Students from Bishop Douglass School along with St Georges Catholic School and St Thomas More Catholic School took part in this year’s major residential trip. Seven days of sightseeing including the Great Wall of China, Beijing Zoo, the National Stadium – Bird’s Nest, Summer Palace, Forbidden City and much more. They learnt basic Chinese, Chinese calligraphy , tai chi and went to see an acrobatics show. 

All students connected with each other across different year groups and schools. They learnt to share their meals in a traditional Chinese manner, eating around a round table, sharing all dishes including the famous Beijing roast duck and Shanghainese dumplings. They attracted local people who wanted to talk to them and interact. Some locals joined in with the students when they were playing a game of jianzi (Chinese shuttlecock) outside the Temple of Heaven.

Some of the students share their views on the trip. 

Luke Mercer – Year 11 ‘This is the best school trip, ever!’
Andrii Koysa – Year 13 “The food was amazing! I felt like a superstar, all the local Chinese people wanted to take pictures with me”
Julia Kneer – Year 12 “China really opened my eyes to different cultures”
Beatriz Machado – Year 12 “The Great Wall was hard work! I really do not enjoy going up stairs but I can’t believe I was on the Great Wall” 

This was definitely a memorable visit with 30 students all gaining something from the trip and opening their eyes to another part of the world, gaining more global awareness.