Overview
Leave the traditional classroom far behind, as we journey to the heart of China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Our Asia Gap Program is a unique blend of education, service and exploration of these intriguing and ancient cultures.
Our exclusive access to people and places, developed over decades, gives us a window on aspects of China and Southeast Asia rarely experienced by outsiders. Standing knee-deep in the rice paddies of China’s Yunnan Province, we discover a way of life that has remained virtually unchanged throughout the centuries. We meet with village leaders to learn how their community thrives in an increasingly globalized world. In collaboration with a Chinese secondary school, we teach English classes to students that have never before interacted with native speakers. Settling into village life in Cambodia, we learn about efforts to combat human trafficking, starting with education and income generating opportunities. We are a part of the change when we get our hands dirty building bio-sand filters for rural villages and facilitating computer classes for over 200 students. We partner with local mahouts and biologists at a Thai Elephant Rehabilitation Center deep in the jungle to understand the true value of conservation as we care for and rehabilitate Thailand’s indigenous elephants. Sharing laughter with Thai students in our own language camp, we feel how service transcends boundaries. Together, we discover the many lessons this fascinating corner of the world can teach us.
Program Highlights
Teach English in an Urban High School While Living in a Homestay
Watch the Sunset and Sunrise from your Tent on the Great Wall of China
Discover Shangri-La, a Tibetan Town Nestled in the Foothills of the Himalayas
Examine the Effects of Agent Orange by Working with Youth at a Village Outside of Hanoi
Impact Lives While Installing Clean Water Filters in Homes in Cambodia
Learn about Cambodia’s History with Human Trafficking at a Khmer NGO
Study Health Issues by Shadowing Nurses while Living in a Homestay in a Small Thai Village
Care for and Rehabilitate Elephants in Thailand Alongside Local Biologists
Become SCUBA Certified on the Thai Island of Koh Tao and Help Restore the reef