OELP daily reflection

XINXUAN 2G OELP REFLECTION

DAY1 - "If China is a dragon, Shanghai is its head"

-Huang Pu Jiang

-Bund

-French Concession

Iconic buildings, the bund has a meaning behind how it was constructed. French concession is the biggest economical contribution to Chinese economy and development. Iconic buildings are to represent the country's uniqueness and the bund is an example of a representative. It is made up of 3 riffles which symbolizes the 3 wars. In Singapore, a few iconic buildings are namely the Merlin and marina bay sands.

DAY2 - "Shanghai's Urban Planning and Art Scene"

-Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall

-TianZiFang

-Hai Di Lao Hot Pot

The significance of the exhibition hall to the local community is its history/past/ancestors, showing how shanghai has come to how it is today. In Singapore, there are no art zones that are like the ones we visited in Shanghai. Singapore can have colorful exhibitions are more interactive ones to encourage the local arts scenes to be more vibrant. They can educated the people and share stories about Singapore in the past. I think cultural heritage conservation should be regarded more than economic development. Without these heritages, Shanghai would not be what it is today. It is always important to remember the ancestors and also at the same time also improvise on the country's economic growth and development. Some constraints Shanghai faced when developing its city is its lack of space and in order to overcome this constraint, they can learn to use space more wisely. Similarly, Singapore also faces this problem due to our fast growing population. 

 “以人为本的”海底捞

Hai Di Lao had great customer service; attitude and respect towards the customers. They are always friendly and putting on a smile. They provided spectacle cloths for those who wore spectacles, apron for those with white clothes, and introduced every dish to us patiently. They also have a television whereby parents can keep an eye on their children while they are in the playroom so they can be at ease while having their meal and not having the need to worry over their children's safety. One area that has room for improvement is that they could perhaps try not to strike a conversation when we are eating. We understand fully that they were just being pure friendly but we felt awkward having to eat and at the same time answer them.

"The Tale Of Two Cities"

-Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal

In comparison to the night scene of Shanghai's Huang Pu Jiang, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal has lesser lights and are not as vibrant. In Yangzhou, the people there lead a very relaxed and carefree lifestyle whereas the people in Shanghai lead hectic and busy lives. In Yangzhou, buildings are not allowed to be built over 9 stories high so as to preserve heritage whereas Shanghai is full of high rise buildings. I also observed that Shanghai's Huang Pu Jiang has higher technology, sky scrapers, taller buildings and lights that were coordinated unlike the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. 

Yangzhou has failed in terms of modernizing as compared to Shanghai. Because it conserved it's heritage and is not a modernized city, they are unable to make a lot of money.

DAY3 - "Yangzhou- The city of Poetry and War 烟花三月下扬州"

-治春茶社早茶

-游览瘦西湖

-船游24桥

-欣赏千秋粉黛表演

I observed that although we ate at different restaurants, the food served were always similar. The food we had there was also very different from what we have in Singapore and we also got to experience paper cutting. The locals there have only 2 meals a day which is why they have such a heavy breakfast which made many of us shocked since we usually have 3 meals a day and many of us were unable to finish the heavy breakfast. I learnt that people have different likings and even though we are all human, we lead different lifestyles and to understand that everyone has their own differences. With these experience, I can apply it to my daily life that different people live differently and we should not make fun of others but learn to accept and adapt.

-参观中国雕版印刷博物馆

-东圈门历史街

-参观谢馥香

-东关历史文化街

-逸圃

I interviewed the stall owner of a diminishing occupation(block printing) in the cultural street and he said that people are spending their money on more realistic everyday items, making it hard for them to make a living. moreover, not many people will be willing to take the excessive time and patience required to carve words when now, we have printers and it takes just a few clicks to get something printed. Unlike block printing, having to carve each word and even the need to restart when they carve a word wrongly. In order to keep the block printing trade alive and catering to the needs of the crowds, they did live demonstrations which attracted crowds as we do not see these in our daily lives. In my opinion, even though we have to keep up with the times, it does not mean that we have to get rid of tradition and I think that it is important to conserve our tradition and not let it die.

DAY4 - "Education System - Same Same but Different"

-扬大附中东部分校初中学部

I observed that in their school, the do not make notes in lessons but instead pay full attention, not fidgeting about, sitting upright. This shoes their respect for the teachers. There are also CCTVs at the front so that there would be a teacher behind the room watching the CCTV. Also, they use chalk boards while we use white boards and their visualizer are also touch screen whereas the ones we have are not. They also have toilets of much poorer standards than the ones we have and they also do not have mirrors so students would not spend and waste time looking at themselves in the mirror. They are very serious, paying close attention in lessons. They are proactive in answering questions and are eager to learn; which is something Singaporean students can learn from them. Their lessons are more hands on and their lessons durations are also shorter as their attention span cannot last for long. Their teaching styles are also different, where their classrooms have mics all over and is able to pick up even the softest sounds. This would discourage students from talking amongst themselves and also makes it a lot easier for students to be able to hear what the teacher is saying.

