Year 8 China Week 2014 Yaolin, Zhejiang Province, China Welcome Head of Year 8: Mrs Erin Dalaman

Where is Yaolin?

Purpose of the trip Trip Theme: Teamwork! Exploring new areas of China Building relationships Experiencing new activities Challenging yourself Having fun Risk taking Giving back

Staff members on the trip Trip Leader Erin Dalaman Plus….INSIGHT ADVENTURES staff members. They are brilliant with the students. Tutor Group 8RT8DL8DV8CG8GP StaffRebecca Tobin Jamie Gerrard Diana Liu Damian Grey Dale Vermont Elizabeth Robertson Carla Graves Jake Eades Graham Pyper Joyce Huang Ashley Fan

Itinerary Tutor groups will do all activities together. 3 nights in a hotel, 1 night camping. Activities include: – Hiking – High ropes course – Raft building – Teamwork games – Wilderness skills – Laser Tag Food – all local restaurants and the majority of snacks will be provided. Drinking water will always be available and students are constantly reminded to keep hydrated.

Itinerary example: AMPM Day 1 Depart Shanghai Arrive Yaolin Introductions and Team Building games Night in Hotel Day 2 Archery/Raft Builidng Packed lunch Wilderness Skills Camping Dinner Camp Overnight Day 3 Camping Breakfast Farming (Community work) Packed lunch Hike Hotel dinner Hotel Day 4 Laser Tag Packed Lunch Vertical challenge Climbing Hotel Dinner Day 5 Hotel dinner Get ready to leave Yaolin Depart Yaolin Arrive Shanghai

Departure procedure Drop off time at school – by 8:30am Passports to Form Tutors on the morning of the trip Meet between JS and the SS Gates by the Basketball Court (unless it is wet then inside first floor classrooms) An orderly and calm departure from DCS which allows for all 111 people to get on their travels without any problems or delay!

Picking up procedure Please arrange for your child to be picked up from DCS at 3pm on Friday 19 th September We will make contact if there is a significant delay. You will also be contacted regarding the safe arrival of the trip in Yaolin.

Emergency contact For queries, please contact Ronnie in the Senior School Office first You may contact the trip leader but only in an emergency: Mrs Erin Dalaman

Electronics No laptops / iPads / game consoles to be brought on China Week. Cell phones / mp3 devices are permitted, but with the knowledge that these will have limited use. Items will be confiscated if rules are not followed.

Essential Information In order for your son or daughter to take part in China Week they will need to have: 1. A valid passport or, if their passport is currently at the visa office, an official stamped receipt from the visa office (see below) 2. Medical Insurance Failure to provide either of these will result in your child not being able to attend China Week.

What (Not!) to Pack:

Packing list Will be ed out tomorrow along with the China Week information letter. You can also download it from the school website. Students will be issued a hard copy on Friday morning during registration.

Packing list

Items of concern – – Travel bag – Sleeping bag (not required but those provided are not new) – Medication – must be labeled and given to tutor – Head torch – Band aids Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and insect repellant! Some pens and pencils.

Other Information Lights out – activity dependent. Students will not be allowed to use hotel telephones for any reason. Behaviour – exemplary of course! (Should a serious incident occur, parents of the student/s concerned will be contacted to pick up their child.)

What happens … … in cases of illness or homesickness? This is what Tutors, staff and me are here for. Students have been told to talk to one of us and we’ll sort it out. It’s rarely as bad as it seems at the time. In the event of an emergency, parents will be informed as soon as possible.

Who will look after money, cameras etc? The students will – teachers will only be responsible for passports. Money –please do not give your child too much. They will only waste it or lose it. 250 RMB is more than enough. All food is provided. Cameras (as with money) are the child’s own responsibility. *Do not rely on the camera on the phone to take photos – remember, phones will be left in the hotel safe for most of the time.

Anxious Parents Please try not to be. It is a very safe trip and we want to instill a sense of confidence and independence in the students. Please try not to pass on any worries you may have to your children. Tell them it will be fun, challenging and an adventure! They will enjoy it more, knowing that you are not worried about them. Please don’t ring them or text – they will ring you one evening if they want to.

Any Questions Thank you for listening