In December 2023, Grace and Yongjian took a self-organized three-week heritage trip to our ancestral hometowns, Jinan and Fuzhou. ​​Planning a trip to China wasn’t easy for us - we had many challenges (visas, setting up payments, etc), but the experience was life-changing because we were exposed to the cultural, historical, and culinary diversity of China. We want to help you overcome these challenges in your journey to reconnect with your heritage homeland.​​ ​ Read more about Yongjian and Grace's personal stories on Medium: Rediscovering My Roots in Fuzhou by Grace Yeung The Jinan Dialect- Lessons from my Yeye and Nainai- My First Role Models by Yongjian Si

The first group China trip will take place from December 14 to December 24. We selected this date so that for many of our group participants, they will only have to take five days of PTO from their jobs.

No, you do not need to be ethnic Chinese to join this trip. We welcome anyone who has a strong interest in Chinese culture and/or a connection to China to apply.

Yes! We believe our trips would be a wonderful introduction to China for the adoptee community. Our trips are conducted in English and there is no expectation for Chinese proficiency to join. If you are a Chinese adoptee, you may have grown up feeling disconnected from the wider Chinese American community. As a result, you might find it difficult to engage with your heritage Chinese culture. We want to help you discover yourself through these trips.

No, you do not need to be able to speak Mandarin Chinese and/or other Chinese dialects in order to join the trip. Although, it does help to learn some basic phrases in Mandarin before going on the trip. Yongjian speaks fluent Mandarin and English and will serve as a translator.

Each applicant who wants to participate must fill out a separate application. On the application, indicate if a partner or friend is applying to join the trip with you. Any participants must be 21 years or older by the time of the trip (for the inaugural trip).

For the inaugural trip, we request that all participants be 21 years old or older by the start of the trip. We may expand to offer programming to high school and/or college students in the future.

We prioritize many things when it comes to accommodations: safety, cleanliness, and accessibility. Prior to each other trip, Yongjian and Grace will visit the hotels we will be staying at to ensure that they comply with our standards. All participants will be placed in single occupancy rooms in mostly four star hotels that are centrally located in each city we visit. If you choose to room with a friend/family member/partner who is also joining our trip (they must have also applied and been accepted), you will receive a $200 discount on the total cost of the trip. This only applies if you choose double occupancy for the entirely of the trip.

Whenever possible, we would try our best to find places that cater to different dietary restrictions and preferences. For many meals, we will be eating the traditional Chinese way: family style (sharing dishes).

Traveling can be both exciting and exhausting. We believe that travel isn't merely about checking off boxes and packing our itinerary to point of physical exhaustion. We believe that travel is a meaningful journey where we learn more about ourselves in relation to the world. With that in mind, we envision each part of the trip to be a meaningful experience that encourages learning, growth, and community building. We will visit well-known and off-the beaten path destinations that allow you to gain a more balanced perspective of Chinese culture and society. The itinerary will be a balance of ancestry exploration, culinary delights, artistic immersion, and nightlife, beyond the tourist sites.

Part of our philosophy is to empower our participants to explore China with their own lens. There will be free time built in for you to explore on your own. For example, on some days, you will have the afternoon on your own and on some days, you will have the evening on your own. Grace and Yongjian would be happy to provide advise on places to visit! We understand everyone has different comfort levels. If you do want to go with Grace and Yongjian during free time, we will also have an alternative activity planned.

In order to ensure the best experience for participants, we advise that you minimize time spent on work to just evenings when we return back to the accommodations or during scheduled free time. You will need a VPN will be needed to access Gmail, Google, YouTube, etc. We can recommend for a few VPN services in China. In addition, certain companies may restrict employees from working remotely in China. Be sure to check with your manager to clarify remote work policies in China prior to your departure.

Please fill out this Google Form to apply. After you apply, we will contact you for a brief interview to get to know you and see whether you are a good fit for the inaugural program. While our inaugural trip is limited to 10 participants, we look forward to offering more trips in 2025!

The interview will be an opportunity for us to get to know you a little better! We want to learn a bit of your interests and background. Relax and come prepared to tell us what inspired you to want to travel to China and what you hope to gain out of this trip.

The interview will be conducted virtually over Google Meet/Zoom so no need to worry about traveling!

Congratulations! We are so excited for you to be a part of this journey. In order to make hotel and transportation bookings, we ask that you pay a $500 USD deposit to confirm your participation within 72 hours of receiving an acceptance email.

