Globe-trotting pupils visit the Great Wall
CHINA’S Great Wall, its terracotta army and Tiananmen Square were among the iconic features visited by students from Burbage on a groundbreaking school trip.
Fifteen pupils from Hastings High School, accompanied by three members of staff, made the school’s first educational visit to the far east during the summer holidays.
With a focus on Buddhism, the visit involved ethics, philosophy and religion students from Year 10, now in Year 11, who were hosted by the Luoyang Foreign Language School in Henan province.
Travelling more than 13,000 miles over 14 days in July and August, the group saw sights that many people will only know from TV or Google.
Highlights included taking a cable car up to the Great Wall and a toboggan slide down, and visiting the Longmen Grottoes which are said to be some of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art, featuring tens of thousands of statues of Buddha and his disciples.
Hastings’ head of RE Karen McQuillin said: “The trip gave the students the opportunity to truly broaden their horizons by visiting a country rich with ancient culture, art, literature and philosophy and have an authentic experience of China.”
Ethics GCSE student Olly Middleton said: “It surprised me to see the differences in wealth, culture and spirit in each city.
“The difference between Beijing and Shanghai was unbelievable.
“Sometimes it was like visiting different countries.
“The country is clearly developing at a rapid rate and it was an amazing experience to see first- hand the cultural beauty of an emerging communist country.”
Fellow ethics GCSE student Rajan Gadri (who can be seen in the Great Wall picture on the front row, second right in a peach coloured T-shirt) said: “It was an experience of a lifetime.
“I will for sure want to go back and walk again along the Great Wall.
“It was really was an incredible adventure.”
Ms McQuillin said special thanks were due to Melanie Li, the director of London-based 5 Star China Holidays who ensured the long-distance travelling went to plan.
The school is already making arrangements for a similar trip next year which will give a further 30 Year 10 students the chance to experience China for themselves.