Program Itinerary
Please note: this is a tentative itinerary and is subject to change.
Tentative Program Itinerary — June 11 - July 23
June 11-12
Days 1-2 Orientation in Ann Arbor
- Program introduction, outlining course and methods, orientation, introductory lectures, beginning language instruction
June 13-16
Days 3-6 International Travel
- Travel to Lhasa via Beijing and Chengdu
- Ongoing orientation activities
June 17 - July 3
Days 7-23 Lhasa area
- Language instuction, daily lectures, field excursions, urban
area assignments
- Lodging in Lhasa guesthouse
July 4 - 15
Days 24-35 Central Tibet (TAR) Excursion
- Extended village excursions, rural area field-study projects; language application
- Camping with occasional guesthouses
July 16 - 20
Days 36-40 Lhasa
- Central Tibet debriefing, continued lectures and language
instruction
- Lodging in Lhasa guesthouse
July 21
Day 41 Travel
- Lhasa to Beijing via Chengdu
July 22
Day 42 Beijing
July 23
Day 43: International travel
- Flight to Detroit via Beijing
A major goal of the program is to provide access to a variety of Tibetan settings, both urban and rural, while allowing time within a specific region or location to allow sustained contact and opportunity for study. Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, is the best place to begin and an excellent source for lecturers and assignments. The regional/village component includes a number of interesting and important settings seldom visited by foreign tourist traffic, including Kyirong, Lhodrak, Drakyul, and Kongpo in Central Tibet. The final components provide an introduction to major cultural centers in the Eastern Tibetan region of Kham.
- In Lhasa, students will stay at a Tibetan guesthouse located in the center of the old quarter of the city, less than a minute’s walk from the famed Jokhang Cathedral. Meals will be taken in the city’s many Tibetan, Chinese, and Western restaurants.
- In Central Tibet, the group will spend much of its
time camping in and around rural villages, monasteries, and
religious centers and nomad encampments, occasionally spending
the night in local guesthouses. Meals and camp support will
be organized and prepared by a professional staff that accompanies
the group throughout the semester. In Lhasa and other urban
centers, transportation will be provided by private bus and
taxis. During the travel across Central Tibet, the
group will travel via hired Toyota Land Cruisers. While the
program itself does not include any serious mountainous trekking,
participants should be prepared for physically challenging activities.
There will be ample opportunity for short day hikes as well
as for more extended exploration of Tibet’s high-altitude
environment.
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