We woke to the sound of the traffic below and knew that it was our final day in Chengdu. We went down to level 2 in our hotel and sat down for a buffet breakfast. For breakfast there was a vast variety of food ranging from eggs and toast to chicken feet. After breakfast we went back to our room to pack for the train to Chongquing. After a quick tidy up we were out of our rooms by 8am and ready for the day ahead.
Our trip to Zongbei Middle School was full of excitement and anticipation for both schools. We arrived at the school receiving a warm welcoming from the staff, including the headmaster of the school. The Zongbei Middle School has 5 campuses throughout the Sichuan province, housing over 5,000 children from years 7-9. We were first given a tour of the school from a selection of students and staff and saw first hand what life was like for a student in China. The differences were great, such as the number of students per classroom, but there were also many similarities between the two schools. The students were so eager to meet us and practice their English.
After the tour we were taken to a room modelling the United Nations headquarters where the students discuss important world issues. After a formal presentation we entered into group conversation and debate over issues like American Presidential election and Brexit. Following this, we got to speak to students individually, highlighting the differences between our knowledge of foreign languages as well as our different opinions.
Next, we joined the entire school in their daily physical exercises. Seeing and participating in this was incredible, everyone seemed to love keeping fit. Activities in the morning exercise included: push ups, squats, running and jumping. After the morning exercises we either went into a pottery class or a Kung Fu lesson. These were great fun as we got to work with the students more closely.
After saying goodbye to the children and teachers we got on the bus and visited a Buddhist temple in Chengdu. It was very large and showcased the beauty of Chinese religion. Finally, we made our way to the train station where, for some of us, was the first time on a bullet train. It peaked at 300 km/h and by 6:30 we were in Chongquing. The city is one of the largest in China, with over 35 million people making it one of the most populated cities worldwide, yet, not many people have ever heard of Chongquing. On our hour long drive to the boat we saw the vastness of the city. As we approached the Yangtze River, we were greeted with a modern skyline filled with hundreds of skyscrapers, all lit up like Christmas trees.
Finally, we boarded our cruise ship, where we were relieved to relax and enjoy our dinner before setting sail at about 9pm. Chongquing is so large that tomorrow morning we will still be in the boundaries of the city.
Daniel and Filip
