2014 School Magazine

CHINA BY MEERA PRASAD (11O)

During the September holidays, eight Chinese language students from Years 10 and 11, and two brave teachers, travelled 7,482.73 kilometres to China! The China trip this year was even better than I thought. Being without parents really made you step up as an adult, find your maturity and responsibility and work as a team. The trip not only tested and improved our Chinese skills, but also created great confidence within each of us.

School. This experience was truly unforgettable and the friends we made were lovely. Our next stop was Xi’an where we visited sites such as the famous Terracotta Soldiers and the Muslim Quarter, and we even had a bicycle ride on the ancient city wall. Our final destination was the capital, Beijing. Seeing the historical landmarks such as The Great Wall of China and numerous temples was truly remarkable. The China trip was such an amazing experience, we not only came back with new friends but also a new outlook and appreciation for Chinese culture . ■

Once we landed in Shanghai there was no wasting time — we arrived at the hotel, dropped our bags and explored. We used our Chinese skills regularly, and immersed ourselves as locals, trying out the local delicacies and travelling by subway. For the better part of the first week we experienced life in our sister school, the Shanghai Number Three Girls

FRANCE RYLIE COOKE (10W) AND LAUREN VASEY (10L) The study tour to France this year was an incredible experience that all of the girls who went found extremely rewarding. Upon our arrival to the Angoulême train station, all twelve of us were filled with excitement and nerves, but finally stepping foot on the French train platform and seeing our host sisters running toward us immediately reassured us that the trip was going to be unforgettable. The two weeks we spent immersed in French language and culture was irreplaceable and during that two-week period with our host families we all developed valuable relationships that will remain of great importance to us throughout our final years at Girls Grammar. We found the first two weeks very fun but also challenging, which has definitely helped our French to improve and develop. Our last week in Paris was something none of us will ever forget. We definitely saw greater insights into French culture and their historic past that has shaped the country today. We are very grateful for this opportunity and used every moment we had to make new connections, develop a greater understanding of French history and further develop our French listening and speaking skills. We have taken a lot away from this trip and would definitely recommend the study tour to other girls who enjoy French. ■

CO-CURRICULUM / 119