World Language Communications Blog: February 2017

American Culture Consultants’ Summer University Tour

American Culture Consultants is offering a summer university tour July 16-23, 2017 for Chinese students and their families who are interested in visiting select U.S. college campuses. American Culture Consultants will personally accompany all participants on the tour, while at the same time providing exclusive educational, cultural and etiquette training in order to help students more easily connect, advance and succeed in America.

8-Day Itinerary

Day 1, July 16: Students and families meet at hotel in Boston for an introduction and overview of the tour.

Day 2, July 17: Harvard University tour.

American Culture Consultants will start their training on college applications. Topic: The Process and Procedures for a Successful College Application.

Day 3, July 18: Fly to San Antonio, Texas.

Evening meeting at hotel with overview on Trinity University and continued training on college applications. Topic: Selecting the Right School.

Day 4, July 19: Visit Trinity University.

After Trinity University tour, we will drive to Austin, Texas.

American Culture Consultants training. Topic: The Differences between U.S. State

Schools and Private Schools.

Day 5, July 20: Visit St. Edwards University and The University of Texas at Austin. After both tours, we will drive to Houston, Texas.

American Culture Consultants training. Topic: Student Life in America.

Day 6, July 21: Visit the Village School – an exclusive college preparatory private school and boarding school for high school students.

American Culture Consultants will answer any additional questions and discuss topics of further interest.

Day 7, July 22: Fly to Orange County, California. Visit The University of California at

Irvine. Evening dinner and farewell.

American Culture Consultants Training: Dining etiquette and culture in the United

States.

Day 8, July 23: Tour ends.

Tour Details

Cost: Discounted cost of $6,000.00 (US)/per person for parties of Two (2) or more. Cost includes a double occupancy room, airfare, ground transportation and personalized training. $7,000.00 for individuals traveling to accommodate single room hotel arrangements.

A $2,000.00 non-refundable deposit submitted with the Tour Contract is necessary to secure a tour reservation. The deposit pays for non-refundable travel arrangements, including hotel and air accommodations, secured upon receipt of the deposit. The non-refundable deposit is due Seventy-Five (75) days prior to the start of the tour, on May 1, 2017. The balance is due Sixty (60) days prior to the start of the tour, on May 15, 2017. For more details, please refer to the Tour Contract.

$500.00 deposit for the letter does not secure your tour reservation, only the $2,000.00 deposit, paid in full, secures your reservation. If a visa is denied or not processed in

time for the trip, American Culture Consultants will refund your $500.00 visa letter

deposit in its entirety.

We advise those needing a visa to take immediate steps to obtain a visa to secure your travel itinerary.

Included: All U.S. transportation (both air and ground) and hotel accommodations during the tour, plus personalized training.

Visitors are required to arrange their own transportation to Boston and from Orange County, after the tour is over. As per the contract, clients are responsible for all travel arrangements that are outside of the scope of this itinerary. However, for an additional fee, American Culture Consultants may also be able to arrange either additional stateside and/or international travel needs (for example: from China to Boston, and from Orange County back to China). Please contact us directly if these services are desired. We will make arrangements on a case-by-case basis, based on individual needs.

All hotels are rated 3-4 stars. Breakfasts are included in the hotel packages. All ground transportation will be provided by licensed tour bus operators.

Not included: Lunch and dinner expenses are not included. See Tour Contract for further details.

The tour will make daily stops for lunch. Some dinners will be organized at the hotel or nearby restaurants for those interested. However, all tour participants are responsible for their own lunch and dinner expenses, with the exception of the final dinner, which will be hosted by American Culture Consultants.

American Culture Consultants will also provide a list of restaurants, shops and other places of interest in each city, so visitors can sight-see or enjoy their own time in the evening.

Please Note: Availability is limited and the tour is expected to fill up quickly. Participation is secured with a non-refundable deposit of $2,000.00 (US) and after a signed contract is received. The non-refundable deposit is due no later than

Seventy-Five (75) days prior to the tour, on May 1, 2017. The deposit pays for non- refundable hotel and transportation costs, which secures your reservation. Payments can be made via direct wire to American Culture Consultants. Wires in RMB accepted, with a 10% surcharge; exchange rate calculated on day of transfer.

About Us

American Culture Consultants offers personalized, one-on-one consulting services

to ease the transition for new residents, students or foreign visitors, allowing you to

Connect, Advance and Succeed in the United States. We help you better understand, navigate and acclimate to an American lifestyle. Our guidance and networking

connections enable you to more quickly integrate into a new city, university or

business, always with the intent to preserve and respect the richness of your own culture as an enhancement to American society. Our bespoke services are tailored

for each client’s specific needs.