We are so sorry that you were not selected! During the inaugural trip, we are limiting participants to 10 people. However, we plan to host a few more trips in 2025. We will send an email when spots open for the next China trip and your application will be prioritized. If you have been placed on a waitlist for the inaugural trip, expect to hear from us on whether you have been accepted off the waitlist by October 1, 2024.

All travelers are required to have a passport that is valid until at least six (6) months beyond the scheduled end of our trip (Dec 27, 2024).

You will be applying for the L Visa (Tourist Visa). If you have relatives who are current residing in China and are Chinese citizens, you may also apply for the Q2 (relative) Visa. US Citizens are eligible for a 10 year, multiple entry tourist visa for $140 USD. Visa policies vary by your citizenship, please check with the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in your place of residence to get the latest information. Check out our Free China Visa Guide on our Resources Page.

Yes! We understand that the Chinese visa process can be a laborious process. We have extensive experience with the visa application process and we are happy to help streamline the visa process. Once you have confirmed your participation in the trip, we will schedule a group visa coaching session to go over the visa application process.

We hope that you will stay safe and healthy during the trip. However, unexpected illness and accidents can occur. We require all participants to have primary health insurance valid in the US. While you are abroad, you will also be covered with the GeoBlue Essentials Short Term Travel Insurance. You will be automatically enrolled in the insurance upon confirming your spot. We will go over the details of GeoBlue during the pre-departure orientation.

On the trip, we will be taking a combination of trains, local buses, and rideshares whenever we are not walking. Chinese cities are very walkable. On average, expect to walk around 3-4 miles (~15,000-~20,000) steps per day! Make sure you stay hydrated.

For personal safety, we advise all attendees to carry a cell phone with phone numbers for program leaders and local emergency resources. We will help you set up a local SIM card for your cell phone. Learn and follow all local traffic rules. Even if you are not driving, understanding rules as a pedestrian is important. Avoid going to places alone and never go anywhere alone with a new acquaintance. Avoid excessive use of alcohol, which is associated with an increased risk of becoming the victim of a crime or accident. Learn basic terms related to safety and emergences in Mandarin Chinese (“help”, “emergency”, “hospital”, “allergy”, “police”) Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable, remove yourself from the situation immediately. Maintain situational awareness to identify suspicious persons loitering or following you. Keep your hotel room locked at all times, even when you are in it. Do not allow strangers or new acquaintances into your room. Leave expensive items at home, locked up. Do not wear expensive jewelry. If you must travel with expensive items (iPhone, camera, laptop) use them discreetly and secure them when you go out. We are not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen property during the trip.

We want to ensure a safe and comfortable trip experience for all of you. We will not tolerate: Harassment of any kind (verbal, physical, sexual etc.) towards fellow trip attendees, group leaders, and locals. Drug use of any kind, including cannabis and THC, is strictly prohibited in China. If you plan to travel with medication, ensure that it is allowed in China and carry a copy of your prescription. We strongly recommend that you avoid any politically sensitive language or activities (demonstrations, protests) while on this trip. While we understand and respect that everyone has different opinions, the focus of this trip is cultural immersion and we want to ensure that you stay safe. If you feel uncomfortable with any aspect of the trip, please bring it to the group leader's attention right away. Your safety and comfort are important to us and we are always here to listen, reflect, and work with you to create a better experience for everyone.

Do not drink tap water in China. All of the hotels come with a kettle and it's okay to drink water that has been boiled. We recommend that you buy bottled water as much as possible.

Please consult this CDC webpage for information on which vaccines you should consider getting prior to your China trip.

Standalone credit cards have already been phased out. While some large hotels may accept credit cards, we strongly advise you to link your credit card to the Alipay and WeChat mobile apps. We will provide detailed instructions and help you set up both during the pre-departure orientation.

In China, most vendors, from hotels to street vendors, accept Alipay and WeChat Pay mobile apps. These apps connect to the following credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discover (Alipay only), Diners Club International (both). We recommend that you link a card without an international transaction fee. We will help you set up both apps during our pre-departure orientation.

Yes and no. According to Chinese Law, vendors cannot refuse cash as payment. However, since most locals have transitioned to app based payments (AliPay and WeChat Pay), vendors may not always have enough cash on hand to give you change for your purchase.