China: Mandarin Language Intensive (Summer)

My name is Lucy, and I had the incredible opportunity and privilege to go on a Dragons trip, specifically the China Language Intensive, in the summer of ’25. I truly believe that anyone who has the chance to do a Dragon's trip should go for it. Knowing what a great privilege it was, I can say it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done, something that will stay with me forever. The program is beautiful, raw, and so full of meaning. You get to connect with people and experience life in a way you never have before, and it stays with you. It’s impossible to choose a single “favorite” part of the trip, but the homestays were definitely a highlight. In the village of Nanyao in Lijiang City (Yunnan Province), I remember meeting my homestay mom and dad and feeling slightly hesitant at first. Despite the language barrier, their hospitality and kindness needed no translation. I felt right at home almost immediately. I made lifelong friends who feel like family, and I still have all their contacts. I cherish memories of playing soccer, cooking meals, and spending time with my homestay siblings; I think about them all the time. Kunming was amazing as well, an urban homestay full of energy, busy yet organized. I loved taking the Kunming Metro every day to and from Mandarin class and Independent Study. I even learned to play a traditional Chinese instrument, the guqin. My homestay parents were so sweet. One of my favorite memories is simply making dumplings with them, talking, heading down to the back entrance of the bottom floor to see kittens just outside the complex, and sharing family meals. Our instructors on this trip in particular let us do stipend meals often, a chance to practice the language, manage foreign currency, and spend independent time with your group, whether all twelve of us went together or split into smaller ones. Everyone was inclusive because everyone wanted to be there; the group was so tight-knit. Every meal felt special, even when it was just street noodles or hot pot (my favorite). My instructors, Rosalyn, Cy, and Martina, were incredible. They made me feel supported, inspired, and seen. I learned so much from them about language and culture, but also about perspective and slowing down, appreciating absolutely everything while you’re in a place that can feel new and, at times, intimidating. I carried my Canon camera everywhere (my neck still remembers it), but I’m so glad I brought it. The photos mean everything to me now; I look back on them frequently and fondly. This trip was especially meaningful because I was adopted from China. Returning as a young adult to learn, explore, and connect felt incredibly empowering. I even turned 18 on the trip, which was really fun. One of the biggest takeaways is how it helped me feel more connected to where I come from and deeply grateful for the people who shared their lives with me. Dragons changed the way I see the world. If you can do it, you absolutely should. It’s not just a trip—it’s an experience that will change you for the better. Be eternally grateful if you get the chance to go on one.

I cannot recommend this program more highly. I had been studying Chinese for a few years, but was feeling discouraged in my Chinese classes at school and wondered why in the world I was memorizing all of this vocabulary- what was it all for? That's when I stumbled upon Dragon! I considered tons of other programs (SYA, etc), but kept coming back to Dragons because it had everything I was looking for- intensive Chinese, tons of rugged travel, homestays, trekking, community service, a small group, really experienced and passionate instructors, and I could go on. Part of why my experience was so great was because of my group- we were 11 strong (6 guys, 5 girls), and clicked from the beginning! I was worried that everyone would know each other or be from the same schools, but we were from all different areas of the country, and no one knew each other going in, which was perfect! One of the best parts of the group was how different we all were- we all got along, but there was never any cliquey-ness because there were so few of us and we all mixed together. When we did have a few issues with a member of the group, the instructors handled it really well, checking in often with both sides of the issue and monitoring closely, while still giving us freedom and responsibility. The group overall was just amazing though-- looking back, I can honestly say I've never been that happy for such a long period of time as I was while in China, and I think a lot of it was because of our group! The homestays were another amazing part- it was so great to get to see such disparate areas of the country and really get immersed in the culture- I loved both of my families, but the good news was that if your family was hard to communicate with or something like that, you weren't constantly with your family, and had a lot of other things to do (especially in Kunming). I loooved traveling around as well, seeing rural and urban areas, and planning our trip at the end- I felt like I not only got a great feel for Yunnan, but that I now know so much more about what it take to travel "close to the ground" in China- so empowering! After being back in the US for a few months now, I can also honestly say that my Chinese has improved SO much. Particularly with my listening and speaking skills, I feel soo much more confident in the classroom (and am making better grades!) and am actually loving learning Chinese now, because I know it'll all be worth it when I go back to China and can communicate even better! All in all, I honestly wish the program had been 12 weeks rather than 6, because I just loved it so much-- if you're on the fence, just go for it!