CFBS Trip to Kunming, China

On Sunday 7^th July, 36 of our Year 9 students who study Mandarin flew over to the city of Kunming in the Yunnan Province of China for a 12-day trip. This was organised by the prestigious, government-funded Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP), in which all Mandarin students at Central Foundation take part in.

After a long flight, the students began exploring Kunming by visiting Cuihu Park, walking around the city centre and a visit to the Yunnan Nationalities Village. This was an exciting experience to explore the Kunming city centre and customs of Yunnan ethnic minorities.

The days were filled with a wide variety of language classes and ice-breaker games between the CFBS  students and their Chinese peers including sports, hobbies, music and dance, as well as various leisure activities. The students had the opportunities to learn and experience a wide array of Chinese customs and traditional crafts including Chinese knotting, paper crafting, calligraphy, Chinese tea ceremonies, martial arts, dance and films.

The following day, our students explored Shilin (Stone Forest), a tourist attraction featuring karst landforms, the cultural significance of the landmark, and develop an appreciation for the unique customs and culture of the Yi ethnic minority.

Wednesday 17^th July marked the last night of the incredible trip with a farewell banquet and warm closing ceremony. We are so grateful to MEP and everybody involved for their support in the success of the trip.