Homestay Only

As some students may have their own arrangement for Chinese language lessons, we also offer a Homestay-Only service. This allows students to take advantage of our homestay program, and to better understand Chinese culture during their stay. Our host families are available near most university campuses in Beijing, Shanghai and other parts of China. There are three price ranges available when you choose the host family: "Budget, Standard and Top End." You will have your own private bedroom in each category. The fee also includes breakfast and dinner. In most families, free Internet DSL service is available.

Host families near the campus

Host families downtown and other part of Beijing

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Budget(US$175/WEEK)
n Private bedroom
n Shared bathroom
n Breakfast and dinner
n Internet access
n Airport pick up

Standard(US$205/WEEK)
n Private bedroom
n Shared bathroom
n Host families located in new buildings and nice communities
n Breakfast and dinner
n Free Internet DSL service
n Airport pick up

Top End (US$235/WEEK)
n Private bedroom
n Private/shared bathroom
n Host families located in new buildings and nice communities.
n Breakfast and dinner
n Free Internet DSL service
n Airport pick up

Notes

n The application fee is US$100. The minimum booking is 4 weeks.
n 10% off discount to longer than 20 weeks stay.
n The Homestay fee still applies you decide to extend your stay beyond your original booking.

Welcome to Shanghai!

This fast-paced, cosmopolitan metropolis is the location of Lotus' Shanghai Extension Program (see Study and Travel), which gives students the option to spend a final two weeks of their program exploring Shanghai and the surrounding beautiful cities of Hangzhou and Suzhou. While in Shanghai, each student will be welcomed as an honorary member of a local family and continue with daily Chinese lessons. Afternoons will be spent visiting some of the city's most splendid sites. Lotus participants who visit Shanghai between May and October of 2010 will also get the one in a lifetime chance to check out the World Expo! http://en.expo2010.cn/

Lotus is also offering an Expo-only Program for those wishing to visit Shanghai for the World Expo without first attending a language program in Beijing. As a participant of this special program you will stay with a local host family, learning about China's culture and rapidly changing society. You will have the chance to explore and enjoy the city's food, art, and shopping. In addition to your 3- or 7-day admissions pass to the Expo, you will have the option of joining Lotus' afternoon and weekend excursions to Shanghai and the nearby cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou (availability of excursions depends on your program dates). This is the perfect way to experience the 2010 World Expo, while at the same time truly immersing yourself in Chinese culture and society.
[Expo-only Program] Cost and Dates (and details of what's included – perhaps choice of joining local excursions is included, but trip of Hangzhou and Suzhou is at own expense)

The Huangpu River Cruise is the perfect way to experience the fascinating past and future of Shanghai. As you drift along this major waterway, on the western shore you can feast your eyes on the majestic colonial architecture of the Bund, a memory of China's 19th century struggles with and concessions to world powers eager to open its ports for trade. To the east, you will find Pudong New Area, its glass and steel skyscrapers and the soaring Oriental Pearl Tower a testament to China's determined rise as a key player in the financial marketplace of the 21st century. Get your camera ready, because these postcard landscapes are truly breathtaking.

This stunning 1,536 foot tower, the tallest in Asia and the third tallest in the world, is an imposing symbol of new China. With its ultra-modern architecture and spectacular birds-eye views of sprawling Shanghai, the Oriental Pearl Tower is a must-see for visitors from all over China and the world. Don't miss the Shanghai Municipal History Museum in the tower's basement which gives an impressive presentation of Shanghai's fascinating history and transformation over the centuries.

Still riding the wave of international attention and national pride that the 2008 Olympics in Beijing set off, China is soon set to host yet another grand international event. The Shanghai World Expo 2010 is expected to generate the largest number of visitors in the fair's history, and the city has been gearing up for the big opening for years, building new subway lines and constructing the massive Expo site. The theme of the 2010 Expo is "Better City, Better Life," and will concentrate on new urban planning strategies and sustainable development. A visitor to Shanghai's World Expo Site is sure to be amazed by its architectural scale, its selection of fascinating high-tech exhibitions, and of course, the impressive (and costly) national pavilions representing over 35 countries.

The Yu Garden and Bazaar (Yu Yuan) is a lovely place to spend an afternoon of exploration and relaxation. Built in the Ming dynasty, this well-preserved Chinese garden boasts pavilions, towers, ponds and rockeries spread out onto a carefully designed traditional layout. Visitors flock here to enjoy the beautiful scenery, the lively atmosphere of interesting shops and people, and Shanghai's famously delicious "little dragon" dumplings (xiaolongbao).

Nanjing Street has been a bustling center of commerce in Shanghai for over a century. Each day one million visitors flow through this popular shopping area, browsing some of the city's oldest department stores as well as modern boutique shops and enticing food stalls. Who wouldn't want to spend a leisurely day strolling down the world's longest shopping district, taking in the sights and sounds of modern life in China?

Travel Packages

Package Price Includes:

• Homestay (Budget, Standard or Top End) as chosen?
• Breakfast and dinner
• Free Internet DSL service
• Airport pick-up and transfer to the host family
• Welcome dinner and other stuff prepared by the host family
• Two-day guided tours in Shanghai with English-speaking guide, lunch-included. Touring sights: the Huangpu River, the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Yu Garden and Nanjing Street.
• 2010 Shanghai World Expo Commemorative Gift Package: Shanghai map, a calling card of 100 RMB and a mobile phone SIM card.
• One Shanghai World Expo Single-day Admission ticket.
• 24-hour phone assistance by local Lotus staff.

Price Does Not Include:

International Airfare, China Visa, Travel Insurance.

Note:

• The package is valid from May 1 to Oct 31, 2010, but the start-finish dates are flexible. Please choose your start-finish dates in the on-line registration form.
• The rates are in USD.
• Children under 7 sharing a room with parent(s) will be charged 30% of the normal rate.
• If your family requires two bedrooms, we will try to arrange one host family for you, however as for the space of some host families is limited, we may arrange two host families in the same housing complex for you.
• If you choose to extend your stay in Shanghai, additional accommodation night might also be available. Please request at time of initial application. Additional Homestay fee: Budget $100/per person/per night; Standard: $150/per person/per night, $225/per couple/per night; Top End: $200/per person/per night; $300 /per couple/per night.