YEAR 11 - BEIJING
YEAR 7 - HANGZHOU
featuring the Year 13 Focus Week
YEAR 8 - YAOLIN YEAR 12 - INNER MONGOLIA
YEAR 13 - FOCUS WEEK
YEAR 9 - YANGSHOU
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ND O P O N S MU
DET U R
YEAR 10 - SHENZHEN
Senior School China Week Magazine 2014
“China Week in Inner Mongolia was amazing. I learnt so much about the culture and made friendships that will last through IB and beyond.�
The China Week magazine of Dulwich College Shanghai
Alyssa Cox 12AA
Contents
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YEAR 7 - HANGZHOU YEAR 8 - YAOLIN YEAR 9 - YANGSHOU YEAR 10 - SHENZHEN YEAR 11 - BEIJING YEAR 12 - INNER MONGOLIA YEAR 13 - FOCUS WEEK
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YEAR 7 HANG-OUT IN HANGZHOU On Monday 15th September 2014 we, the Year 7s, departed from Shanghai and travelled to Hangzhou. We travelled in a bus for three hours, and after a long and tiring journey we arrived. Our trip was all about the culture of China. We stayed in a hotel called The Culture Plaza, in a room together on the 16th floor. It was a truly wonderful and mind-blowing experience; although there were many great activities, our favourite was the biking promenade. In the afternoon of the 16th September, we stopped at the Xixi Wetland Park for a bike ride. We were all pumped with adrenaline and ready for the challenge lying ahead of us. Racing to the herd of bikes we could feel our excitement pulsing rapidly. Everyone rushed for the bikes; however they were very hard to ride! Waiting impatiently for the gate to The China Week magazine of Dulwich College Shanghai
open, we briskly tried to get to the front of the pack. Once the gate had opened, everyone was off to a good start. The bikes flew out of the gate like birds soaring out of a cage. Although the road was rather bumpy, we were courageous and continued along the path at a steady pace. The scenery was outrageously beautiful; there was a flowing lake with magnificent lily pads and lotus plants blooming. The bike ride was very enjoyable and the breath-taking view made us concentrate on the road. For us the greatest memory from this unforgettable bike ride was when we crossed a wonderful stone bridge. We remember Imogen screaming: “This is so cool! I love it when we ride down
the bridge!” Once we had finished the incredible bike ride, we slowly went back to our destination and a painful but humorous accident happened: our fellow classmate fell into bushes of bamboo! We truly adored the bike ride, for us it was the best memory and time we had in Hangzhou.
Pauline Leroi, Lisa Place and Imogen Lowe 7IR
“One week where all expectations were met. It felt like the whole of Year 7 was one family.” Nicoletta Hay 7LS
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The China Week magazine of Dulwich College Shanghai
YEAR 8 ARE ACTIVE IN YAOLIN For our Year 8 China week we took a trip to Yao Lin, it is a little known place but it was well worth the visit. It took us six hours to get from Shanghai to Yao Lin, and we were so full of energy that they took us to the campsite to play some team building games. Our theme for the week was team work so running around playing games to get to know our instructors, teachers and each other better was a great start to the trip. The Insight Adventure guides showed us the laser tag equipment and how to play safely then we were ready to go, class v class. Some students took to the turrets, whilst the rest were ducking and weaving through trees, diving into bunkers to avoid being tagged. Once we were all harnessed up, we took turns climbing up the leap of faith. When it came to my turn I was full of jittery nerves but it was a good feeling just like going over the top of a rollercoaster. I grabbed hold of the rungs and started to climb, once I got to the top I took a second to admire the view, you could see the mountains for miles and below the smiling faces of your friends cheering you on. I was knocked out of that trance when a gust of wind came, and the pole wobbled precariously. I slowly put one foot, then the other onto the small circle at the top of the pole and rose slowly upwards before reaching out and leaping for the bar and closing my fingers around the cool metal. I came back down smiling, ready for the rock climbing. That evening we had a barbecue as a celebration of the last night, we were served chicken balls, sausages, pork skewers, bread and vegetables. Overall, it was the perfect way to end an amazing China Week.
