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Program Description
Study Chinese & Martial Arts in Beijing
Ratings and Reviews
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
A Life-long Lesson in Gong Fu
100%Overall
Rating
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
Awesome program but not for the weak of heart
90%Overall
Rating
If you are thinking about this program then you need to ask yourself do you REALLY want to learn Chinese language? Do you REALLY want to learn Martial arts? Do you want to learn about yourself? If your answer to any of the above questions ranged from no to maybe I would seriously reconsider Academic Explorers. Otherwise, you may have found the single best program in the world for your interests.
During my six months on the program I was constantly tired and hungry, frustrated and anxious. Both the Chinese teachers and the Martial Arts teachers push you to your limit physically and mentally. From morning to bedtime I knew exactly what my schedule looked like and it was grueling. That being said, during my time there I went from absolutely zero background in martial arts or Chinese to (and I do not use this world lightly) having mastered a sword form complete with aerial kicks, stunts and a mid-air split and my Chinese went from non-existent to comfortably survival/moderately conversational.
This is not your after-high-school-time-to-relax-gap-year-program. This is a mind-opening and potential releasing experience. This is not something you do for fun, this is something you do to dramatically improve who you are as a person.
On the Chinese instruction, IT IS PHENOMENAL! Enough said.
On the Martial Arts, think less martial more arts. The physical discomfort of learning a martial art will dwarf any amount of pain that someone else can inflict on you. Good martial arts isn't about dominating you opponent, it is about learning to dominate yourself and by doing so no enemy will ever be able to defeat you. If there is one thing that I will take with me from my time there it is not my physical fitness (which has probably all but faded by this point) but rather the knowledge that the only thing standing in my way is myself. The opportunities are all their it is just our own biases and flaws that keep us from seizing them.
Academic Explorers fundamentally changed how I see the world in the best way possible.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Academic Explorers Changed My Life!
100%Overall
Rating
This was a program I'll never forget. Every day brought on new challenges that pushed my limits not only academically but also physically. I quickly learned that the harder I worked, the more rewarding the experience became. From practicing the mabu on the subway to bargaining for the cheapest piece of silk in the market, every day was a blast of cultural immersion that is made possible by the best teachers a student could ask for.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
The Only Way to See China
100%Overall
Rating
Academic Explorers was a powerful and incredibly unique experience. I arrived in Beijing on an overcast fall day not really knowing what to expect. It happened to be my birthday, so Kong Laoshi a.k.a. Sabrina Cohen, founder of AE, took me out to a delicious dumpling restaurant (the first of many ridiculously awesome meals) and treated me to a traditional Chinese birthday treat; long life noodles. I had just arrived, but I started to feel like a local already.
Early morning wake-ups that first week were tough, but once I got into the zone it felt great to get up at dawn, hop on my bike, pick up some baozi (dumpling-like breakfast food), and scoot on over to the park near my hostel. Riding alongside Beijing locals peddling around to their various destinations helped to strengthen the feeling that I was living in China and not just visiting.
A normal day studying with AE consisted of two hours of Tai Ji or Shaolin training early in the day, Mandarin class at Kong Laoshi's apartment for about an hour, three hours of homework over a cup of coffee, a brief period of relaxation/hanging out with friends at the hostel, and back to more martial arts at the kung fu school later in the evening. I was the only student during the fall semester, but there is usually a small group enrolled in the program. My main instructor was Zhang Laoshi. He taught me a seven minute Tai Ji form which I learned bit by bit throughout the three months I was there. He is a great teacher and a great friend. I also learned Shaolin fist from Jin Shifu, a deceivingly strong Kung Fu master, and Shaolin staff from the nimble and reserved Jiao Laoshi. FYI, the forms that are studied vary depending on the student, and if something interests you that you aren't studying, the instructors will do their best to work it into the schedule. The martial arts classes were intense and relaxing at the same time and have taught me a lot about my body and mind.
