OELP daily reflections (Tan Ivan)

First day

Honestly speaking, today was boring. We did not get any points from yesterday or today to show whether Singapore and China is friend or foe. However, we can say that China and Singapore are friends because of our tour guide for today. The tour guide had made friends with us today which partially showed that China and Singapore are friends. Although there is no full proof yet but there is a higher possibilities of friends than foes. The tour guide had passionately introduced us to Sanhe Guzhen. We went to 4 places today, 杨振宁旧居，刘同兴隆庄，鹤庐，仙姑楼。All these places are in Sanhe Guzhen. We walked and walked and walked. We saw many things but the places wasn't that interesting as it seemed to be from the outside. While walking from places to places, we see many children playing, adults talking and many more. This showed the culture of the chinese people.

Second day

Today was the most memorable day i will ever have in Anhui, Hefei. My class went to the school, 45 high school ! It was my first time meeting my buddy but we were able to communicate well because we were in an email conversation even before i came to China. My buddy and I had many fun activities together. We share the joys with each other, run under the hot sun together, playing basketball together and of course playing table tennis together. He teached me many things that i did not know. I am very happy to have such a winderful buddy like him. Although he did not give me and presents but the time spent togather was enjoyable. It was the best gift i could ever wanted for just 1 day of friends. In class, i was happy also because of the classmates. They were all crowding around me. They wanted to know me better and we all had enjoyable laughter knowing each other's nicknames. My buddy's home was smaller than mine and the outerior was not something that will impress my eyes, but the interior was the total opposite. His house was extremely clean, everything arranged properly. His mother was also very kind. She cut fruits for me, gave me chocolate and asked me about my school in Singapore and how i think of China. After speaking for a while, my buddy's friend,which is also my classmate's buddy, came over to his house with my classmate. We then had even more fun interacting with one another. It is memorable because i had never been to an overseas friend's house, especially when we only met for one day. Moreover, i envy their school system. Their school system is different from our school's. No matter what subject it is, the lesson is always 45 minutes. After every lesson, there is a 10 minutes break for us to rest, go to the toilet and do anything we want. From 11.25 - 2.30, they can have their lunch outside and then have lessons after that till 5.45. Even though the school hours are long, they are able to have time in between lessons to rest and their lunch time is very long. This gives them more freedom. All in all, i like today's trip and the school which i think is meaningful and memorable. To add on, the dinner was delicious, definitely better than the rest of the days :D

Third day

It was an emotional day today... Some people cry, some people were emo and the rest are normal. There were obviously fewer laughters today... So quiet. We saw the cruelty in humans when treating the animals. Of course, not all humans are like that and my classmates are one of the examples. Firstly, we saw the chicken fight. Even though it was the first experience for most of us, or even all, it was not something that everyone can see. The chickens' feathers were plucked off from the fights and even some has scars on them. Some of my class ates cannot take it anymore and went to a corner to cool themselves down. The next even more cruel thing was the circus. Honestly, i'd say that the performers didn't even treat the tigers like they are human beings. We do not know whether the performers are forced to do so but the actions are really too violent that many people left the circus and even some cried. No one could stand seeing the tigers get beaten so badly and even i couldn't even though i stayed there and continue watching.

Fourth day

Beautiful scenery today on Huang Shan. It was definitely tiring but absolutely fun. We took the tour bus to the bottom of HuangShan then took the cable car to the middle of the mountain. The cable car was fun and exciting. It was the first time i've ever taken a cable car which can take up to much much more than the small cable car which can take up to 8 people. 2 of my classmates are scared of heights and they didn't dare to look up or out of the window. They grabbed the bags of our friends and they slightly looked when the teachers forced them to. After that, we had like an EXTREMELY LONG WALK up to Huang Shan. It was absolutely tiring. When we got to our hotel, i literally dropped onto the bed and almost fell asleep. After that we had a trail on Huang Shan.

Fifth day

We woke up early today to see the beautiful sunrise. We were on Huang Shan and the sun rise was beautiful. Some of us climbed higher and higher to get the best view of the sunrise, like a VIP seat. We spent sbout an hour or less there taking photos, climbing rocks and enjoying scenary. After that, we were sent back to our hotel so that we can either sleep or get ready for the day. After everybody was ready, we went for breakfast and to Hong Cun. We were able to see the villages and learn about the people who lived in history. We learnt about their houses, about the rule that the girls have to stay upstairs until they are married and more. The villagers were poor and their houses were small.

