A group of 37 excited students from Margaret River Senior High School recently set out on the cultural experience of a lifetime, travelling to China as part of their sister-school program.
The Year 9 and 10 students were joined by equally excited teachers – Angela McCoy, Martin Keen, Liam Smith and Principal Andrew Host – as they toured the sights and at times, became the main attraction.
“It was amazing, the kids were great representatives of the school and of our country,” Ms McCoy said.
“They were polite, kind and respectful but they also had a lot of fun, and for many of the students this was their first taste of real Chinese culture.
“The food was good, the kids willingness to dig in and try everything was great and bodes well for the success of this great adventure.”
Ms McCoy said the students embraced activities with enthusiasm and on one occasion, jumped at the chance to join in some dancing.
“It was really great because all the kids got up and started dancing, so everyone rushed over to take photos and suddenly all these Chinese people were crowding around, filming and watching them.
“A few officials were concerned about what was happening because of such a large crowd but they soon realised it was just some kids from Australia and they were also happy to see them getting involved.”
Ms McCoy, who provided essential services, translation and cultural advice on the visit, said the students’ bright red caps helped the group stand out, with the added benefit of being able to spot them in a crowd.
The itinerary was jam-packed, leaving the young travellers with little energy to get up to mischief while away from home.
A welcome dinner in Haining was a fancy affair, where Mr Host discussed education policy with notable members of the community – the Deputy Major, Principal, District Commissioner and Deputy Principals from the city.
At Haining No.1 School (MRSHS sister school) students spent time in a variety of classes in a group of 48 students.
“It was certainly a different feel to our classrooms at Margaret River,” Ms McCoy said.
Mr Keen and Mr Smith were also called upon to deliver a lesson to Chinese students at the school.
“Continuing our tradition of not giving anyone a chance to rest and relax too much, from the school it was straight to the train station, which was a chance to experience some major crowds, then on the overnight train to Beijing.
“Our ‘Shop, Eat,Travel, Experience’ mantra continued through Beijing and Xian, where students all came away with wonderful time and a great experience in their memories.”
Ms McCoy said the school community should be extremely proud of the way the students conducted themselves on the trip, while clearly enjoying themselves and learning much about their destination.
“The students outdid themselves for good behaviour and shone as school representatives, we couldn’t be prouder of them.
“We would also like to send our sincere thanks to the Shire of Augusta Margaret River for their support on this China trip.”
Nicky Lefebvre
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
