China Exchange

Posted On: 23/11/15

Over an extended half term CRGS undertook its second China exchange experience with 19 students and two staff travelling to Taizhou High school and Nanjing School No.9 in the Jiangsu province. This was a once in a lifetime experience for the students and the itinerary took in a full range of sites and cultural experiences.

The trip started in Shanghai where students visited the Shanghai museum, explored the city centre and then enjoyed an evening boat trip along the Huangpu River to take in the futuristic Shanghai skyline.

We then moved on to Taizhou, a city of 5.5 million. Here students stayed with exchange partners for three nights. This offered the chance to experience family life in China, explore the area, and spend time in a Chinese school. Mr Wallace and Mr Longshaw also took the opportunity to observe lessons, exchange ideas with Chinese staff and teach a lesson in a Chinese High School.

Moving on from Taizhou the group travelled to Nanjing, the old capital of China. This time we stayed with families for two nights and experienced sports day and visited a range of cultural sites.  These included the monument to Dr Sun Yat-sen (founding father of the Republic of China), the memorial to the Nanjing massacre where 300,000 dies at the hands of the Japanese and the Confucius temple. We were again welcomed warmly and the students made some amazing friends.

The final leg of the trip involved travelling by ‘Bullet train’ to Beijing. The high speed transfer (max speed 308kmph) meant we had a day and half to explore. The group visited the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Olympic site and central Beijing.

All in all it was a truly amazing trip. The group saw a phenomenal amount in the time we were there and were warmly welcomed and looked after by our partner schools. Hopefully the trip will run again in a couple of years and I would strongly advise students to consider going. China has the largest population in the world, will soon have the largest economy and is developing at a remarkable rate. I felt like I had witnessed the future and who wouldn’t want that opportunity.