Sixth day

We went to another village today called the Xidi village. Honestly, there were not really much to see there. There was some interesting "bubbles" in the lake at the entrance or Xidi Village. Mr Wong said that they were frog eggs but Lijie lao shi insist that they were bubbles. The most interesting part was the garden. There were beautiful flowers, butterflies and bees ! After that, we had our last lunch together as a group in China then we went to yuefei museum. We were making jokes there because we saw this boy poking into yue fei's grave and we said that he is yue fei's reincarnation. When we were at the museum, i saw 2 of my primary school friends and some of my classmates saw theirs too ! After that, we went to have dinner in the airport and GOODBYE CHINA !

OELP daily reflections (sinyee)

0⃣

24/05/2014

The highly anticipated day and the not-so-official beginning of our journey. A week of independence from our parents, where we are expected to be responsible for ourselves in this foreign land. Farewell singapore! 

Bye!

1⃣

25/05/2014

With high spirits, we kick start our day with a ride on the high speed rail. This is my first hand experience on a high speed rail, something you do not get to experience in singapore. I would say the ride is quite similar to the MRTs we have in singapore when it comes to smoothness of the ride. But it was a new experience as the sights outside the window were different. In singapore, we did not get to see fields of paddy, or houses sitting far apart. In singapore, we have our organized and reliable buildings , and the greenery are trees grown along the roads and the occasional empty field. We passed station after station and the distance between the stations were becoming larger and larger, it felt. This again gave me a whole new sensation, for it usually takes a few minutes to get from one mrt station to another, while here, even on high speed rails, it takes at least ten minutes on average. Living in a small country like singapore, it is thrilling to be crossing large countries like China. In a day, you could go from one end of singapore to the other if you tried hard enough, but it's not so in china .

My neighbors on the high speed rail

We arrived in Hefei to scorching temperatures . Just before we stepped out into the hot day, an old lady approached some of us with outstretched arms . She donned simple , everyday clothes but her back was bent from years of age. We understood her meaning, she was asking for money, but we were at a loss. It was hard to turn away yet we didn't know if it was appropriate to give her money . Many of us felt propelled to want to give her some help but before the trip, we were warned against street beggars .We just didn't expect to meet them so soon. It made me recall the lesson where we were given two photos of beggars, one, a man who asked for help to get a job ;the other a woman with a baby asking for money. We were asked to make a choice to donate to one of them, given that we had 100 dollars in our hands. That lesson gave me insight on the lives of these people in need and that we should not judge everything on appearance itself. Back to reality, many of us found pity in our hearts for the old lady, but realizing that we couldn't help, the old lady walked away. It made me think about the state of poverty in china. 

Later on, we proceeded to 三河古镇, where we visited the past residences of many famous people. People such as 杨振宁 , who was the first Chinese man to be awarded a Nobel prize in physics. 孙立人， who survived thirteen shots. But he was not famous for that, he was famous for defeating an invading country. Visiting the residences of these people, we see what influenced them in their younger days. 

We also saw toys on display, from wooden crafted toy swords to squeaking rubber chickens. Although 三河古镇 is a old village, reminiscent of the past days, some of the toys sold were very modern, putting them in contrast to 三河古镇, such as the popular(used to be) angry bird figurines. In a place lacking proper facilities and amenities found in cities, without electricity, these villagers have come a long way and have evolved too, to earn their own livelihood. The people selling these items must know that they appeal to visitors, and hence they sell it. 

With that, we left 三河古镇。

2⃣

26/05/2014

Today is nerve-wrecking day, for we are scheduled to meet our buddies from China!😁 The bus ride to hefei 45中 was filled excited students. We were welcomed warmly at their school and they were very hospitable, giving us door gifts . Initially, I was nervous about meeting my buddy but that feeling dissolved when my buddy, Grace, welcomed me with a large smile.

We sat in for their lessons and were given a chance to observe them and also to participate. 

A student giving a presentation.