-Lushi Old Mansion

This restaurant is very unique as all it's furniture are wooden and resembles an old mansion just like its name. The purpose of such restaurants with reference to themes is so that once the customers enter, they get the feel of the theme. This enhances and allows the customer to experience something meaningful. In Singapore, we also have something similar called "Malaysia Boleh" whereby all the food in there are Malaysian style and is decorated such that it looks just like a street in Malaysia. In order to attract teens, they can have trendy things such as playing pop songs teenagers like to attract them but also at the same time conserving their traditions.

DAY5 

扬大附中东部分校初中学部

I used to think singapore's education system is already a very stressful one and we students were facing a lot of stress. However, now I think Singapore's education system is not as stressful/bad compared to Yangzhou's/China's.

Firstly, their school starts about the same time as us but end school at 6 even though they have 1-2h lunch break in between.

Secondly, the students who stay far from home have to stay in the school hostel and they only get a chance to meet their family once a week. This makes it hard on them since they are only teenagers and do not have their family by their side all their time. This means they have to learn to be independent the hard way. My buddy mentioned that she misses her family a lot and due to large competition in the outside world, she has no choice but to study hard so she can secure a good job in the future and repay her parents. Her words truly touched and inspired me to stop taking things for granted and also to start studying hard for my own future. 

DAY5/6 - "腰缠十万贯，骑鹤下扬州”

-Geyuan Garden

-Daming Temple 

The garden was full of plants and had a lot of bamboo. I climbed up the paragon and had a view from there, the view was amazing! There were also large and random rocks which are natural, carved and washed in water. The major religion influencing the garden design is Buddhism as I saw incense and the Chinese characters "轻薄" we're purposely written wrongly to symbolize that one has to continue learning and to remind one not to be arrogant.

-Volkswagen and 老字号谢馥香化妆店

Both companies have mottos to strive to be excelled and number 1. I think that they can continue to do well. Volkswagen changed and modernists to improve the cars they make whereas 谢馥香keeps their make up as similar to those they made in the past without doing much changed. This is one aspect whereas there is a difference how the two companies are managed.

DAY7 - transportation system 

Similarly like our transportation system, everyone has to get tickets in order to board the train. However, the trains in China allows food and drinks, everyone gets seats and magazines are even provided. The seats are comfortable and even rotatable so you can sit such that you are seated opposite your friend. In the train station, there are also convenience stores, selling foods and drinks like bubble tea and snacks. Something that shocked me was that we had to walk past a metal scammer which was similar to the airports. I found out after wards that since there is a much larger population in China than in Singapore, the high crime rates called for such security measures. Even though food and drinks were allowed on board, the trains were very clear and tidy whereas in Singapore, where food and drinks are not allowed, sometimes spillage happens on the train and no one cleans it up. The locals are also very polite, allowing all passengers to alight before they board the train. The trains in China are also very punctual whereby the trains have a fixed timing to arrived whereas in Singapore, the time stated is inaccurate and causes inconvenience to people.

Daily Reflection-OELP

Day 1: "If China is a dragon, Shanghai is its head"

Places: Huang Pu Jiang, Bund, French Concession 

 I See...: What did you see in these sites? What amazes you most? Why?

We saw a monument of three guns and many other modernized buildings. There were many buildings that belonged to other countries like a Russian bank for example, this showed the impact that foreigners had on China. The thing that amazes me the most was the scenery and the lights of the city that we saw during the boat trip, because it was very beautiful.

 I Think...: What more did you find out about Shanghai and its contribution to Chinese economy and development?

Shanghai is the largest city in China with the best technology in China. The culture of Shanghai is different from many other cities as they are more westernized, and women and men have equal status, unlike many other cities in China that believe in the old belief that men are more capable than women.

 I Wonder...: Why do countries have iconic buildings? Are these buildings representative of Shanghai? Why? Are there any iconic buildings in Sinagpore?

One of the iconic buildings in Shanghai include the monument of the three guns. It is important to the history of Shanghai as each gun represents the three big wars that China suffered from: WW1, WW2 and the Chinese Civil War. The monument reminds the Chinese of those who sacrificed themselves when fighting in the wars. An example of an iconic building in Singapore is the "Sun Yet San Nanyang Memorial Hall".

Day 2: Shanghai's Urban Planning and Art Scene

Places: Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, TianZiFang, Hai Di Lao

What is the significance of this place to the local community? Why is there a need to preserve this place?

It shows the past of China's buildings and reminds the Chinese of the growth of their country.

Does Singapore have such art zones as well? What can Singapore do to encourage the local arts scene to be more vibrant?

Yes. We should add more attractive miniature buildings and more interactive games in our urban planning exhibition.

Discuss the dilemma of cultural heritage conservation and economic development in Shanghai and China.

If China were to demolish their cultural heritage, they would be able to build more factories to earn more money. However, by doing so, they will lose their heritage.

