In March 2018, 18 Beaver students traveled to China for 12 days and documented their experience through their cameras and travel journals.
The students on this trip were Max Bergstrand ’19, Bekah Morrison ’19, Will Mast ’20, Teddy Duval ’20, Kalala Kiwanuka-Woernle ’18, Sumaya Ibrahim ’20, Neena Val ’20, Lina Huang ’19, Araisy Guerrero ’18, Abe González ’18, Emma Li Frorer-Pinis ’19, Nicole Kelly-Aglio ’20, Alex Denomme ’19, Amy Chan ’18, Jade Bacherman ’18, Tomás González ’19, Joddy Nwankwo ’18, and Tyler Price ’19. Along with faculty chaperons Ms. Xu, Ms. Alkire, and Mr. Ingenthron.
During the trip they went to Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai, and got to explore a few of the many landmarks and destinations of China. They got to see the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, Great Wall of China, Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Emei, a panda breeding center, the Chengdu Museum, and more. They went shopping at the Pearl Market, learned to cook at the Chuancais Museum, people watched at the 798 Art District, and even sang karaoke at KTV. They did all of this while trying local cuisine along the way like peking duck, orange chicken, rice, noodles, bok choy, beef, dumplings, and more.
Also while they were abroad they got to visit the Chengdu No.7 High School, which is the school that the 12 exchange students who had come to Beaver for a week in February 2018 were from. Beaver students got to experience different classes and activities at the school like gym, calligraphy, traditional Chinese painting, and music. Each student was assigned an exchange partner and they stayed with them and their families at their homes. This experience allowed Beaver students to see an inside look into a typical Chinese family’s home life, work on their Chinese, learn how to make traditional Chinese food, and visit nearby museums and attractions. By the end of the trip everyone was sad to leave their exchange partners and host families but happy for all they had gotten to experience.
Check out a video about the whole exchange experience between Chengdu No.7 and Beaver made by Jade Bacherman ’18:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDukC8GyYhs
To see China through Beaver students’ eyes, check out the BVR goes to China Tumblr and read a few student reflections from each day of their trip.