It became apparent that these students had a high level of enthusiasm for their classes. They were all fighting to answer the teacher, but in an orderly manner. I think this is something students like us can learn from. In class we usually wait till ms ho 'bombermans' us to answer questions. This is what our principal is always trying to promote, 'pro-activeness'. Today we got to see an example of that.

However, it was also apparent that the classroom conditions weren't very well maintained. The tables and chairs were shoddy and my buddy said that they used to be worse. Her chair was broken and would sometimes sway, as if It might topple. Some other chairs were like that too. And in a classroom nearly the size of ours, they packed in 63 students. The classroom was near the toilet and sometimes the stench of the toilet would waft in during lessons. But that didn't deter the students from learning. I think this is truly what they call a ,'love for learning'. 

Once, I felt that the students were lucky that they could wear their own clothes to school and told my buddy about it. Grace was shocked. She thought we were blessed to be able to wear our uniforms which she said made us look very dignified. She confessed that her whole class thought our uniforms were amazing and that the RVians looked good in white. With her response, I was shocked too. What to many of us, was simply a uniform that we had to wear to school, was held in such awe by these students. I started to think a little differently about our school uniform, and appreciated what we had. 

Group photo!

After lunch, we headed to our respective buddies' house. Grace and hui wen, Carissa's buddy were close friends, hence we all decided to go together, heading to grace's house first. Without an elevator, we had to climb six stories up to her house. It was not very arduous , but for Grace to do that everyday, repeatedly must have been an inconvenience . Especially if they were carrying heavy loads. It then made me feel lucky that we had elevators in singapore. Upon arrival, we met grace's family. They were very hospitable and gave us many gifts. In return, we gave them our gifts we prepared earlier. Carissa and my gifts seemed so small compared to the gifts they apgave us, but my buddy comforted me by saying it's the thought that counts. Grace's parents were very cheery and they seemed geniunely happy to have us as guests. That really touched me to be welcomed so warmly in a foreign land. I hope someday, I might be able to do the same for them. 

Then, we headed to huiwen's house. It was similar to grace's house.

As always huiwen's mother was also very hospitable and invited us in to savor a lot of hefei goodies. She gave us many gifts too. They were so generous with their gifts to the extent that we had to reject some of their gifts. After a whole day of interacting with them, I realised that people living in anhui have a tradition of always being very hospitable to their guests. They are generous with what they have and after a day with them, I felt very homely. They treated the guests like one of their own. It was miserable when we finally had to part with them.

5 things that I love about RV

1) the condusive learning environment

   After visiting hefei 45 中, I realised just how lucky we were to have all those facilities we find in our classrooms. Compared to them, we are placed in an comfortable environment to maximize learning. So we should cherish that.

2) facilities like the school pond , Design and technology rooms, home economics rooms, etc

    We are privileged to be accessible to such facilities, for us to have a chance to learn a skill needed for life, or just simply a skill. 

3) our uniforms

    After my conversation with Grace, it made me see the importance of our uniform, and the impression it left on others. If we wore our own clothes, sure, some of us might look better in our home clothes but then we wouldn't stand out as representatives of RV. The uniform gives a sense of identity, it shows unity, and that is why we are lucky to wear uniforms.

4) exposure to various types of CCAs, all-rounded education.

    Because we were exposed to many types of CCAs, like the performing arts or the clubs and societies, we weren't entirely lost when Chinese students performed for us. We had background information on what they were performing about. And because of our all-rounded education, it has opened many doors for our futures.

5)school compound

   The school compound covers a large area and it's beautiful. 

3⃣

27/05/2014

Today we visited the Anhui museum , where we learnt of the history of anhui, china. 

This spectacular building houses the history of Anhui.

We saw some objects from the past, and learnt about their origins. It was interesting as China has a rich history, and we were able to learn of the objects the people of the past used in their daily lives.

We were also given a preview of the style of houses in Anhui, where most of its design is open and allows rain to fall in. Initially I thought it was quite silly to leave gaping holes in their houses for rain to enter as the water would flood the floors. But later on I learnt that to them, water is prosperity and allowing the rainwater to enter their houses is inviting prosperity into their house. That is an interesting concept.

