by Suzette Lam, staff writer

In the last issue of GenerAsian, we covered a scope of thoughts and anticipation of the newest addition to the study abroad programs offered at NYU. This year, we take a look back at the Nanjing program's first year in the running...

NYU made its first trek into studying in Asia.

Nineteen students, sixteen from NYU, were sent to study at Nanjing Univeristy this summer as part of NYU's latest study abroad program, NYU in Nanjing. NYU in Nanjing is the first and only study abroad program offered by NYU into an Asian country.

The program, co-created and directed by Dr. Wenchao He, was first developed in 1999. Dr. He, Professor Moss Roberts, and prgram assistant, Kristin Bayer, accompanied the nineteen students to China to study and travel to serveral historic Chinese sites, culminating at Nanking University, the site of the Nanjing Massacre during preliminary Japanese offensives in Asia at the onset of World War II.

Students and faculty departed from LaGuardia Airport on May 31st and traveled for sixteen hours before reaching their destination: Beijing, China.

The group was met by staff from Nanjing University who acted as tour guides as the NYU group spent their first week traveling through China to visit sites, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square.

Before they attended classes at Nanjing University, students visited sites such as the underground palace of Ming Tomb, the Temple of Heaven, the Forest of Stone Tablets, Qin Shu Huang's Tomb and the Yang Yang Museum.

Students also attended a show at the Peking Opera and feasted on Chinese cuisie, including a dumpling banquet and Peking duck

Students traveled to most of their locations by bus, but to travel to the city of Xi'an they took a train, on which they has to sleep and eat on hard berths.

"It was very crowded," said Dr. He.

Arriving at Nanjing, students began a series of courses lasting over a period of six weeks. The curriculum included classes in learning the Chinese language and cultural courses delving into Chinese art, literature and history.

The students stayed in the International student dorm, a 20-story building. The NYU group stayed on the top three floors, which included air conditioning.

Accoridng to Dr. He, students had hoped they would have more time to enjoy the sites in Nanjing, however, they had to hunker down for classes and finals.

Students also enjoyed NYU group gathering, which included learning Tai Chi and once-a-week dinners to catch up, according to Dr. He.

He believes the program was a success and hopes that it will continue for the summer of 2001.

Applications for NYU in Nanjing for the summer of 2001 have not yet been completed. Students are required to take at least eight credits for the program.

The cost of the program, according to Dr. He, is just the tuition for 8 credits during the semester, which is approximately $5,600. Given an equal amount of money, one would receive the same 8 credit points, room, board, and travel, but moreover, the experience and excitement in China that one cannot attain remaining in New York.

Applications will be available in the NYU Study Abroad offices and are due by March 15th, 2001. For more information, contact Dr. Wenchao He in the East Asian Studies Program or the NYU Study Abroad Office.

For pictures from Nanjing go to http://pages.nyu.edu/~fh255/.