When they landed in London, they were immediately whisked away to Stanborough International School. Greeted by warm smiles, a welcoming atmosphere and a beautiful rainbow that arched over the campus, everybody in the group knew that this trip was going to be special. In England, this group experienced the contemporary buzz of downtown London. They rode on the London Eye, witnessed the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, explored Covent Garden and Chinatown, toured the homes of royalty and nobility (Hampton Court and Chatsworth House), feasted their eyes and ears on the musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and even temporarily colonised a small part of Hyde Park to play a game of Ultimate Frisbee.

This trip, however, was not just about fun and games. Our students also reflected on the history of the British Empire and compared it to the rich history of their native land, China by visiting the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. They researched, discovered different ecological concepts and connected them at the Natural History Museum, Science and Industry Museum and the Chiltern Open Air Museum. The most important lesson they learnt on this trip was about themselves. They knew that they had the courage to speak in public and the ability to converse with strangers in English, work as a team and overcome environmental and personal obstacles. This trip did exactly what it was meant to do to these students: it changed them.

Benjamin Cheung