Exchange trip to the Concord College of Sino-Canada, Shenzhen CHINA
Round Square Exchange trip to the Concord College of Sino-Canada, Shenzhen CHINA - Dates: 11th - 19th June 2018
The ten day exchange programme to Shenzhen, China, was an experience of a lifetime and the entire group of 16 students and their teachers can attest to that. One can say without a moment of hesitation; that the diverse beauty, cultures and traditions of this country makes China a country of wonder! They returned not only with lifelong memories and friendships, but also new learnings and an insight into the rich Chinese culture and heritage.
The trip was exhilarating from the very beginning. After a long flight to Beijing, followed by a connecting flight to Shenzhen, the students finally landed at the bustling city- the place, which they would call home for the next eight days. Shenzhen is a city of unimaginable beauty, especially at night. One would be left marveling at the buildings lined with lights of every colour, flashing and shining so bright, that they glistened in the starry skies. The bus ride from the airport to the school left the students stunned; as they endlessly gazed out the windows in order to catch a glimpse of the beautiful city. After a warm welcome and an exotic Chinese dinner, the students were exhausted after a long day of traveling.
The next day was perhaps one of the most engaging days of this trip. It was the day of the opening ceremony, the day the students met and spent time with their hosts, while also enjoying the scenic beauty of the lush green hills and the beautiful coastline that surrounded Shenzhen. The long bus ride to the beach provided the students with the perfect opportunity to break the ice with their hosts, and also learn more about the Chinese culture and lifestyle. They learnt about the long hours the students spent at school every day, their dedication towards education and success. Despite language barriers, the students did not find it too difficult to communicate with their hosts because of the similarity in cultures between the two countries. While one group explored the beach, played several games including dodge ball and volleyball; the other group hiked up the grassy mountains.
The blue waves crashing onto the wide coastline was a sight to see, and the weather was pleasant and perfect until the clouds decided to part and shower down cold rainwater. After the exciting beach experience, donning their raincoats, the students went trekking to a restaurant atop a hill that overlooked the scenic surroundings. After a delicious meal of traditional Chinese and dozens of pictures they began their journey back to the school. On the way the students stopped at another beach, where they played several games and then took a group picture. It was a fantastic day and a great start to this exchange!
The next day the students attended classes in the school, along with their new friends. Some of the classes that they participated in were English, Physics, and Calligraphy. It was fascinating to learn how the Chinese students studied, the effort they put into their work and the different methods in which they learnt the same topics that had been taught to the students at DAIS.
The Chinese students had two teachers teaching them English, one expatriate teacher who helped them improve their vocabulary and language, while the other teacher taught to them in Mandarin, helping them improve their skills at writing and literature. The rest of the day was spent shopping and exploring a massive mall. It was the perfect end to a perfect day, and the glittering skyline and fluffy clouds lining the mauve sky disappeared as an exciting day neared its end.
The students spent the next few days caught up in the routine of the school, attending classes, rehearsing for the cultural performance, and most entertaining of all - hosting late evening football matches with the Chinese students! They also visited a Chinese cultural village - Splendid China.
The enormous park consisted of several statutes, which represented key aspects of the Chinese culture and gave them an insight to the rich cultural heritage of China. They began by watching a thrilling show in a massive arena, which showcased intruders invading a particular community-, which could possibly have been a glimpse of the history of China. Although the show was in Mandarin, one could easily grasp the contents of the show. With extremely loud explosions and stunts with fire and water, it was extremely enjoyable, fast-paced and thrilling. The show featured several amazing stunts displayed by well-trained horses and showcased the traditional dances of China. The students ended the day by shopping for souvenirs and after an exciting Chinese dinner, returned to their dormitories. Students also engaged themselves in a cooking activity. They prepared a dish known as the Zongzi (a rice dumpling wrapped in reed leaves), a special dish eaten by the Chinese, on the day of the upcoming ‘Dragon Boat Festival’
At the end of the week, the students attended several classes; including a Mandarin class, a Tai chi class (a Chinese martial art), and also a singing class where they learnt a Chinese song. This was all in preparation of the closing ceremony, which was scheduled later, in the evening.The ceremony saw a wonderful dance performance by the Chinese students, an address by the Heads of the school. The Cultural programme put up by the students of DAIS included three dances, a presentation highlighting the Indian culture, the Chinese song and the Tai Chi act, which they had learnt earlier in the day. At the end of a group song sung by the students and their hosts, and a final group picture, the students were all set to spend an eventful weekend with their hosts!
Staying with the host family: This was one of the most exciting parts of the exchange, where the students lived in a Chinese household for three days. It was the best opportunity for the students to experience the new culture, spend time with their new friends and family, observe their lifestyle, and explore the city along with their hosts! Every student was engaged in different activities planned by their hosts - litchi-picking, exploring the popular theme park ‘Happy Valley’, or even visiting the famous tourist attraction ‘The Window of the World’. Spending time with their host families, watching movies, visiting malls, playing basketball and football, tasting the mouth-watering Chinese delicacies, driving around the city at night, gazing endlessly at the enormous skyscrapers made them realize how comfortable and secure they felt at their new homes away from Mumbai. The experience was beyond description; it was interactive, engaging, exciting, informative and full of unforgettable memories and friendships. All in all; the hospitality and warmth of the students, their host parents and the school teachers was absolutely heartwarming.