We understand the challenges that many of our foreign clients face in adjusting to a new culture, which is very different from their own, and it is therefore our goal to help bridge these gaps in the most productive, friendly and efficient manner possible.

Education

Getting into American universities is increasingly challenging. Even if you have the grades and test scores, American schools are looking for students who offer something unique to their academic culture. American Culture Consultants can assist you with the university application process, and is especially adept at helping you express your uniqueness, setting you apart from your peers and giving you an edge in the American university system. We are committed to your education and believe that we don’t succeed until you succeed.

In addition to our university tours, American Culture Consultants offer a range of educations services including:

• Junior/Senior Guidance – The junior and senior years (or last two years of high school, before college), are an important time for the university applicant with numerous deadlines and preparatory tasks. American Culture Consultants helps to ease this pressure with time management and organizational tools, including:

• A tailored weekly and monthly calendar and checklists for each individual student

• Weekly and monthly calls to discuss progress

• Goal setting guidance and counseling

• Training on American university culture

• College Matching – Assessing your needs and desires to find you the right college or university, based on:

• Geographic interest

• Specialized focus (schools that excel in a certain area of study or athletic interest)

• Environment (Public, Private, Religious/Conservative, Liberal, Small vs Large, City vs Suburbs vs Rural, etc)

• University Entrance Application Review and Guidance, including:

• Essay writing assistance/editing (for admissions and/or for regular college or high school coursework)

• We have a network of partners who can also assist with standardized testing and specialized needs (SAT/ACT, accent tutoring, etc)

Disclaimer

American Culture Consultants is not liable for any damages or loss of personal property, any personal injury or harm while on the tour, or any travel interruptions due to causes outside of the company’s control.

Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Further liabilities and expectations are laid out in the Tour Contract, which needs to be read, signed and submitted with a non-refundable deposit to secure a reservation on the tour.

Tour Contract

Client name(s):

Client date(s) of birth: _

Date:

1. Disclaimer

American Culture Consultants (herein after referred to as ACC) is not liable for any damages or loss if any of the following reasons apply:

a. Natural disaster, war, civil unrest and alteration or cancellation of tour itinerary due to such causes.

b. Accidents during transportation or accommodations, including but not limited to fire.

c. Cessation of services related to transportation or accommodation facilities, and tour itinerary alteration or cancellation due to such causes.

d. Orders of either American or foreign governments, immigration regulations, isolation due to infectious disease, and tour itinerary alteration or cancellation due to such causes.

e. Accidents or bodily harm occurring during the tour or the visitor’s free activities.

f. Food poisoning.

g. Theft or damage of property.

h. Delays, stoppages, changes of schedule and route in relation to transportation facilities, and tour itinerary alterations and/or shortened stays at destinations owing to such causes.

2. Contract

ACC will secure a reservation for a client(s) once a signed contract and the non- refundable deposit has been received.

Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Only one contract is needed per family.

Contracts can be received via email or post.

Deposits can be made via direct wire to ACC’s bank account (RMB wires entail an extra 10% surcharge) or credit card.

Tour reservation will be secured upon receipt of deposit.

ACC requests that applicants fill out and return a Questionnaire with the contract so that ACC can arrange the tour to satisfy the general objectives of the group.

3. Costs

A. Tour Fare

1. The discounted cost per person for double occupancy accommodations is

$6,000.00, and $7,000.00 for individuals. This covers all air and ground transportation during the tour, and includes ACC training on college

admissions. This does not include transportation to Boston or from Orange

County.

China). Please contact us directly if these services are desired. We will make arrangements on a case-by-case basis, based on individual needs.

2. Payment can be made via wire transfer or credit card, upon receiving an ACC invoice. We accept RMB with an additional 10% surcharge (an additional $600.00 for double occupancy rates or $700.00 for single

travelers). The exchange rate will be calculated on the day of the transaction.

4. Spots are limited and secured by a $2,000.00 non-refundable deposit, which covers travel and accommodations secured upon deposit. If the tour is full, interested clients will be informed of alternative tours and any money received will be returned. The non-refundable deposit must be received Seventy-Five (75) days before the start of the tour, on May 1, 2017.

We understand that getting a visa to the United States takes time. If you do not already possess a visa, we can prepare a letter to help you obtain a visa. We require a $500.00 deposit to prepare the letter. Once you’ve secured your visa, this money can be applied to your $2,000.00 deposit or the total tour cost. Please Note: The $500.00 deposit for the letter does not secure your tour reservation, only the $2,000.00 deposit, paid in full, secures your reservation. If a visa is denied or not processed in time for the trip, American Culture Consultants will refund your $500.00 visa letter deposit in its entirety.