For me, one of the more memorable sights at the anhui museum was one of the 文房四宝, the Chinese brush and ink used for Chinese calligraphy or paintings. It was relatable as we also used Chinese brushes in our rv literature lessons. So now we know the origins of the brushes we wield in hand during rv literature lessons.

After we left the Anhui museum, we drove to China's intangible cultural heritage park. It looked like a pleasant country side at first

Later on, we witnessed the cruel act of roosters fighting. Loud , upbeat music played to the pace of the roosters fighting. The roosters were released in a small arena and upon locking eyes, they started clawing at each other. On the carpeted floor of the small arena, there were dried brown blood stains and the rooster's feathers were matted and dropping over the arena. It was cruel, to pit two animals against each other, for the sake of entertainment. I found out later that these roosters would usually fight to the death, but were spared that day because we were there. That, was a sight I'll never forget. Then, we headed to a circus. The lights were dimmed and the beasts were brought out in cages. Various props were placed around the ring. The performer stepped into the cage, circling around the majestic beast, in his hand, a whip. Strategic pacing accompanied with short yells prompted the tiger to perform various circus tricks. When the tiger refused to obey commands,  the performer brought his whip down upon its back. It was unbearable to watch and we soon left the circus, not wanting to support the act of animal cruelty any further. 

Initially all I had in my heart was pity for the animals. The pain was real and their suffering even more so. Of all career choices, these performers had to make a living through torturing animals?! However, a conversation with my teacher showed me the two sides of the coin, and it made me a little more forgiving to the acts of animal cruelty commited by the people. My teacher showed me that perhaps these people had to do what they did, due to life circumstances that people like me, who lived in an advanced city such as singapore can never understand and likely won't ever go through. Looking past my hatred for animal exploitation, I realised I was guilty of being too quick to judge. Although I still have conflicting emotions about this event, one thing is clear: hate the act, not the person. Animal cruelty IS still demonic, in fact, no one should ever have to do that to another living being. It undermines the sanctity to life, animal or not. Although I still believe that no reason can ever justify animal cruelty, perhaps the reason behind committing the act deserves pity too. I should try to understand more of why they did what they did, before pinning judgement on them for the acts they commited. And to change the history of animal cruelty in china, perhaps changing the life circumstances of the people is the solution.

This event was an experience , a bitter but valuable one. It showed me what was happening outside of singapore, taught me to hate the act and not the person, and also to try and understand before passing judgement. I have given a lot of thought to this event and I think it will always be on my mind, in the years to come. 

To comfort us, the teachers brought us to a playground.

Although we were sad and angered, we still forged new friendships through the experiences that we went through together.

The three stages of rock-climbing.

Contemplation

Determination

Exasperation

4⃣

28/05/2014

After a well-rested night, we left hefei for huangshan. A four hour trip up to a hotel on huangshan felt like an eternity. 

The sights on the road up huangshan was picturesque!

As the bus rolled along the winding mountain roads, the people on the bus were getting more and more excited.

When we finally reached, we took a cable car up to a higher point on the mountain. For man to have been able to build cable towers, wires and cable cars on such steep mountains was not an easy feat and we were there to reap from their acheivement. It gave us an overview of the whole of the mountains we passed, and brought us closer to some of the cliff faces.

Soon after we settled down in the hotel, we begin our three hour hike up the mountain. It was not easy as not many of us could meet the physical demands of a hike so strenuous. However, everyone was very encouraging and we motivated each other to keep going on. I felt this brought us closer as a class, as along the path we were all hiking at different paces, but classmates who weren't as close before were there to help out with their peers. 

When the students are away, the teachers will play.

At the peak(pun intended) of our hike, some of us were feeling homesick

When we were hiking, we chanced upon workers carrying loads up and down the mountain. Sometimes they would only use poles to balance their loads, and they would prop up the poles on their backs. We were told to always give way to these workers, in order not to make their jobs harder. We were already having a hard time climbing the steep steps, what more about these workers? It was hard money they were earning and we have them to thank for most of the goods and necessities we found on Huangshan.

We ended our hike and our day too.

