Study tours aren't just for youngsters anymore

Last April, 35-year-old Shen Lingling decided to quit her job and do a gap year for a 12-month study tour program in Chicago.

Most of her friends were amazed. But she found it a good way to brush up her English and have enriching travel experiences around the United States.

"My career had hit a bottleneck then. I thought it was time to take a rest and experience a new lifestyle. I want to challenge myself, so I started from my weak spot - English," says Shen, who is hunting for a new job in Shanghai. She is about to go to London to have another "learning vacation" for one month.