Lucy Holland 8DL
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YEAR 9 ENJOY PICTURESQUE YANGSHUO When Year 9 arrived in Yangshuo we were introduced to a very different side of China - a more rural and beautiful one. Not only that but the many activities presented to us always kept us on our feet. It was action-packed from abseiling or just a very enjoyable activity such as sightseeing whilst on a hike. What most people enjoyed were activities such as caving and raft-building but what I liked the most and so did the other “adrenaline junkies” was the anticipation of abseiling. Though the journey was long it was totally worth it.
Osbert Han 9GA
“The best China Week ever, it was amazing. We did all sorts of activities like raft building, abseiling, and cooking. China Week was invaluable, really good for our class spirit.” Callum Hepburn 9DS The China Week magazine of Dulwich College Shanghai
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“Survival Day was the most challenging activity of all. Not only did I learn skills to survive the wild but also learnt that teamwork and positive attitudes were crucial in surviving as a group.� Amelia Lee 10JA
The China Week magazine of Dulwich College Shanghai
YEAR 10 IN SHENZHEN Vibrant crimson and gold beams of light shot across the dusky sky as the sun set over a turbulent ocean. Another day, the sun shone brightly over the brilliantly blue ocean split into separate bays like twin moons. These were just a couple of the fantastic sights we, as Year 10 students, encountered during our ‘once in a lifetime’ China Week trip to Twin Moon Bay, a three hour drive east of Shenzhen. We saw beautiful sights; built and or cultivated our personal friendships; and improved our leadership skills. On Monday our adventure started. After the flight, we drove to Twin Moon Bay in the middle of a typhoon with rain lashing down and buffeting the bus. We arrived at the hotel in torrential rain with a violent sea in front of us. We then had three great days of activities designed for us by our Insight Adventure tour guides. In my group, we did a survival day first, with raftbuilding, hiking, and camping. During the hiking my group got slightly lost, perhaps because we were hopeless at reading maps! Later the raft and shelter building were both great experiences where we
worked together as a team. It was not easy building a shelter or a starting a fire in the heavy rain but we managed it. The next day, we got the amazing opportunity to go surfing and sailing. Surfing was new experience and many people could be seen standing proudly on their surfboards after only a few hours. On the third day, we went geocaching, saw sea turtles, built sandcastles, and roasted bread on a campfire. Somehow, inconceivably, my group managed to get lost while geocaching even using a satellite GPS, until our lovely classmates rescued us. We had fun on the beach in the afternoons as the sun was setting doing beach cleaning, creating sand art and just bouncing around in the waves and playing in the surf. When the Friday arrived, it was sad to be leaving Shenzhen so soon, but each and every one of us had learned something about ourselves and each other. Our China Week in Twin Moon Bay was certainly something that none of us will ever forget.
Isabella Fincher 10JA
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YEAR 11 VISIT BEIJING Upon our arrival in Beijing, everyone was eager to cycle, swim, cook or shake. Swimming was strenuous, without having swimming at all. For those who cooked and mixed drinks, they realised there was so much more history to the local delicacies than meets the eye. It was delicious and memorable evening, especially with the mocktails set on the roof-tops above the Hutong’s quaint offices. Next morning we were off to the grounds of the Temple of Heaven, where we participated in four activities with the local Chinese people. They were really receptive and excited to see us in their park and they amazed us with their activities of strength, poise, balance and coordination. We danced and joined in much to their delight. On Wednesday we cooked and made tea to the local taste and design while the other half of the group explored the Hutongs around the Confucius Temple. The hustle and bustle of the local café’s and restaurants provided a colourful kaleidoscope of Chinese modern street culture. We visited and explored the art districts while half the group ventured out of the city to a less touristy vista of the Great Wall. The climb up and down proved a significant challenge although the beautiful clear blue skies made the effort well worthwhile. To finish our week we gorged on Peking Duck and watched an acrobatic display including high wires, giant hamster wheels, bicycles and eight motor bikes zooming wildly but with incredible synchronicity inside a small wire cage in the darkness. We all stood and gave a standing ovation as the sun set on a magnificent China Week.
