Young Leaders to China _________________________Page

from Virtus Yearbook 2014

Brennan Houghton ____________________________Page

I was part of a group of 12 SJC students that went to China under a government program. This is my Buddy and I standing in front of the Beijing Opera house. We were there as it is near a lot of other Chinese attractions (such as Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. It is a marvelous sight that we could both relate to and represented the advancement of the City of Beijing and China. It amazed me that Europe and China could be so far away from each other but both developed entertainment from stories told completely through song. This photo is important to me as it shows the friendships that were formed in china and how we grew to form one close bond, a unified Australia and China.

- James Bowers

This picture was taken when we visited one of the schools affiliated with the college that we were staying at in Nanjing. While we were there we participated in a few activities including a Chinese drumming lesson, a Chinese poem class and a tour of the school. I found it really interesting to see what a Chinese primary school was like and how the students behaved as opposed to here in Australia.

- David Higginbottom

The Young Leaders to China Program has changed my life forever. Travelling to China has developed my mandarin language abilities in all aspects, whether it be reading, writing, or verbal communication. I have been enabled to immerse myself in a culture that is completely different from my own, which has taught me many useful lessons, surrounded me in the company of amazing people and introduced me to new and exotic ways of life. I have even journeyed to some of the most ancient and brilliant landmarks of the world, such as the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. However, most importantly, my eyes have been opened so that I am able to view the world and its surroundings, and be thankful for everything I have. The barriers have been broken in my mind, so that I no longer view the planet stereotypically, but realistically. This experience has given me a greater Intercultural understanding, and moulded me into an open-minded global citizen.

- Liam Jelley

Hey there, my name’s Mitchell, In 2013 I decided I wanted to go to China for the history and the language that I could learn. In 2014, my classmates and I went to China. Beijing was the very first place we stayed. I found it to be a tourist attraction, as there was so many places to see. This picture is of me at The Great Wall of China, having a break, being tired. (Taken by my Chinese Buddy)

- Mitchell Wharmby

The trip to China was an amazing experience. My Chinese speaking skills were vastly improved, and opened my eyes to how complex and different the language is to our own. Not only did the trip improve my Chinese vocabulary, it also opened up my eyes to how big the globe is! I’ve learnt so much about Asian culture and language, and feel as if this experience has helped me to become a more mature young man. This is me and a Chinese student working together in an English class at the High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University. We communicated in both Chinese and English, but I tried to speak Chinese whenever I could. I helped him with answering questions in English. He helped me in Chinese by teaching me new words and correcting my pronunciation. We became good friends over the stay in Beijing.