Reflections:
Krish Waghani:
“The Round Square trip to China is the best experience I have ever had. During our stay we learned about the Chinese cultures, and also inherited their lifestyle over the long weekend that we spent with them. While we learned a lot, we also had a lot of fun. The cultural performances at Splendid China were one of the finest I’ve ever seen. This is a trip I’d never forget”.
Vishwaroop Chhabria:
“This cultural exchange experience has been extremely memorable. Besides learning about the cultures and traditions of people from another country, I also had the unique opportunity to gain knowledge about their daily lives and various other topics such as their household rules, diet, their attitudes and interests. This experience has influenced my life by instilling some important quintessential values in me that have helped me become a better person”.
Arjun Asudani:
“Our trip to Shenzhen, China, was an unforgettable experience. To be honest, every moment on this trip was worthwhile. Be it waking up early in the morning, or playing football with the students of SCCSC late in the night - to – running frantically from shop to shop, or practicing our performances last minute, everything had its own unique feeling. Words cannot describe how we felt, as this experience not only changed our mindset about Chinese culture, but also taught us how to appreciate their thoughts and beliefs. We saw how our lives, though slightly different from theirs, is still similar in so many ways. ROUND SQUARE is a unique programme, which has taught me that culture and mindset of people may be very different in countries around the world; yet, we remain united in some way or the other”.
Atharva Nihalani:
“It has been a unique experience, living in a different country, residing with a family whose culture was totally new to me. It gave me an insight into the contrasting lifestyles and the difference in their work schedule at school - the two-hour nap time in the afternoon. I feel that this trip has made me more responsible and helped make connections with people from another land, and brought me closer to some from our own”.
Kyra Roy:
“The first thing that hit me about China when I landed there was the inherent comfort in their Cultural sensibility that a lot of the world is losing. The thing I felt was remarkable about Shenzhen was the fact that the development is planned and they are much more conscious of cleanliness. A combination of policy and people’s will has made China the dragon of opportunity that it is”.
Adya Rohira:
“The Round Square trip to China was an experience that is hard to forget. It was indeed very enjoyable to learn about Chinese culture. I learnt that expectations and reality are completely different. This trip has definitely made me a lot more independent and understanding towards different cultures. Although it was hard to communicate with the Chinese at times, it was the hunger for knowledge, and the warmth of our hearts that brought us together”.
Ria Mittal:
“The China exchange programme was one of the best experiences of my life. It gave me a beautiful insight to the unique Chinese culture. There were a lot of fun activities planned for us from beach games, shopping at malls and even attending the student’s classes. The weekend at my host family’s house was also a lot of fun and she took me to a lot of places in the city”.
Akaesha Negi Tandon:
“China is a country of wonder, that in spite of being our neighbour we barely know anything about. This trip has widened not only my palate and the knowledge of the world around me but will always be cherished in my heart and added to my list of favourite experiences. Right from the beginning it has been exhilarating and the stay with my host (Eleanor) and her family took it to another level. There is beauty everywhere in China, but you just need the right mind to explore it. Thank you for this experience”.
Devika Kothari:
“Our exchange program in Shenzhen, China has definitely been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I learned a great deal about the rich culture and heritage of China and of how similar it was to India in so many aspects. I can safely say that we have formed some immensely strong bonds with the students of SCCSC that will hopefully turn into lifelong friendships. It was a fantastic learning experience for me and I'm truly grateful to everyone who made this trip possible”.
Dev Mehta:
“The exchange to Shenzhen, China was a great experience for me as I learnt about Chinese culture, art and heritage. I also learnt about the student life and what its like to live in China. So, overall it was a great experience to learn about a foreign country in a unique interactive way”.
Aakash Doshi:
“The Round Square trip to SCCSC was a pleasurable way to experience Chinese culture in its purest form. It helped us find similarities in our differences, allowing us to understand the new culture. I think speak for myself as well as the rest of our delegations when I say that this experience was perhaps one of the most remarkable experiences of my life”.
Kahaan Jain:
“I don't think a few words can fully describe the wonderful time I had in the Shenzhen Concord College of Sino-Canada and the weekend that I spent with my host, Billy and his family. My host and his family are the kindest people I have ever met. We had a great time together visiting amusement parks, playing basketball and shopping. He didn't hesitate to go out of his way to ensure my happiness and comfort. Along with having fun, I learnt a lot about Chinese cultures, religions and their language, Mandarin”.
Ahaan Bhansali:
“Summing up this eventful trip in a few sentences is no easy task; and finding somewhere to begin is even more challenging! Truth be told, I expected experiencing an entirely different culture during our wonderful visit. However, during my days spent at the bustling city of Shenzhen I noticed several similarities between both the Indian and Chinese cultures. Taking off footwear at the doorstep, a small temple in the house and munching on meals together were not uncommon at a regular Chinese household! It’s been amazing observing the lifestyles of the Chinese students; their long school hours, their passion for football and our exciting football matches with them, or even their ‘shopping time’ as I learnt to call it, during a typical weekend or a ‘break from school’. I come back with a broader perspective of the rich Chinese culture, a more open and understanding mind, and maybe even the ‘art of eating with chopsticks’! After all, the memories and relationships that were formed must be truly special if we could break communication barriers and interact with our Chinese companions so freely!”
