I think it's safe to say that the fondest memories most of us hold from our school days are those we spent on school camps and day trips, away from the classroom and exploring the unknown. You are taken out of your comfort zone and challenged to show your independence, given the space to open up and let in new friends and knowledge, then sent home thriving from all you achieved.
With this in mind, we asked the schools in Shanghai about their experiences on student trips. Whether the children took a bus to a city museum or a flight to Tanzania, at the core of their adventure was a desire to create an appreciation for the world around them, and identify how they can make a positive impact in the future.
With passionate teachers, curious minds and inspiring locations, the students were given a solid foundation to view the world through a different lens and create lasting memories. Now, let's hear from students from international schools across the city and see what they view about school trips.
What has been your most memorable school trip?
The Art Trip that we took last year to the Long museum is a standout. We went there for two exhibitions - Antony Gormley: Still Moving and Rembrandt, Vermeer and Hals in the Dutch Golden Age. For me, visiting these museums with friends who have the same interest was a wonderful experience. We not only had the opportunity to closely appreciate the amazing paintings, but we also had the time to sketch several of them on our sketchbooks.
Karen Xiang is in Grade 11 at Shanghai United International School Gubei
Our Grade 10 trip to Inner Mongolia provided a very different experience for most of us, as we’d never been to a desert before. One of the most important things we learnt was the importance of rules and leadership for any task. While orienteering through the desert, we were supposed to pick a leader and trust them to lead us to the right flags. Most of us failed, but it was a brilliant experience as we all collaborated with each other.
Arundhati Gore is in Grade 10 at Shanghai Singapore International School
Going to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts was extremely memorable. We all developed skills in communication, teamwork and innovation and collaborated with students from all over the world. We learnt about the design loop, putting our ideas forward and further improving the idea, until we had a final outcome. MIT was awesome!
Alison Ohene-Djan is in Year 8 at The British International School Shanghai, Puxi
Where would you go on a future trip and what would you do?
It would probably be a big metropolis. It’s a different sort of exploration altogether, because the complexity of a metropolis is what gives it its vibrancy, energy and mysteriousness. At night, the city breathes and lives with its own rhythm. Rooftops, the roadside, an unforgettable cafe, a shopping mall or an old alley, are all worth exploring.
Fredric is in Year 11 at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong.
The current trips already offer a wonderful experience for the senior school students and I enjoy them immensely. I would also like to explore areas in Xinjiang or Tibet, and participate in activities involving the local culture and sports at the same time.
Andrew Bulla is in Grade 11 at Shanghai Singapore International School
What has been the biggest learning outcome from a school trip?
For me, the San Shan Dao trip taught me many things, for example, overcoming my fears, learning how to cooperate against the contrasting lifestyle and tasting new food. Although this trip was important for learning, it has also let us enjoy exciting activities and amusing games.
Vivian is in Year 6 at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong
In my time at BISS, I’ve been on a great many trips, from the deserts of Mongolia to the football fields of Phuket. However, my trip to Tanzania takes the cake. Before we traveled to Tanzania, we undertook fundraising so we could contribute to the community in a sustainable way, for example, by installing solar panels. My main learning outcome was money is not everything. Though they didn't have much, Tanzanians were always happy and full of life.
Joshua Kennedy is in Year 9 at The British International School Shanghai, Puxi
In Pre IB we went to see the live performance art exhibition called 15 Rooms at the Long Museum. Before that exhibition, we had only seen paintings, and so this totally changed the way we thought about art. It left a lasting impression not only about what art is, but what it means to interact with art.
Alice Fan and Kevin Cai are in Grade 12 at Shanghai United International School Gubei
