expands their cultural awareness.
- 16. How are host families chosen?
- SLB only works with schools in Greater China with good reputation. We don't work with the host families directly. When a school trip is planned which includes a visit to a school and homestay, the host families are sure all from the school community. Based on the selecting cretiria provided by SLB, the local school will recruit famailies among its faculties and families, especially those whose kids will have direct interaction with the US students. Then the school will select the suitable candidates to host the American students. This procedure ensures the host families are not only passionate about having such exchange opportunity, but also are able to provide safe and comfortable living environment. Like all other information about the trip, the host family information will also be provided prior to departure.
- 17. What language skills are necessary when travelling abroad?
- Having a good or fair Chinese language background is helpful, but not a requirement. Afterall, the trip aims to bring cultural awareness and to expose students to Chinese culture by being immersed in the country. The trip also aims to bring up students' level of language proficiency and love for the Chinese culture regardless of their current language background.
- 18. What type of support does SLB consultant provide?
- SLB provides 24/7 bilingual support to you and your group, including emergency contact both in China and in the US. This will keep your mind at ease in case of an emergency.
- 19. Does SLB travel program include medical and trip insurance?
- There’s always risk involved when traveling to overseas with students. Finding a program that offers full insurance coverage will help should a medical emergency arise or your trip be interrupted. SLB travel program includes full insurance of USD$500,000 that covers both medical and travel accident, such as local ambulance expense, hospital indemnity, hospital room&board, intensive care, outpatient medical expense, dental, emergency medical evacuation, emergency medical reunion, AD&D coverage, interruption of trip, loss of checked luggage, terrorism, etc.
- 20. Does the program offer a payment schedule?
- Yes with SLB program. Many families might not have the necessary funds to pay for their child’s trip all at once. That’s where a payment plan comes in handy. This gives the family more flexibility with their finances, while ensuring the child can participate in the trip of a lifetime.
While planning a student trip to China seems daunting, you don’t want to miss out on the trip of a lifetime and the educational benefits for your young group. Follow these tips when choosing the best student tour company for your needs and all should go smoothly – safe travels!
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