Study abroad (SA) professional development (PD) programs for teachers of English as a foreign language have been key to the implementation of student-centered practices in rural China. This study uses a qualitative approach to examine the experiences of a group of English teachers from Yunnan Province who received PD training in Canada in 2016. Drawing on Wenger's (2002) theory of communities of practice (CoP), we explore how the formation of diverse teacher communities impact the SA learning experience. The findings reveal that, even though a cohort of teachers were exposed to the same curriculum that emphasized collaborative learning, sharing and self-reflective practices, a top-down structured CoP formed in Beijing allowed for a small bottom-up community to form by a select group of Chinese teachers. Wenger's characteristics of a community of practice were present (domain, community, practice) in the small CoP, members were exceptionally motivated and committed to their professional development as language teachers, to sharing and learning inside and outside the classroom, and to working together with colleagues back home. The participants also reported how institutional logistics and responsibilities to the program administrators in Beijing presented challenges to the operation and functioning of the small bottom-up community.