Some days we would break from the normal routine, and pretty much anything could happen. One time Zhang Shifu, a master of Wushu and a very knowledgeable Taoist philosopher, told us to meet him at some random building. After arriving, Sabrina and I found ourselves sitting at an oversized table with about 15 Chinese businessmen from the Chinese broadcasting company, CCTV, as Zhang Shifu received an award, and was subsequently interviewed for a TV special on Wushu. Kong Laoshi and I appeared in the newspaper the next day both looking slightly confused.
The stories are endless and the experience is once in a lifetime. The fast pace at which one learns to speak Mandarin is a driving force in the seamless integration with the Chinese culture. People are also so friendly in Beijing that they will just randomly approach you, offer you food/invite you to their home, and talk with you for as long as you feel like...or they feel like. Hilarity can and usually does ensue. This knowledge of the language along with the study of martial arts and Taoist philosophy really cultivate a feeling that you are living in Beijing and not just whimsically blowing through a foreign city.
The most meaningful aspect of Academic Explorers that I found, however, did not have as much to do with the Mandarin or Martial Arts I learned, but rather with the relationships I developed with my teachers and the many people I met in China. I now have a sense that I am part of an extended family, and that all the past participants in the program are my great friends that I have yet to meet. I also know that anytime I go back to Beijing, Kong Laoshi and all my Martial Arts teachers will be there. China no longer feels like a distant country. In my mind it is now a home away from home, and I can't wait to go back someday.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
Academic Explorers-totally hands on!
100%Overall
Rating
Ms. Cohen provided hands-on training in both martial arts and Chinese language. She custom built a program just for my short visit a few years ago, and I have been coming back ever since.
Robert Hanley, PLS
Chief Surveyor
City and County of San Francisco
2 of 5 people found this review helpful
AA
100%Overall
Rating
This is a very demanding but extremely rewarding program. If you're like me and are interested in working in China in the future, this program offers an outstanding first step. Chinese is an extremely difficult language to comprehend from a western mindset and this program does a fantastic job of addressing the problems head on.
I 100% recommend this program to anyone that is interested in learning Chinese.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful
The Most Rewarding Study Abroad Experience Available
100%Overall
Rating
Many study abroad programs advertise "cultural immersion" but that usually means "you will be in a foreign place", which, if you are studying abroad, goes without saying. Academic Explorers, however, is an immersion program. It doesn't simply place you somewhere foreign where you are left to explore the culture with minimal guidance. If you want to see the real China, if you desire personal growth and worldliness, if you want to come away with a life changing experience you will never forget, than look no further than Academic Explorers.
This program is not for those looking for a exotic vacation. The curriculum is challenging, the Kung Fu is demanding, and the experience is infinitely rewarding.
Academic Explorers has adopted an unorthodox teaching philosophy that is incredibly effective. After a few weeks, your Chinese will be vastly superior to those studying at a collegiate level. I have personally used the language skills I acquired through Academic Explorers to live and work in China today.
And if you are after a genuine Kung Fu experience, this is it. The program's Kung Fu instructors are the most deeply dedicated martial artists. But they are not only experts in their field, they are amazing teachers as well. Their lessons will push you beyond your physical limits.
This program is more than a window into another world. This program lets you climb through that window. Academic Explorers is an excellent study abroad program and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Not for the faint of heart!
100%Overall
Rating
I'm not going to mince words: this program is hard. You will work hard every day, and you will finish every day exhausted both mentally and physically, and sometimes you'll think you won't be able to find the energy to make it through tomorrow. You'll have Chinese class followed by hours of kung fu class, and then a bit of time to snag a meal before you do your few hours of homework every day once you finally get back home to rest.
Then, all of a sudden, it's a month later and you're joking with the hotel staff in Chinese when you realize that you need new pants because your muscles got too big to fit into the ones you brought with you. And that is what Academic Explorers is all about.
I personally started the program with zero knowledge of Chinese, and others came in with no martial arts experience, and we all had a fantastic time learning from Sabrina and the other instructors. I've been studying Japanese for about 8 years now, and in terms of teaching quality, Sabrina blows all of my sensei out of the water. I learned so much Chinese so quickly I could hardly believe it. One other participant started the semester with zero Chinese, and learned enough that by the end he tested into 3rd year university-level Chinese classes and apparently had the best speaking and listening skills out of his whole class.
