(XJTLU, China - 16th September) As a part of activities hosted by Liverpool Pavilion at Shanghai 2010 Expo, a total number of 62 students (in five groups) from local secondary schools in Liverpool were invited to visit China from May to October. They will all visit Shanghai and volunteer at the Liverpool Pavilion for one day, and also spend a day in Suzhou to experience more traditional Chinese culture and scenery.
On 16th September, the fourth group of high school students and teachers from Liverpool visited Suzhou and XJTLU.
After a following one-day volunteer at Liverpool Pavilion, they will fly back to the UK. The last group of students will be coming next month for the Liverpool Pavilion Day.
This group of guests visited the historic street of Pingjiang Road, experienced Chinese tea culture, Suzhou-style foods and Kun opera - a kind of traditional Chinese opera. During their visit to XJTLU, they were taught about Chinese culture, including writing and reading some basic Chinese characters, paper- cutting and Chinese calligraphy.
Emily Rankin, 14, from the Belvedere Academy, described her experience in China as life changing :
Shanghai is a massive city and even Suzhou, is a very large one by our standards. Shanghai is so modern just like other big cities in the world. Although I have only been at the university for an hour, I m thinking about the possibility of coming back and studying here in the future.
Ryan Torley, from Cardinal Heenan Sports College, impressed everyone by writing out numbers from one to ten in Chinese. We had some Chinese lessons in Liverpool before we came. I m really interested in it so I decided to learn how to write some Chinese characters by myself. I really enjoyed my time in China, people here are very friendly.
Mr. Leslie Stewart, Partnership Development Manager of Cardinal Heenan High School Sports College, is one of the directors of this visiting group. He said: Shanghai and Suzhou are fascinating cities. We are all impressed by the country.
Mr. Stewart will be back in China next month and he hopes to travel around several more cities. I really want to work in this country for some time, definitely.
After the following one-day volunteer at Liverpool Pavilion, they will fly back to the UK. The last group of students will be coming next month for the Liverpool Pavilion Day.
Editor Ross Carragher