5⃣

29/05/2014

It was our last day on huangshan and we woke early to witness the 'legendary' sunrise of Huangshan. We heard of many tales of its beauty and today we were to witness it ourselves. We walked to a viewing platform and found it was already occupied by some other tourists. And so the saying 'goes the early bird catches the wom', guess we weren't the earliest birds. 

Moments later, dawn came and a golden orange glow crept up from the horizon. 

And so the promise was delivered. The sunrise was breathtaking. And viewing it from huangshan , when the birds were chirping and the breeze was blowing, was a great experience.

Reluctantly, we left huangshan and headed to yixian to visit Hongcun.

There, we learnt more in person about what we saw at the museum. The style of hosing , arrangement of furniture, meaning behind it and more. For example, we learnt that a round table was split in two and kept facing the walls when the master was not at home. It was interesting to learn of the customs people of anhui had in the past.

In Hongcun, they utilized large open drains like this to run water through the village. Atop the drains would be a bar only wide enough to stand or squat on. This bar was used for villagers to collect water for domestic use or washing of their clothes. I thought that the villagers were living in poor environments as i noticed there were white mucky substances coating the surface of the water. And to believe that this water was used to meet their daily needs. I feel grateful for singapore's clean and easily accessed water but at the same time, I also feel sorry for the villagers.

6⃣

30/05/2014

Today, we visited Xidi ancient village , a village that was a also national tourist attraction. The style of houses here were similar to the houses we saw in Hongcun but it was more well preserved here.

The richer one was in the past, the more intricately crafted was their doors and walls. A intricate design was a sign of prosperity in the house as the wealthy had the power to get craftsman. Houses like this were usually the residence of a rich family. It is a wonder that people of the past could carve out such beautiful designs and incorporate them into windows and doors. Although they didn't have electricity or clean supply of water in the past, they worked with their hands and created the wonders that we saw today. And not only that, these wonders were function able too, working as dividers or doors. 

7⃣

31/05/2014

In the blink of an eye, the week has gone by. 

I thought it would be a miserable week, without my parents , in a foreign land, but I didn't expect to receive so much from one week in china. Realizing it's the dreaded last day, i went on with a heavy heart. Sure, I couldn't wait to see my family again, but this one week simply felt too short and it passed us by too quickly. On this last day, we went to Tunxi street to buy souvenirs for our friends and family back in singapore. We saw items unique to china like tea leaves harvested in china. After nearly an hour, we took the bus to 杭州. It seemed the end of our journey was approaching even faster. 

After that, we went to take the west lake cruise and we went sight-seeing. It was our last few hor's together as a class and everyone made quite an effort to be bonded. 

The waters were calm and the ride was relaxing as the boat was swaying side to side. 

After visiting the Yuefei mausoleum, we set off on a long bus ride to pudong airport. It was on this bus ride that we really bonded, or so I felt, where we played and really enjoyed ourselves. The night was falling and gradually, we reached pudong airport. There, we had our last dinner together before finding out that our flight was delayed. Woohoo! One more hour together! Boohoo, getting back to singapore one hour later than intended. 

After which, we boarded on flight back to singapore, back to our parents, and officially ended our journey. 

One of my favourite part of OELP was the fun and moments we had at the dinner table. 

It was at the table that I really felt the closest to my classmates, for sticking through everything together, for challenging each other in games and for all the fun they brought. Everyday, I knew dinner was something to look forward to , not only because of the food, but also because of the people there. At the table, everyone was equals and it didn't matter if you weren't close to the people at the table before. I never realised that zhiyang or jiani or many others were this funny, or this friendly until I sat down and ate with them. I learnt that some of us are very peculiar about table manners, the reason behind why some of us are vegetarians, food preferences , drink preferences, crushes and even the way we held our chopsticks. All these made me feel even closer to my friends and this was truly what I felt ,'a moment of bonding'. They were the ones who made me feel closer to home and I'll always , always remember the times we spent at the table. 

A toast to the people at my dinner table , a toast to all my friends who made it better, and a toast to the school and our teachers for this memorable trip!

OELP daily reflections (Carissa)

Day 0

24/05/2014

Finally, the day we have all been waiting for. It's the first day of OELP! Maybe not the official first day but it's the first day we reach China. Firstly, we boarded the bus to the hotel where we will be staying for a day. When we arrived at the hotel, we got off the bus and the 师父 was taking our luggage snout. At this point, some classmates went forward and helped to take out the luggages. I felt that it was very helpful of them and I was glad to see this when we are only on the first day of our trip. Then, we went into the hotel and had our rest after the long flight. 

