28 November 2008

Six Year 8 students visited China in October, thanks to a programme organised by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and sponsored by Hanban, the office of Chinese Language Council International. These students have been studying Mandarin since the beginning of the last academic year. They joined around 200 other students from different secondary schools in the UK who were invited to participate in an in-depth study of Chinese language and culture.

The tour began with a two-day visit to Beijing, where the students visited a number of cultural sites. On the first day, after attending an opening ceremony organised by Hanban, as well as a banquet at one of the most famous Peking Duck restaurants in Beijing, they visited the Forbidden City, which is the Chinese imperial palace built during the Ming dynasty. They also went to the National Stadium (the Birds Nest) and the National Aquatic Centre (the famous Blue tube), where most of the Olympic competitions took place this summer!

The following day, they spent the morning at the famous Great Wall of China – where they were made to feel famous by the Chinese people, who were very excited at seeing so many foreign students.

The following five days were spent in Wuxi, a large city in Jiangsu Province, and approximately two hours from Shanghai. The aim of their stay in Wuxi was to attend a school, in order to participate in a number of Chinese activities, as well as visit other cultural sites. The first day was spent touring the cultural sites of Wuxi, the most famous being an ancient Buddhist Temple, where students were able to witness a ceremony which commemorates the life of someone who passed away. They also visited the ancient city of Wuxi, where they were able to go shopping and use their Mandarin!

The following four days were spent at the No. 1 Middle High School in Wuxi, and visiting other places of interest. During the day they attended a number of classes led by Chinese teachers, including Mandarin language and writing, paper cutting, calligraphy and Chinese painting. They also enjoyed socialising with the Chinese students, particularly during their lunchtime.

One of the highlight of the trip was visiting the families of school students. Students were picked up from the school and taken to restaurants and students’ homes, where they enjoyed socialising with the family. They were lavished with gifts and kindness.

The students returned to Beijing for another one-day tour of historical sights. In the morning they visited the Summer Palace, where the Emperor resided during the summer months (he and his entourage spent the rest of the year in the Forbidden City). In the afternoon they visited the Temple of Heaven, also built during the Ming dynasty. They also enjoyed a few hours of haggling and bartering at an indoor market, where they were able to buy their Chinese gifts.

The visit was an exceptional experience, and despite the fact that both staff and students returned exhausted, it was an amazing experience, one which I doubt anyone will forget.