My China Exchange: A Year 10 Student's Story
Year 10 student Madi spent the Term 1 holidays on a two-week China exchange, living with host families and attending school at Beijing National Day School and Shanghai Southwest Weiyu Middle School School. She writes about the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Shanghai Disneyland, and what she learned about Chinese culture.
During the Term 1 holidays, I was fortunate enough to go on the China exchange programme. We spent one week in Beijing at Beijing National Day School (BNDS), and another week in Shanghai at Shanghai Southwest Weiyu Middle School. The experience was incredibly rewarding, and I made memories that I will treasure for a lifetime.
Beijing: School Life and Historic Sites
After a lengthy flight to Beijing, we met our host families. I spluttered through the eight Chinese words in my vocabulary, and then they welcomed me to their country in perfect English. The score was 1–0.
While in Beijing, we spent our time experiencing Chinese school life and visiting historic sites. My time at BNDS was completely unique. My buddy and I would have breakfast in the school cafeteria. Lunch and dinner were again in the school cafeteria but… the other one? The school was so gigantic (I counted four gymnasiums on the tour), I wasn't entirely sure!
The school day consisted of some truly confusing classes in Chinese, which all left me nodding blankly and smiling.
The rest of the time in Beijing was devoted to touring some of China's most iconic sites and spending time with my buddy. All the school-led excursions were super interesting. My personal highlight was visiting the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China; being so close to crucial parts of history was surreal.
On the weekends, my host family showed me more of the city. From Beijing Opera to the Prince's Palace, and from roast pigeon to ostrich egg, I felt lucky to be having such a unique experience.
Shanghai: Bullet Trains, Bikes, and the Bund
Then we were off on a bullet train to Shanghai, where again we met our host families for the week. My buddy was super welcoming, and I was glad the school wasn't as gigantic as BNDS. While there, we sat in some classes to observe the similarities and differences.
Afterwards, exploring the city in Shanghai - with skyscrapers in every direction - was fascinating. Being surrounded by that many people at once is an experience unique to cities like Shanghai. My buddy and I explored the magical streets on public bikes, and I had to laugh at how unreal the situation was.
One of my all-time favourite places of the trip was the Jade Temple. I was completely mesmerised by the incredible architecture and statues. Of course, our day at Disneyland was truly spectacular – even though the queues lived up to their reputation, the whole day was super fun, especially the breathtaking fireworks.
To bring the trip to a bittersweet end, we went to the famous Bund at night. The colourful lights over the sea are an image I will never forget.
Looking Back
Overall, my time in China was a perfect mix of the excitement of rushing through packed streets and quiet admiration of historic landmarks. I learned how a culture thousands of kilometres away can be so similar and so different at the same time. I made some beautiful memories, and I hope to return one day to experience China again.
Madi
Year 10 Student