Global Chinese Education Club provides students with extra-curricular activities after school and outside the classroom. It gives the students a chance to use what they learn in the classroom so they can be better prepared for conversations in daily life. There are numerous extra-curricular activities that are available and are suitable for all students, whether they want to actively participate or just listen and learn. It gives the students a chance to network and make friends with other GCE students.
GCE CLUB Duration & Fees 2008:

• Club Membership: minimum 2 weeks.

GCE Club membership can be acquired by the following ways:

• Applying to the total program
• Filing a joint application with the Chinese program
• Applying to the GCE Club only

GCE Club membership includes:

• Tutoring
  Language program: Language teachers are available after class every weekday afternoon. They offer students further language coaching, assistance with assignments, and conversational practice. This can ultimately provide students with a highly personalized education.


• Language Mates
  Through the GCE Language Mate program, students will be provided with the opportunity to interact with Chinese students on a one-to-one basis. Students interact with native speakers in language and cultural exchange, and can arrange to meet at mutually convenient times. Befriending native speakers can be the best way to build and perfect your conversational skills.


• Electives and Extracurricular Activities
  Students can choose from a wide range of extracurricular activities including further language training, arts and cultural activities like Calligraphy, Painting, Taiji, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese songs, and Traditional Chinese Massage. ( Click here for a comprehensive overview of our elective options.)


• Welcoming Pack
  Our welcoming pack includes a map of Beijing in English and Chinese, a dictionary, a guidebook, a Chinese-English reference menu, a telephone card worth RMB 50, monthly publications such as Beijing This Month, and Business Beijing. You will also receive a school jacket or T-shirt with the school's insignia.


• Social Events
  A wide range of social events are held every month ranging from the Peking Duck Dinner, bowling, Karaoke to Chinese movie night. They are a great way to experience Chinese culture and life in a memorable and fun way.


• Excursions
  We offer guided tours led by experienced English-speaking guides to the must-see sites in Beijing like the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and the Summer Palace. Admission and transport is included.


• Monthly Travel
  China?ˉs size is legendary, that?ˉs why we offer a selection of discounted travel packages to help you truly get a feel for the size and scope of this historic country.? Discount travel packages are offered for such places as Shanghai, Xi?ˉan, Datong, Zhengzhou (Shaolin Temple) and Inner Mongolia. Full packages for a weekend or weeklong trip range from US $100 to $300.
  (Students who are enrolled for either one semester or one year are given a free trip)


• Student Center & Internet Access
  The Student Center is equipped with modern facilities including a resource library and computers. Students have free access to the Internet. The library offers a wide variety of educational materials on Chinese Language, Business and Martial Arts.


• Student Discounts
  By enrolling in this program the student will be given discounts at local restaurants, fitness centers, and other business centers.


• Internship/Work Experience
  Students enrolling for 3 months or more are offered assistance in finding work experience with foreign and local companies. We forward resumes to participating companies, who then select the most suitable candidate. Internship terms and conditions are to be agreed upon by the student and organization.


• Airport Reception
  We realize that traveling can be an exhausting experience.? To make this transition as smooth as possible we will have one of our representatives greet you when you arrive at the airport, they will take you all the way to your accommodation.

Electives and Extracurricular Activities
It goes without saying that China has an impressive and intricate culture. We pride ourselves with offering students cultural electives that will not only help improve language skills, but will provide the students with a thorough understanding of Chinese culture that would be a great challenge to find in a single place elsewhere. The number of electives offered varies depending on program duration and may include the following:

Chinese Character Writing: For many foreigners, writing characters can be one of the most daunting tasks of learning Chinese. To help with this, these classes introduce the radical system, bushou, composition of characters, stroke orders and basic characters.

Chinese Songs: Learning Chinese songs, both contemporary pop songs and folk songs, can be a very enjoyable way to practice your listening and speaking skills, as well as supplementing your vocabulary. Students will enjoy practicing these songs with classmates and friends so much that it?ˉs doubtful they will even think of it as class.

Chinese Painting:The true meaning of Chinese paintings is often lost to foreign observers who do not have the proper background. These classes introduce elements of traditional Chinese painting under the guidance of a professional artist. After these classes you will be able to appreciate the art on more levels than you would alone.

Traditional Chinese Massage and Traditional Chinese Medicine: These classes introduce the ancient Chinese concepts and beliefs surrounding the human body and illness, and include diagnostic methods and treatments using herbal medicine and massage. A free Chinese massage will be a great plus of this elective.

Taiji Quan (Taichi): For the last few decades in the West the ancient martial art of Taichi has received special attention for its ability to simultaneously improve both spiritual and physical health. In these classes you will be taught the basic Yang Taiji style by a reputable and award-winning Chinese instructor who is highly-skilled in multiple forms.

Calligraphy: Chinese writing is one of the few writing systems in the world that also has its own art-form. These classes introduce the various calligraphy styles and features, participants then focus on perfecting one style of this ancient art form.
Chinese Cooking: China can be aptly described as a food culture. Meals are a primary form of cross-cultural communication. After all, ?°food is our common ground, a universal experience?± (James Beard). In this elective students can pair up with Chinese students to exchange cooking tips. Such exchange programs have sown the seeds of many lasting friendships.

Chinese Tea and Wine Culture. Tea is a staple of Chinese culture; slightly less known, but equally important, is the wine culture.As in many countries that have an elaborate food culture, Chinese culture contains an elaborate drink culture that accompanies it.This will teach you the basic principles that guide what you should drink, and when you should have it.

Chinese History and Geography.China has one of the longest histories in the world; and it certainly has the best documented one. A proper understanding of the outline of Chinese history is absolutely essential to understanding modern China and Chinese culture. Throughout this course lectures will be given on the key points of Chinese culture, supplemented with Chinese geography, give the students the proper foundation for their own studies if they wish to pursue the subject further.

Chinese Traditional Music.Bernard Shaw wisely said ?°Hell is full of musical amateurs?±. Fortunately, we will not subject you to this. GCE will bring in professional musicians who can explain and perform the traditional music in its natural and beautiful form.

Chinese Handcrafts. In addition to possessing some of the finest high art in the world, China also has an abundance of charming folk art. This art can be appreciated in its own right, learned as a craft, or simply used as a nice conversation piece for your home. This class will teach students about the history of Chinese folk art as well as regional differences in the art across China.

Chinese Architecture. The beauty of Chinese architecture is world-renowned. This course will help you make the transition from simply appreciating the beauty on the surface to being able to understand the deeper cultural significance present in all aspects of traditional buildings.

Chinese Traditional Clothing. From ancient times Chinese fabric and embroidery has been a valuable commodity all over the world. If you have ever wondered why this is so, just take a short look at any of the traditional clothing and the beauty will speak for itself. This class will teach you the history and symbolism of traditional Chinese clothing.