A group of Sunshine Beach State High School (SBSHS) students visited China in April this year. When the offer came through I was delighted that my daughter was keen to go. What an opportunity! The teachers Helen Leyden and Sam Williams did a fantastic job preparing the trip. They guided us parents well through the complicated visa application process and other preparations. During the trip the teachers used ‘My Chat’ to send continuous updates and it was so exciting to experience the trip in real-time from afar.
Here is a travel report by Lucy Cantori from Sunshine Beach State High School:
Making friends on the other side of the world
Sunshine Beach State High School students have been busy making friends on the other side of the world after a group of students recently returned from a trip to their sister school in China.
More than 20 students made the trip to visit Ougu Middle School, near Shanghai, after both schools signed a sister school partnership last year.
Acting deputy principal Helen Leyden said the trip had been part of the school’s plan to develop “global partnerships” and had been an “adventure” for all the students involved.
“It was an incredible experience,” she said. “I have been lucky enough to visit Ouqu Middle School on two occasions and meet with students and teachers. It is a wonderful school, with students who are very excited about developing friendships with our students from Sunshine Beach.”
“We hope that our relationship with Ouqu will build intercultural understanding and a sense of global citizenship in students and staff from both schools.”
Not only did students go bike riding in Beijing, climb the Great Wall of China and visit the Forbidden City; they also got to delve into the Chinese culture by doing a homestay with one of their sister school’s family for four nights.
Year 9 student, Sophie Bandera, said she thought the homestay was the best part of the trip.
“I really enjoyed both parts of the experience – hosting a Chinese student in my own home and going to China to become part of a host family,” she said.
“My favourite part of this program was definitely to witness the ordinary life of a Chinese family, as though I was part of that family. It was better than I could have ever imagined and from it, I gained a great friendship with my host student and her family too.”
Ms Leyden said while there were plenty of friendships formed, there also was some friendly rivalry between the two schools with a China vs. Australia basketball game taking place – which diplomatically ended in a draw.
There will, however, be plenty of time for a rematch when Ougu Middle School come to Sunshine Beach to visit with 22 of their students later in August.
The Ougu Middle School website ‘Long distance never separates bosom friends!’
Some more impressions from the trip:
Tai Chi in the Temple of Heavens gardens.