Day 1

25/05/2014

Today is the official first day of our trip. Firstly in the morning, we boarded the high-speed rail to Hefei. The ride lasted for 4 hours and most of us were either sleeping or watching movies. No one was really interested in viewing the scenery outside. Me myself was also not appreciating the scenery and thinking back, I feel quite bad for not spending that time to view the scenery and learn more about what is happening in China. However, after the high-speed rail, we left the station and right after we came out, almost all of us smelt a burning smell. At first, we thought that there was something burning outside. However, we realized that it was not the burning of things. It was due to the massive amount of people smoking outside. I feel that they should stop smoking and and totally quit smoking as smoking is not only bad for them but also bad for others if they breath in the smoke that it gives out. Smoking is bad for ourselves as it damages our lungs. I also saw many litter on the ground such as the high-speed rail ticket or food wrappers. This is also very inconsiderate as the things that the throw on the ground will all be cleared by the cleaners and it will be very tiring and stressful for them. Anyway, after that, we had to take a short walk to our bus, which included crossing a road. However, the roads in China were very different from Singapore. The cars could go almost anywhere they wanted and us, carrying our luggages were all having a hard time trying to cross the road. It was rather scary as we do not know when a car might suddenly just turn in. Hence, we had to act fast. After that, we went to 三河古镇. We saw many old buildings where lifelike stay and it is also the place where many famous people like 杨振宁 and 孙立人 used to live. I learnt that 杨振宁 was the first Chinese man to win a Nobel award in physics. Also, at 三河古镇, there was a limited supply of electricity of water and they made a living by selling toys or food to interest the visitors. I feel that they are very pitiful and hope more people can help them in one way or another to improve their lives. After  that, we went to have dinner before we check in to our hotel where we would be staying for 3 nights. 

Outside high-speed rail:

Day 2

26/05/2014

Today, we went to 合肥45中 to observe their lessons. But on the way there, the guide introduced and explained to us many things about 合肥. For example, I learnt that VCD and washing machines all started from 合肥; although 合肥 is near 南京 and 杭州, the flat prices are completely different; the life in 合肥 is slower as compared to 上海、南京 etc.; 合肥 has a 35000000 population;in 合肥, the ratio is 1 person to 1 big tree whereas in 上海, the ratio is 8 people to 1 big tree. The name 安徽 came from 安庆府 and 徽州府 which forms 安徽. There is also a saying: 生在扬州，玩在苏州，死在柳州，葬在惠州。

After that, we arrived at our destination, 合肥45中. We went to hefei 45 zhong today for school exchange program. Firstly,we went to our group's class to learn with them. We had history and Chinese in the morning. The students there were rather proactive and always takes the initiative to answer questions asked. They were also very synchronized when they were reading although there was a total of 61 students in class. However, I feel that they were rather rowdy as during their free time, 10 minutes in between each 40 minutes lesson, they will be running around and making lots of noise during that period of time. Next, we went to have lunch at 三河酒家. The food there was relatively good as compared to the previous day. After lunch, we went back to the school and had computer and English lessons. The way their English lessons was conducted was rather different as compared to Singapore. They did not have English lessons like we do, whereas, they received articles and had to translate them into Chinese. This was rather a surprise as we did not expect their English lesson to be so different from ours. After English lesson, they performed a performance for us to welcome us which I think was rather thoughtful of them. They had performance such as guzheng and guitar. They also presented to us on the history and information on both Singapore and china. After that, we had quite of a shock. We were called to perform in front of the whole class. We were asked to sing 'counting stars' by one republic. Previously, they had asked some of us the pop songs that we liked and we really didn't expect that surprise performance. We were all very shy and did not really dare to sing out loud. However, the other two students that performed with us were rather active and sang with us. I can see the effort they put in for the performance. After all these, we went to our buddy's house. 

