The 13-day immersion trip to Beijing was a lesson both in class and outside of class. Lessons were taught in the school we were attached to, Beijing National Day School, and the various attractions such as the Palace Museum and Great Wall of China which we paid visits to.

The first part of our trip involved a six-day attachment to Beijing National Day School. The purpose of the attachment was to learn how students in Beijing studied and adopt the positive attributes of their learning process. We were attached in groups of two to different classes, whereby we were partnered with a local student from the school. These students were our link to the school and its activities; explaining to us the various facets of the school curriculum, simplifying phrases and language used in their class and also showing us around the school.

Left and Right: Monday morning featured a weekly-performed morning assembly with the inclusion of one of our own students giving a speech in front of the 5000 odd strong student population.

Left: Other interesting activities we took part in included a wushu lesson, where we were taught swordplay, something local students were not offered.

Right: The Western entrance of the school.

At the end of the six-day programme, we bade farewell to our peers in typical AC style, with photos and exchange of contacts, making sure none of us would lose touch with each other.

After the end of the school programme, we began on the second part of our journey, visiting different places of interests, old and new, to understand the culture of Beijing and China as a whole.

We visited cultural sites such as the Palace Museum, the Great Wall at Ba Da Ling post, the Summer Palace, Marco Polo Bridge, where we learnt of the Chinese mythology and the symbolic meanings of every detail found in these places, such as the dragon that signify the Emperor and the phoenix that represents the Empress. In the newer attractions, such as the military museum, Bird Nest Stadium and Water Cube, we learnt about China’s current abilities and their contributions to the global society in both events and security.

Beyond the culture, we also heard and read about the history of these sites and their meaning to the Chinese people. We also heard about the massiveness of these projects, such as the manpower needed in the construction of the Great Wall and Bird Nest Stadium, showing China’s continuance in being the worldwide leader of major constructions.

The whole group in front of the Palace Museum.

The teachers who accompanied us on the trip.

The trip was a continuous learning experience, so even at meals, we got to learn about the traditional Beijing cuisine, such as salted dishes, vegetables that couldn’t be found in Singapore and most widely known, the Peking Roast Duck. Some of these dishes showed us the variance in culinary preference between Singaporeans and Beijing Chinese, emphasizing our lack of understanding of the Chinese culture before our trip to Beijing.

Overall, the trip was a fulfilling one, where we made friends, got to understand the history and current situation about Beijing, and learn about the culture and mythologies of our forefathers.

Reported by: Fernando Loo (1SC1, Dec2008)