As we know, every year Yangzhou High school provides us senior students a chance to travel in England. It’s such a wonderful opportunity that lots of students want to join in this team. So, as a student who experienced the entire event, I have the duty to tell you as much as l can, and try my best to help you.

Area: China

                      Hard competition!

About several months ago, your head teacher will give you the information about this exchange activity. Pay attention to ‘exchange activity’. It means we will treat our partners when they come to Yangzhou, I will tell you about this later. If you are interested in it, you can get a table and finish it. When all the things have been done, you will get a message for interview. I can still remember how many students they were there on that day now. Luckily, I was chosen by the English teachers from about 200 students. Ok, let me tell everything about the interview. Every interviewee has one minute to say anything about the topic which was given by the English teacher. The topic may include your family or some abstract questions like ‘do you believe in any religion?’ I know it is quite hard, but you need to say something, because it is the only way for the teachers to know your oral English and judge whether you have the ability to travel abroad, so, remember, say something! No matter what you will say, otherwise the teacher will treat you as a normal student, you will never be selected. If you are fortune enough like me, it is the time to do preparation next. Your team leader will introduce the whole process to you. I skip this and don’t blame me!

                  Two days with your partner!

Partner? Yes, don’t be shocked. I have mentioned it before that it is an exchange event. So every student has an English partner! Does it sound amazing? I felt quite active when I heard this. It’s an   excellent chance for you to learn English culture. It’s a perfect chance for you to practice your oral English too. It’s also a rare opportunity for you and your partners to build friendship together. You can show them any tourist attractions in Yangzhou. If they feel boring you can even take them to KTV for fun. It’s up to you right? However, please try your best to treat your partner. Because you will also have home stay with your friends when you come to England. So, cherish these two days and you won’t forget it forever! Here tell you a little secret , all the boys and girls from England are pretty handsome and beautiful, and the most important things is they are very open, it means they all have BF or GF, although they are just 15 years old! So, if you have a crush on someone, just tell him or her, or let your partner help you. Anyway, don’t be shy! Because if you miss the chance you will regret. You must feel ultra crazy about my experiences in England after reading my brief introduction. If you want to know more fantastic experiences, just follow me!

Area: England

                    Traffic!

After the 13 hours flight , which was both tiring and exciting ,we landed safely at Heathrow International Airport. Although it was raining outside, we all felt a burning fire in our body. You cannot know the amazing feeling until you stand on the ground of GB.As soon as we arrived in the airport, we could see the English teachers from Stourport High school were waiting for us .They hold a banner which had Chinese character “Welcome to England” and then we got on a bus which freaked us out later. The bus was the same size as a double decker bus in China, but it just had one decker .The most incredible thing is we have toilet and hot water in the bus. Also, during the trip in GB, I found lots of good driving habits from the drivers .Such as every driver will remind you of wearing the safety belt when you get on a bus. You know ,we lived in a hostel in a small town called Leominister .Once we tried to cross the road and the running vehicles just stopped and make way for us .You must feel very delighted when you experience this, right ?

School day!

   Yangzhou high school has two exchange schools, one is Stouport high school and another is Chantry high school. During 10 days trip in England, we have spent 2 days there. See the campus, take the lessons, enjoy the sports, your partner will stay with you all time. The lessons in English high school are quite different from them in China, the students there don’t have too much pressure like us. Their school begins at 9 a.m. and finishes at 3 p.m. They almost have no homework every day and just one exam for one year. We also had a welcome and a farewell dinner party at school, the food there was amazing.

                     Friends! 

  During 10 days in England we lived in a hostel, and we 5 students live in one small room. It is quite unbelievable right? The room was very crowded but to be honest, it provides us chance and time to help with each other. In the hostel we need to wash clothes by ourselves. Also, we need to make breakfast on our own! I can just make noodles but Mike can make fried eggs, so we can share our meals together. In these days our friendship was form and when we came back from England we also connect with each other from time to time.

                    Shopping       

   England is the best place for shopping in the world, especially in London. We can easily see luxury brands in the street. We can also see cheap brands like JJB near our hands. I will recommend you JJB for shopping because there are too many kinds of clothes in it, Adidas is pretty cheap there, but they may all made in china. Another thing we need to pay attention is we can’t get alcohols in England because it is illegal to sell alcohols to teenagers, so if you want to buy some alcohols for your father, please ask your teacher for help. Here are some tips: first, when you are hungry during shopping you can buy KFC or MacDonald. Because we can see them everywhere. Second, don’t forget to ask for table with free tax, because you can be given back all the taxes when you are in the airport.

                  Some thinkings

   Experienced so many things I have know a lot about English culture. Once I have asked a question to my partner’s mother ‘don’t you feel uncomfortable when they have girlfriends or make out at school? Is it a common thing?’ she answered me like this, ‘we are very open in this way it’s not good to press children’s feelings so we just let them do.’ Maybe we don’t have parents like this in China. It’s the different with social style and culture background. So if you want to know more about England, just join us now. you will get a lot cherish memory when you come back!