Celine Cheung 11CT, Isabelle Sturt 11JM, Bethany McAtee 11BH, Matthew Tan 11BH and Charmaine Tan, 11PF
The China Week magazine of Dulwich College Shanghai
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YEAR 12 VENTURE TO INNER MONGOLIA
“An extraordinary bonding experience that both exceeded our comfort zones and taught us an appreciation of Mongolian culture.� Gamma Mpetsheni 12DB From the very beginning, our expectations were low after having to spend nearly 2 hours in the airport contemplating the fact that we would not be able to shower for two straight days. However, by the next day and throughout the rest of the trip, all of our hopes were exceeded spectacularly. We had the chance to experience some delicious local cuisine and interact with the amiable Mongolian locals. In addition, we also had the amazing opportunity to learn some simple Mongolian phrases and experience Mongolian culture first hand.
The China Week magazine of Dulwich College Shanghai
Our trip included many exciting and unique activities such as when we visited the Yulong Desert. While we were there, some of us climbed the sand dunes to enjoy the beautiful view of the clear skies, while others had the chance to ride camels as well. We also participated in a mock local festival called the ‘Nadam Festival’ where we competed in Mongolian activities including archery, wrestling, whip making and dancing in our respective houses. It was truly a once in a life time opportunity to enjoy genuine Mongolian culture.
The climax of the trip was the night we spent in the Mongolian yurts. Welcomed by a traditional Mongolian ceremony, we donned a blue scarf each and performed the welcoming ritual with wine (water). Celebrating the night by a classic bonfire, we enjoyed performances from our organizers and fellow students. Though, it was obvious that the winning performance was Mr. Simpson’s rendition of “The Circle of Life”. Even though we were all glad to go home to our nice warm beds in the end, we will never forget the wonderful time we spent in Inner Mongolia and the bonds that we built along this trip.
Wai Yeng Ngoi 12DB and Wayne Han 12CV
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“It was a perfect mix of productive work and fun with Lara Nathie 13SS friends!”
“A week of quality time spent with my tutor group working towards great things.” Peter Yoon 13SS
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The China Week magazine of Dulwich College Shanghai
YEAR 13 FOCUS IN SHANGHAI Focus week gave our Year 13 students the time they needed to research their Universities, write first and final drafts of personal statements and college essays and to move forward in their writing of the Extended Essay. Each day was carefully balanced with intense work sessions, entertaining breaks and fun activities. Our University Counsellors provided summary sessions to help the students with the tasks at hand and our IB Diploma Coordinator introduced the students to another critical component of the Extended Essay, writing the abstract. The Counsellors and the Form Tutors were on hand to read and provide instant feedback. To keep the work/fun balance that is at the heart of IB, a tutor group competition was run. The first event was the breaktime preparation of refreshments. The Year 13 students took this part of the competition to a new level and entering the IB common room at break became more of an adventure, into the unknown. We visited Hogwarts, Hawaii, a Casino, had a slumber party and celebrated Christmas
early. Activities ensured that no one was bored and food was a plenty. The Tutor Competition activities ended each day on a high. We had dodge ball, tug of war, interesting relay races and ten pin bowling, all leading to the grand finale International Buffet and Talent show. The students with all levels of cooking experience from “How do I wash this cucumber,” to “ Master Chef here I come,” jumped into the challenge of preparing two meals from two different countries in a classroom. Judges found it difficult to decide on a winner, as the food was amazing. After the International lunch and a lot of cleaning up, we all rolled into the Common Room for the DCS has talent show. Each tutor group delighted in the opportunity to show off their talents, although some of us may never look at a Beyonce music video the same way again! Great laughs were shared and great talent exposed. Well Done! Year 13 students and all teachers involved for a wonderful week and Well Done! Mrs. Watson for putting it all together.
Ms. Lynda Evans 12LE Form Tutor Assistant Head of Mathematics
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The China Week magazine of Dulwich College Shanghai
CHINA WEEK 2014 GALLERIES
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The College Magazine is written and produced exclusively by the students, staff and community of Dulwich College Shanghai Š2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The views expressed in the features are individual and do not represent the views of Dulwich College Shanghai as a whole. We welcome any feedback to editor@dulwich-shanghai.cn