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Climbing, Caves & Community ServiceS02Yangshou, ChinaSERVICESponsorPele HallamAndrew HallamPriceS$3,100 (excluding visa costs)Course Length7 daysPost-Interim Experience:Parent’s night / OnlineReflectionsDescriptionClimbing, caves and community service, this course title says it all. Thiscourse is designed for students who live for the outdoors, enjoy adventure,and excel at trying new and varied types of activities. This is a course that willstretch your comfort zone, provide sights you’ve only seen in pictures andmeet people who will challenge you mentally, creatively and physically.Students will travel to Yangshou where they will commune with natureamong Yangshou’s emerald rice paddies, limestone pinnacles andpicturesque villages. Once in Yangshou, one of Asia’s best climbinglocations, they will participate in focused skill development for rock climbing.They will have an in-depth school exchange with shy but delightful localprimary school children. Students will experience the thrill of gettingabsolutely muddy and mucky, while squeezing and splashing through thetunnels in the underground world of caves. Once they’ve been introducedto the dark world of caving they’ll participate in the “China SurvivalChallenge” by spending a night in a cave. While soaking in the sceneryof one of China’s most picturesque regions, students will learn Chinesepainting techniques from a local artist. And finally to end the week off, thestudents will participate in an adventure challenge, loaded with orienteering,raft building, an exhilarating abseil and a dramatic tyrolean traverse. For astudent that wants a little taste of everything, this is the course to enroll in.Objectives• Participate in team building and experiential learning in a safe and funenvironment.• Develop greater self-awareness, as well as an acceptance of group andpersonal responsibility.• Appreciate nature and environmental concerns in a new environment.• Face challenges both physical and social with an open mind, wideningyour comfort zone.• Appreciate the rich cultural experience of the Yangshuo Chinese andlearn about their daily lives.• Contribute positively to the education and fun in a local rural schoolthrough an exchange program.RequirementsPre-Course requirements:• Attendance to all group meetings, which may include some local dayhikes with a full backpack.• Choose from a list of topics and complete a pre-trip research to bepresented during the trip.• Preference is given to students currentlyenrolled in AP World History.• Compliance with Student Responsibilities, as outlined in the InterimSemester course book.• A physical examination and medical clearance is required.Post-Course requirements:• Students will attend all post-course meetings.• Students will complete a final project reflecting on their experiences.• Students will participate in planning and presenting during InterimSemester Presentation Evening.SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL interim semester HANDBOOK 67