We advise those needing a visa to take immediate steps to obtain a visa to secure your travel itinerary.

5. The balance of the costs must be received Sixty (60) days prior to the tour, on May 15, 2017, or the contract will be voided.

B. Costs Not-Included

1. Breakfasts are included in the hotel packages, however lunches and dinners are at the client’s expense. ACC will stop for lunches, or offer free time during lunch, but are not responsible for any food or drink expenses.

2. ACC will, at times, organize group dinners for interested participants, but are not responsible for any food or drink expenses, with the exception of the farewell dinner hosted by ACC. The itinerary may change to reflect optional dinners provided and paid for by university hosts.

3. ACC is not responsible for any additional expenses, including but not limited to: use of hotel laundry services, telephone, mini-bar or room service charges, and other expenses. Hotel rooms are pre-paid. Any additional expenses incurred during the tour will be payable directly to the hotel or relevant establishment.

4. ACC is not responsible for any additional baggage charges, including overweight or excess baggage. Additional baggage charges will be payable directly to the airline.

5. ACC is not responsible for any travel or accommodation costs between arrival/departure cities and the start and end points of the itinerary.

6. ACC is not responsible for any expenses incurred during client’s free time, including taxi or transportation fares, or other expenditures.

4. Itinerary

ACC may revise its services after the Tour Contract is received for any of the following reasons: natural calamity or disaster, weather conditions, civil unrest, suspension of services rendered by transport/accommodation facilities, provision or transportation not based on the original operational plan, governmental orders, or other circumstances beyond ACC’s control. ACC reserves the right to take necessary and appropriate measures in altering or cancelling the itinerary whenever safe, smooth tour operation is not deemed possible. In such cases, ACC must explain in a timely manner to all clients.

The selected itinerary is intended to give clients a good general overview of various options within the American university system. This includes: an Ivy League institution; renowned small, private liberal arts universities; top-ranked public

universities; and boarding school(s). In addition, ACC will provide exclusive and personalized training on the American educational system, etiquette and culture, giving our clients an edge in their educational endeavors.

5. Special Conditions

Clients who will require special attention during the tour for reasons (including but not limited to chronic disease, general ill-health, pregnancy or any physical handicap), need to provide details in the space below. ACC will attempt to comply with such requests to the extent deemed feasible and reasonable. If ACC needs to make certain provisions to accommodate the request, the client shall be responsible for incurred expenses related to the request.

If ACC determines that a client needs medical treatment due to illness or injury during the tour, ACC will take measures necessary to ensure a smooth operation of the tour. All costs resulting from such measures shall be borne by the client.

Please note that ACC offers optional travel insurance that helps to cover medical expenses and trip interruptions. See section 6 for more information on optional travel insurance.

5. Cancellation

Clients can cancel their contract at any time, until Sixty (60) days prior to the tour, on May 15, 2017. Clients will not receive their $2,000.00 deposit. If the tour has been paid in full, the balance (tour cost minus deposit) will be repaid. No

reimbursements for cancellation will be made after May 15, 2017.

For clients who need to apply for a United States visa, the $500.00 deposit will be returned if they are unable to secure a visa prior to the trip (see Section 3.A.4 for more details on the visa deposit). Please note that once the $2,000.00 deposit is paid, this amount is non-refundable.

If the client has not paid the tour cost in full, Sixty (60) days prior to the tour start date, on May 15, 2017, ACC can give away the client’s reservation. Deposits will not be refunded.

If ACC cancels the tour for any reason, all monies will be returned to the client less any non-refundable transportation or accommodation costs, within thirty (30) days.

Travel insurance may cover money lost due to client’s unexpected travel interruptions, in addition to medical expenses. Please review the optional travel insurance for more information.

6. Travel Insurance

During travel, injuries may incur large sums of treatment or transportation costs, and unexpected schedule changes may cause travel interruptions that result in loss of tour costs. We recommend our clients look into travel insurance.

Optional travel and medical insurance for foreigners traveling to the United States is provided by World Nomads: https://www.worldnomads.com/

Please also explore other insurance options from Chinese carriers for travel outside of China.

We do not endorse any policy specifically. Clients are welcome to secure travel insurance through any agency they choose.

7. Conduct

ACC may refuse client participation if the client threatens to embarrass, inconvenience or interfere with the collective activities of the tour participants.

8. Independent Activities

ACC will offer a city guide to suggested restaurants, shopping centers and other places of interest in each city. ACC offers this for your convenience and is not responsible for referrals or any incidents during independent activities and free time.

ACC will not arrange independent activities; rather, ACC encourages clients to explore each city when time permits and is available to discuss independent activities.