Dissecting Chinese adolescents’ overseas educational travel experiences: movements, representations and practices

This study analyses the overseas educational travel experiences of Chinese adolescents through the lens of the mobilities paradigm. Corresponding to three aspects of mobilities, namely movements, representation and practice, this study examines the activities, associated consequences and fulfilled values drawn from the overseas experiences of Chinese adolescents. A means-end method is used to collect and organize the data. An analysis of 50 interviews identifies 7 activities, 9 consequences and 5 values. A contextual deliberation of the findings furthers the understanding of Chinese adolescents’ mobilities by using the three aspects of mobilities to deconstruct their travel experiences. The transitional features of the life stage of Chinese adolescents and Chinese society today are also discussed.