Sin yee and I went together with our buddy as our buddies stayed rather close to each other. Firstly, we went to sinyee's buddy house, before going to my buddy house. Our buddies and their family members were very friendly and they offered us lots of things, like ice cream, honeydew, and a fruit that we never tried before, pipa. After that, we went to the 夜市, where they sell many things from shoes, to cosmetics, to bags and street food. Our buddies suggested to us many street food which are very famous but we couldn't try it as we were not allowed to as it could be dirty which might cause us to fall sick. However, we bought many other things such as lamps, hair bands and so on. After that, it was close to the gathering time so we had to go back to the school. During the car trip back, my buddy gave us things such as snacks and tidbits which we can bring back to Singapore. Her mum also offered to give me two big pots of tea leaves which is very expensive. However, as it was too expensive for us to keep and it was also a hassle to bring such a big box of teapots and tea leaves back to Singapore, we had to return it back to them and although they kept insisting that I keep it, I had to return it back to them. After that, we gathered back at the school and we were forced to part with our buddies. However, we agreed to chat with each other via email and keep in touch. Then, we went for dinner and went back to our hotel.

Hefei 45 zhong: 

One of the performance by the students:

Pictures with our buddies:

5 things I love about RV ((explain based on school experience))

1) cleanliness

After the experience in hefei 45 zhong, I now feel that the toilets in RV are considerably clean and not smelly as compared to hefei 45 zhong. 

2) the size of the classroom

I feel that the size of the classroom in Singapore is considerably big as compared to China. There is almost 60 students in a classroom which is almost the same size as ours in Singapore, when we have around 30 students. Hence, I feel that our classroom is considerably big as we have lesser students but the almost the same classroom size. Their classroom is rather cramp due to their small classroom size but large amount of students.

3) noise level

I feel that the noise level in our school is low as compared to hefei 45 zhong. We are not as rowdy as them and we don't make as much noise as them during our break times and don't run about.

4) canteen

We have a canteen in RV whereas they don't. Thus, whenever they want to have lunch, they have to go home just to have lunch and come back to have lunch which is a hassle whereas here in RV, we can just go downstairs to the canteen to have our lunch and go back for lessons immediately.

5) learning environment 

The ration of students to a class is around 60 to 1 in china whereas in Singapore, the ration is around 30 to 1. This means that we can have a better environment to study in as there are lesser students and the teachers would be able to focus on each of us more and not on so many students. Thus, we would be able to study better and not lose concentration so easily.

Day 3

27/05/2014

We went to anhui museum and the intangible cultural heritage park today. At the anhui museum, we were brought around by a tour guide and we learnt about how many things evolved from past to present. The things/equipments that they used last time as compared to now are totally different. This shows how the things/equipments changes as technology improves. There was also a 文房四宝 part of the museum where we could learn more about how the things were made and how it improved as the time go by. 

Next, we went to the intangible cultural heritage park to watch rooster fighting, horse and dog relay and the circus. The way they were treated were very cruel. The animals were forced to fight against each other and for example, the rooster had to fight against each other and their feathers were dropping as the fought. After that, we went to see the circus performance. We saw animals which are known to be ferocious, such as the tiger and lion, being abused by the performers. They were being hit by a metal pole and they don't even have their own right to fight back. They were being abused very cruelly and even when they tried to fight back, they were being threatened by the metal pole, and they might have even starved the tiger and lion so that they will listen to them. I felt that this was very cruel of them as the animals have their feelings, their emotions, their life. Although they aren't able to speak, they are still living things and should have their own choice. They should not be abused by the performers and have their own say. Although I know they also need to earn money to make a living, they could have other choices and not only abuse animal or such just to make money from it. They could work as waiters or study to earn a qualification to get a job. I feel that as long as thy put in effort to find a job, they will be able to find it and not work at the circus torturing animals. 

Outside the museum:

文房四宝: 

Colour: red

I chose red as it shows anger in it which depicts me when I watch the performance.

Symbol: :<

Same as the colour, I chose this symbol as I feel angry about what the performers did to the animals which was very cruel.

Image: 

I chose this image as I feel that the performers could go and find some other jobs which does no harm to animals or any other living things thus saving the animals.

