Trips & Expeditions
Week Without Walls:
China 2014
by Eliz, G10
T
he year’s memorable and unforgettable Week Without Walls trip for grads 9 and 10 was spent in the vast country of China. There were 71 of us students in all and 7 teachers and staff: Dr. Lavina, Mr. Kim, Mr. George, Ms. Brook, Ms. Laura, Ms. Min and Khun Jamie. The main focus of our trip this year was not only to recognize the Chinese heritage or apply our verbal skills in Chinese, but also unity within our classes and an inter-class friendship. The itinerary of our trip had us hopping from 3 cities within the 5 days of our trip: Zheng Zhou, Luo Yang and Xi’an. Our days in China were mostly spent inside the bus touring around the different spots, only getting off when we needed to eat, sleep or walk around certain places. Yes, it was tiring, but the bus rides proved to be an advantage when we wanted to rest and take a nap. There were many different sights to see in those three cities. For example, In Zheng Zhou we toured around the Shaolin temple seeing kids of different ages as well as adults training and showing off their sensational abilities. Not far from there we also visited the Pagoda Forests and the Guan Lin temple, taking a huge number of “selfies” and photos. In Luo Yang (one of the Four Ancient Capitals of China) we walked around the Longmen grottoes, looking at the cave wall carvings of the Chinese Buddha and his disciples. The Luo Yang Museum was also a very good place to go to if you want to see traditional Chinese art and preserved items from
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long ago. Last but not least, Xi’an. Xi’an, or Chang’an, used to be one of the Four Ancient Capitals of China as well as the home of the astounding Terracotta Warriors sculptures. This site contains hundreds of sculptures of Qin Shi Huang’s army along with horses and chariots. Not only that, Da Ming palace and the Tang Dynasty show also proved to be a site worth seeing. It taught us about how China flourished during the Tang dynasty not only through their economy but also their culture. Walking around the streets, buying food, and shopping for some souvenirs at good prices in downtown Xi’an was also enjoyable.
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We had lots of bonding time as a class, and also with the other class accompanying us on this trip. Lots of memories, selfies, photos and laughter were shared. New friendships were made while some of us got even closer. We didn’t really have many activities on bonding with each other but nevertheless we still came home more united. We ended our trip with the talent show before going downtown where our fellow classmates and friends surprised us with their hidden talents. There were a variety of talents: singing, dancing, and lots of acting (mainly about toilets, I wouldn’t be surprised, but let’s not get into too much detail about that). Most of us practiced only a day before or in some cases 5 minutes before the actual performance but it turned out to be a fun and engaging activity. Most of the sites mentioned above were outdoor sites, and the weather was good. It was a bit cold and windy compared to the heat of Thailand, but it was really good and refreshing. In some restaurants the food was a bit cold, but it was yummy, and a great way to taste Chinese delicacies. During our trip I noticed that they usually served fish, chicken, soup and for dessert, watermelons. These foods were served in almost all of our meals, which makes me conclude that they have a significant meaning to the Chinese people.
Our Week Without Walls trip to China 2014 was a trip that will be remembered even after a decade or so. Unforgettable memories and laughter were shared among classes. We visited many interesting and significant places that portray the Chinese culture and legacy. We got to learn many new things about each other and had lots of time to bond with each other. Our friendships with each other got stronger and together we learned and appreciated the outstanding culture and history of China. Even though we have left China and the memories we had there, the friendship between all of us has just started to grow even more, so let’s make more memories together! Thank you to the class of 2017, class of 2018, and the teachers and staff who organized this trip for making it an unforgettable one.
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