I grew up learning taekwondo from various instructors until I eventually found my current master, a student of the founder of the style that I practice, so I've had a lot of experience learning martial arts. From my experience, I've found that most "traditional" martial arts practiced in the US are inauthentic and poorly taught. The martial arts instructors on this program, however, are absolutely the real deal. All of them are exceptional, both as martial artists and as teachers. They were all very perceptive of each participant's strengths and weaknesses, and each one a very capable and adaptable teacher.
As far as living goes, Beijing is a wonderful city. Everything is cheap, food is delicious and healthy stuff is easy to find, the public transportation is surprisingly reliable, and the city itself is easily navigable. The hotel where you stay is located conveniently, roughly in between the martial arts school, the parks were you sometimes practice, and the Chinese classroom. There are several famous temples within walking distance, and plenty of hole-in-the-wall places that are worth looking for. It's tucked very close to a main road, so it's very easy and safe to get to, even at night. The rooms are surprisingly nice considering how cheap the rate is, and the staff became like a host family to us.
Honestly though, the best part of this program isn't learning Chinese or martial arts, or eating awesome food, or exploring an ancient city and culture. The best part is being overwhelmed with all of that at once, realizing exactly how hard it's going to be to do all of it at the same time, and then doing it anyway. I will admit, about 3 weeks into the program, there were about 2 days for each of us where all we wanted to do was give up, go home, and finally speak English for once. We persisted, and the rest of the program was perhaps the most consistently satisfying experience we'd ever had. Every minute of studying and every drop of sweat shed led to us improving faster and faster; if someone had told me everything I'd be able to do after I finished my semester before I actually did it, I wouldn't have believed him.
The bottom line is: if you want a vacation, look elsewhere. If you want to improve yourself, I can't recommend this program enough. I personally wish I could take another semester off just to do it again!
Alumni Interviews
Interview with Brian, Academic Explorers alum
GO: Why did you decide to study abroad with Academic Explorers in Beijing?
Brian: I chose to study with academic explorers because I wasn’t ready to graduate college. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, so I opted to take a gap year and explore my interests in China and improve my Chinese language skills. I was also recommended Academic Explorers through Holly Bull and the Center for Interim Programs. Without her guidance, I would not have discovered AE.
GO: What made studying abroad a unique and special experience?
Brian: What made this experience unique and special is that I was simultaneously independent and a part of a structured program. The program was very challenging mentally and physically and forced me to breach comfort zones that had been well established.
This opened my perspective and significantly changed my outlook. It also made me feel accomplished, as I achieved something very few others can – like boot camp except more enjoyable (it’s hard to describe). My review of the program goes into more detail.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Brian: Personally, the program helped me craft my life philosophy. I approach things with a certain objective and attitude every day; this is the most important gift I received through participating in this program.
AE also has had a huge impact on my future and career path as I am now in China, and primarily due to the fact that AE helped elevate my Chinese to a level that allows me to live and work in China. The program did not necessarily connect me with my employer or network me with anyone directly, but the language skills and lifestyle education can put you in a position to find a life in China after AE.
I’m not sure I’ve ever been the most studious person and I don’t think that would change no matter what anyone can do or say. But I do believe there are good teachers and bad teachers and it would be impossible not to take away an incredible education and experience from AE.
Traditional kung fu movies invariably feature a training montage—a few minutes when the dénouement pauses to unveil the hardships that the protagonist must undergo in order to develop the fortified mind and body he or she needs to ultimately prevail. Though these moments generally contribute little to the plot, they are always my favorite, and I know others share my opinion. I recently watched The New Shaolin Temple, starring Andy Lau, with my mom, and she was most vocal during scenes that exhibited the monks’ training regiments. “Oh my god!” she would yell, “they are amazing—we need to go to China and do this!” But it’s not just the snapshots of the almost supernatural feats of strength; these patchworks of training clips are most compelling for their evocation of character. Altogether, the rigorous exertion proves transformative: the protagonist evinces dedication, discipline, resilience, willpower, drive, and confidence either before he commits to training or after all the hard work. It is then that he or she can progress from dispatching nameless henchman to confronting a notorious antagonist—the intense training clearly distinguishes the ordinary individual from the exceptional. In doing so, the journey inspires us with glimpses of greatness, but the path by which we arrive at such strength always seems to remain as unattainable as a dream.