Day 4

28/05/2014

Today, we took a 4 hour bus ride to 黄山 after breakfast. After the 4 hour bus ride, we finally arrived at our destination! We went to have lunch before we went to board the bus for the cable car ride. We went to take the cable car up to 黄山 and we went to the hotel to put down our things before we proceed to conquer 黄山! We then began our journey up 黄山 climbing up all the flights of steps. After climbing flights after flights of stairs, we finally reached the top of 黄山! The view was breathtaking. We took lots of photos of all the scenery which was 👍👍. It was getting late hence we had to leave the place and head back down to our hotel for dinner. On our way down we saw a man wearing a rat costume and we even took a photo with him. We were also singing songs on the way down and it was extreme fun. We even caught the sunset on the way down! After having our dinner, it was time to sleep as we had to wake up at early the next day  to catch the sunrise. 

In the cable car:

Huangshan:

Huangshan with the teachers:

Photo with man in rat costume:

Photos while climbing and singing on the way down the mountain:

Sunset:

Day 5

29/05/2014

We woke up at 4am today to see the sunrise. The guide told us that there was only a 50% chance to be able to see the sunrise but nonetheless! all of us woke up to view the sunrise. We climbed a little and waited for the sunrise. The sunrise was really, really, really nice and spectacular. It was totally beautiful. After that, we were given time to explore 黄山 ourselves. We went to place our things back at the hotel before we went to explore. We climbed for a while before we found a place where we could sit down and relax and we took lots of photos. After that, we went to have breakfast before going with the tour guide to explore other parts of 黄山. By chance, we met an RV senior who graduated in year 1967 and we even sang the school song at the mountain with him. He actually still remembers the school song! He really makes the school proud! After that, we took a cable car back down. Then, it was time to go on to our next destination, Hongcun Ancient Village. The village was built for the 汪 family. We were told that due to superstition, the people will place the mirror on the left, the vase on the right, and a clock in the middle which stands for 终生平静, peace for their entire life. We also learnt about 马头墙, which can help when there is a fire and when the fire breaks out, it won't spread to the houses around it. 

Sunrise: 

During free time when we were allowed or explore the mountain:

Picture with RV senior:

Cable car on the way down:

Hongcun:

Positions of things on table:

Day 6

30/05/2014

Today, we went to Xidi Ancient Village. The houses were rather similar to those in Hongcun. One interesting fact that I learnt is that there was a circular table in every house which could be split into a semicircle. If the flat side of both semicircles are against the walls, it means that the owner of the house is not home and the person should leave. If the tables are placed together in the middle of the house, it means that the owner is at home.

After that, we went to Huishang Big House. From the name of the house, we know that the house is indeed very big and grand. After all these, we had a 2 hour cultural talk after dinner by 胡善风教授 who is the 黄山学院副校长. This lecture made me learnt a lot more about Anhui which I have never known before. 

Entrance at Xidi Ancient Village:

Inside Xidi Ancient Village:

Day 7

31/05/2014

Today, early in the morning, we went to Tunxi Ancient Street to shop! We bought quite a few number of things for our family and friends back in Singapore. However, the time given was rather short and we couldn't really look around to shop for what we want. After that, we took a bus ride to 杭州 to have lunch. After that, we went to take the West Lake Cruise. It was very nice seeing the scenery along the way on the cruise. After that, we walked to Yue Fei Mausoleum. There was a statue of Yue Fei and many people were paying respect to it. 

After that, we took a long bus ride to Pudong airport. We were all singing and playing on the bus. I guess everyone did not feel like leaving China after all the days we spent as a class thus everyone wanted to make the last day even more memorable and have fun together. We reached Pudong airport and went to have dinner separately. After that, we checking in and we were then notified that our plane is delayed by one hour, and we got a $130 coupon for food. However, as we already had our dinner, we bought food at Burger King and gave it out to strangers whom we see on the way. We still had some coupons left over so we bought ice cream to give out to others. Time passed by so fast and it is time to say goodbye.

View from West Lake Cruise:

At Yue Fei Mausoleum:

To end off, this trip was really very memorable. It is an awesome trip which bonds our class together even more. This trip really taught me lots of things and I hope everyone too! Hope we will be granted another chance to go on a trip as a class again and refresh our memories together as a class. 

Last but not least, a class photo on top of Huangshan.