Let's take 300 High School students on a trip!

Setting off on any journey with students takes a great deal of organization. So, too did the yearly trip that we make with our SBS group here in Beijing. The 300 students and teachers had buses, food, slow trains, fast trains, sleeper trains, tickets for museums and navy ships, as well as dinners and all the rest organized, as we set out at 5:00 in the morning.The purpose of the trip is to show the students some of the historical and educational places in China, to travel as a group and form a cohesive group and to get to know one another in a less formal setting. And that it did! Our first day was in the city of Qingdao (where Tsingtao beer is made, amongst other things, but that was a highlight for me) and visited a navy museum as well as taking a walk on the 40 km boardwalk that edges along the East China Sea.We visited the exhibition of World Architecture and hung out by the beach as well. The birth place of Taosim was a particular delight as we got to climb hundreds of steps to a beautiful waterfall. All on a brilliant sunny day!Weihai, the most livable city in China was a delight. Here we visited the Liugong Island which is an amazing historical site that commemorates the Sino-Japanese war. China is very proud of its history, even if it is a war where many were lost. It’s the learning that is important.The last part of the journey was an overnight train ride of 16 hours. I, along with 5 other teachers, were situated with 60 or so Grade 12 boys in compartment 15. Let’s just say, it was an odiferous ride! It’s always good to get back home, but what a great opportunity to travel with a group o large, easily and successfully. We never lost a child, and all were accounted for all throughout the journey. An amazing success!