Fantasize no longer. Academic Explorers seizes this dream and turns it into a reality; or maybe it’s more accurate to say that Sabrina Cohen’s Beijing-based martial arts program infuses reality with a dream-like quality. I landed in Beijing without ever having studied Mandarin Chinese or kung fu. The little I did know about Kung Fu had always made me reluctant to seek instruction in the United States—I wanted to learn authentic Chinese kung fu, not an Americanized derivative. Don’t get me wrong, I fully understand and appreciate the direction that most American Kung Fu schools have moved towards. They have their virtues; but I wanted something different, and that’s exactly what I got. I showed up for lessons on the first day and stared in awe when I entered the training grounds—it was a beautiful traditional Chinese courtyard, and I could swear that Jet Li had thwarted countless nemeses on the same stone pavement that I myself was about to tread. I met my Chinese instructors and quickly realized that they did not speak English beyond a few key phrases: “Begin,” “Again,” and “Faster!” I learned, however, that their English limitations were a blessing rather than a hindrance. Kung fu is about body-awareness, feeling—sure, you can understand the principles of a punch or a kick, but until you can synchronize your muscles and perform the motion with your body, you have not mastered the move. Kung fu is intricate, and words can often get in the way. When I screwed up a move, my teachers would chuckle a bit to add some levity and demonstrate it again. If I still couldn’t figure it out, they would clasp my arms or legs and physically take me through the motion. Furthermore, the language barriers forced me to take on Mandarin. The first Chinese word—and most important lesson—I learned with Academic Explorers, was gong fu.
Like the martial arts, I learned the meaning of gong fu with my body before I unwrapped the phrase within a familiar lexicon. I woke at around 5:00am every morning and rushed to an early session of kung fu. After two hours of practice, I ate lunch and made my way to a Chinese lesson. I headed to another three hours of kung fu practice immediately afterwards. Post dinner, I spent at least two more hours working on Chinese homework before crashing into bed. With such a rigorous schedule, I learned a serious amount of kung fu and Mandarin. I thereby arrive at my definition: gong fu means skill, acquired skill even. And its significance extends far beyond the narrow parameters to which most English speakers have confined it: the term applies to any aptitude acquired through diligence and persistence, not just martial arts. You can have cooking gong fu, hockey gong fu, or language gong fu, for instance. For those three months, I developed both my martial arts and Mandarin gong fu. I practiced both frenetic, aerobic Shaolin kung fu and the more rhythmic, fluid Tai Ji. All the while I engaged in linguistic acrobatics, struggling endlessly, but not futilely, to produce passable Mandarin phrases. Most importantly, however, I ingrained the principle of gong fu, the gong fu of gong fu even, into my life. What’s most appealing, most inspiring about the heroes from kung fu movies is that they are ordinary individuals turned drastically extraordinary via their own concerted efforts. That is the way of gong fu—unceasing, applied aspiration that overcomes all barriers in its pursuit of knowledge and excellence. And that drive, that confidence, is precisely what Sabrina’s program teaches its students.
I’ve incorporated a gong fu mentality into my everyday life. While in college, I continued to study Mandarin and kung fu, taking every available opportunity to return to China. Since my initial visit with Academic Explorers, I have been back to Beijing five times. I met with the kung fu teachers Sabrina introduced me to on each subsequent occasion. I formed bonds with the teachers and other students during my first visit that have been renewed and deepened into a community. Now I consider Beijing a second home rather than an unfamiliar city teeming with inscrutable inhabitants. Lao Tzu has an oft-quoted saying in the Tao Te Ching: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” For me, that single step was a semester in Beijing with Academic Explorers. Five years later, my opportunities have expanded to include life in China, and even U.S. employers are happy to note that I am highly proficient in Mandarin Chinese. The Academic Explorers’ experience was challenging and exhausting, but rightfully so. Embark upon your own training montage—the journey is only a dream for as long as you allow it to be. And the rewards far outweigh the rigors.