vylc wrap up
Jennie Eassson
VYLC Leader
Earlier in the year , ten excited Year 9 students departed for China for a 6 week tour. This extended experience is designed to allow them to immerse themselves in Chinese language and culture.
The group spent two weeks at the Beijing Language and Culture University and then a further four weeks at the Shanghai Ganquan Foreign Language School.
During our time away, the students studied Chinese language in the morning and then participated in excursions and cultural activities in the afternoons. We climbed the Great Wall, explored Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace and marvelled at the skyscraper skyline of Shanghai.
The students participated in many activities including calligraphy, Chinese painting, dragon dancing, Kung fu, dumpling making, Chinese musical instruments, ribbon making and more.
The further aim of the Victorian Young Leaders to China tour is to develop leadership skills and capabilities. The students performed and made presentations to audiences at various locations both in China and here in Melbourne. Their Chinese language skills improved enormously as did their appreciation of China and Chinese culture.
Max Cardamone
VYLC Delegate
I really enjoyed my VYLC experience as I not only learned about Chinese language but also about Chinese culture, history and customs. I was able to experience the language and the authentic Chinese way of daily life - both at our school and on our outings.
I really liked the excursions where we were able to learn about and experience significant Chinese landmarks. The Chinese classes at the school and university were engaging and helped me significantly improve my Chinese language skills . All in all, I really liked my China experience through the VYLC program as I not only was able learn about the language and culture, but also to have a fabulous time along the way.
April Chen
VYLC Delegate
Going on the Victorian Young Leader’s Program to China this year taught me a lot about leadership, teamwork and friendship as well as communicating in Chinese language. We travelled to many places in both Beijing and Shanghai, where we learned about Chinese language and culture. These included the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Olympic Park’s Birds Nest and Water-Cube in Beijing. In Shanghai we visited the Oriental Pearl Tower, The Bund and Nanjing Rd.
Throughout the trip I learned many new things about China and how it contrasts to Australia both culturally and socially.
One of the best things about this trip was the people around me - including the 'buddies', volunteers, organisers, teachers and the friends I made during the 6 weeks abroad. Together, they made this experience unforgettable - and were a great distraction from being homesick!
On this trip, I also had the chance to meet and work closely with students from other Victorian schools, which was interesting and a lot of fun.
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Ella Davis
VYLC Delegate
My time in China was a wonderful experience. Throughout the six weeks, I learned many things about language, culture and leadership. A highlight for me was the time spent in Beijing with the volunteers. - the Language Assistants from Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU). They became our friends during our two weeks in Beijing and they made everything (from bus trips to climbing the Great Wall) a fun and memorable experience. Another highlight was the food in the BLCU canteen. It was authentic, cheap and delicious and I looked forward to every mealtime! The China trip was filled with learning, friendship and joy; I definitely recommend it to others..
Alia Wong
VYLC Delegate
Going to China was a fantastic experience that I will never forget. Particularly memorable are all the cultural experiences including dragon dancing, mask painting, calligraphy, and paper cutting. I recommend this program to any students studying Chinese as it is a wonderful experience.
Alisha Holt
VYLC Delegate
As a part of our trip, we went to different tourist attractions with the lovely tour guides. who explained to us the history behind these landmarks. We tackled intensive Chinese classes that taught us different language aspects (depending on what classes we were in) but still made sure we were all up to date and that we were able to understand what we were being taught. With our buddies, the language barrier stopped us from communicating as much as we would have liked, but the more that we learned and the more time that we spent with them we became very comfortable in their company.
Imogen Cohen
VYLC Delegate
The few weeks that I was in China, will be an experience I will never forget. It taught me to step outside of my comfort zone, as well as giving me the opportunity to build friendships. Through the language classes every morning, our Chinese language skills developed greatly. China has made us all stronger individuals emotionally and mentally.
