Student comments 2009#

We experienced the coldest Baiwan trip this year and students were unprepared for the extreme weather that hit China during the week. The following are some comments by Group 2009 at the end of the trip.

I didn’t expect it to be so much fun!!! I really enjoyed myself meeting new people both Island School students and those that live in Baiwan. Everyone was so kind, the children, the other Island School students and the teachers. The children were very cute and they made us feel so welcome when they waved or came over to talk to us with large smiles on their faces when ever we walked past them on the streets or at school. They were all so sweet and even though I couldn’t speak Chinese I felt like I could still build a relationship with them.

Witnessing firsthand the unfair reality that sweet, innocent children and families have to try to survive conditions most of us would never ever have to deal with, might have made me feel a little guilty. BUT these children did not care that we were better off than them, all they wanted was our company and to have a good time. Waking up in a freezing cold room with 5 layers of clothes on was hard, but it only made this trip that much more memorable.

I am so glad I chose the Baiwan trip because I think the Baiwan trip epitomizes the spirit of Interim Week and Island School… Baiwan is a breathtakingly beautiful village, surrounded by steep limestone hills. It looked like something out of an old Chinese painting when I first arrived there. The kids in Baiwan are ADORABLE. They make up for all the flaws many, many times over.

Dirty toilets, terrible hygiene, extreme weather conditions, unprepared students, waking up early, walking 30 minutes to teach every morning. Who would have thought that none of these things would end up having no significance? New friends, children eager to learn, different types of food and an experience that would last a lifetime.

We felt like those kids from Baiwan when we reached the hotel on the second last day. We got so excited at the prospect of seeing something really nice though we all have been to hotels before. I then understood that when Island School visits them, it is like a treat for them. This made me realise how I take normal everyday things for granted.

I see those kids there wearing barely enough clothes, but they don’t moan, instead when they see us, they smile, and the little things we give them can make them really really happy… we really don’t need money to make us happy. Yes it will give us pleasure, but appreciating the simple little things in life can make us happier than money can buy. For example, the people in Baiwan really are not living in a luxurious environment, but wherever you look, you dont see frowns, instead you see smiles on their faces. They really enjoy the simplicity of their life and are filled with gratitude with everything that they own, unlike most of us, who are never satisfied with what we have and take things for granted. This trip really changed my perspective on life and make me appreciate little things much more, especially THE LETTER I GOT! YAYY!