What are some constraints Shanghai face when developing its city? How do they overcome these constraints? Does Singapore face a similar situation as well?

Shanghai has to prevent demolishing their heritage when building buildings to develop their city. Singapore faces the same problem as well as in order to develop our city, we have demolished some important landmarks such as the National Library, Bukit Brown cemetery, etc. 

Day 2: “以人为本的” 海底捞

What do you think has contributed to the success of Hai Di Lao? 

I think that their excellent customer service is the main reason for their success. Some of the customer service that they provide are:

    - give hair ties to girls with long hair, in case their hair might fall into their food 

    - gave spectacle cloth to those who wear spectacles

    - gave small ziplock bags to those who put their phones on the table, so that their 

      phones would not get dirty

    - provided aprons to the customers, in case their clothing would become soiled 

      because of dropping their food on their clothes

    - each table had its own assigned waiter/waitress

    - the waiter/waitress was very friendly and they would have conversations with 

      the customers and would also introduce and serve the dishes to the customers 

    - the waiter/waitress would help the customers to pour drinks once their cup is a 

      little empty, without the customers having to ask them 

    - provided manicure service for customers who are waiting for a table

    - play area for parents to let their children to play at so that they can go and eat 

      as a couple while their children play

    - there are TVs that are connected to the CCTVs in the play area in the dining 

      area to let parents monitor their children while eating so that they would not 

      worry for their children

From the perspective of a customer, which aspect(s) of Customer Service would you like to change/improve based on your experience in Hai Di Lao? Provide reasons for your answer.

Singapore should learn from their good customer service. Normally, in Singapore, waiters or waitress would only serve when asked by the customer (for example we will have to ask them to fill our cups, whereas in Hai Di Lao, the waiters or waitresses would fill our glasses automatically and they would even apologize for not filling our glass if our glass is almost empty and not filled) besides that, the waiters or waitresses in Singapore hardly smile when they serve there customers. In Singapore, there is a lack in taking the initiative and the enthusiasm to serve others.

Day 2: "The Tale of Two Cities"

Places: Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal

Compare the night scenes of the two cities between Shanghai Huang Pu Jiang and Yangzhou's Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. List at least two of the most striking visual differences between the two places. (You can choose to sketch the two night scenes that you have viewed.)

In Huang Pu Jiang there are a lot of high-rise buildings and lights, whereas at the Grand Canal, there are many bridges and the buildings surrounding it are shorter in comparison to those in Shanghai. In Yangzhou, buildings can only be a few storey high.

The rise and fall of Yangzhou: Both Shanghai and Yangzhou are situated at strategic positions and are prosperous at some time of time in the history. What eventually caused the downfall of Yangzhou?

Shanghai is very modernized, they have many high-rise buildings whereas Yangzhou has hardly any high-rise buildings as they want to conserve the heritage of Yangzhou and do not want to demolish buildings that are important to them. As a result, Yangzhou is not as modernized as Shanghai and cannot prosper as well as Shanghai.

Day 3: Yangzhou- The city of Poetry and War

Places: 治春茶社、瘦西湖、24桥

What are 3 interesting things I observed or experienced today?

--> the bird and plant market 

I think it is interesting as this market shows the way people in Yangzhou make a living. Also,  I noticed that the store vendors at the market were staying there for a long time since early in the morning, without even having any goods sold. 

--> 瘦西湖

I think that it is a very interesting place as we are able to learn about the rich history and the importance do the lake.

What have I learnt from these experiences?

It is difficult to make a living in China.

How can I apply these experiences to my life?

We have to learn to appreciate things and we have to preserve the heritage of Singapore. 

Day 3: Yangzhou- The city of Poetry

Places: 中国雕版印刷博物馆、东圈门历史街、谢馥村、东关历史文化街，逸圃

1) Block engraving

Why do you want to continue to do such a job?

If they do not continue, the heritage will disappear and it is their interest to do such a job.

2) I think that the job of engraving blocks is diminishing as engraving blocks for printing is inconvenient when printers are already invented and technology has become so advanced. I think that these "engravers" should pass on their techniques and skills to others and keep on mind that by doing so, they are ensuring the continuation if their heritage. Then again, it is also difficult to find people who are willing to do these kind of jobs as people are more practical nowadays and such a job is not one that allows people to earn a lot of money.

3) What kind of entrepreneurship and creativity have they displayed in keeping this trade alive and catering to the needs of the crowds?

Some experts demonstrated their skills and awed the crowd when we visiting the block printing museum. One of the women was writing letters in Chinese using a brush. The size if the words were exactly the same and the letters were written elegantly. A men was engraving the words on wood and although the gaps in between were very small, his skills were excellent and the letters were engraved precisely. I feel that this skill requires a lot of commitment as the process of engraving and writing words required a lot of time to complete and it must have taken a long time for them to perfect their skills. 

Day 4: Education System- Same Same but Different

Places: 扬大附中东部分校初中学部

Compare and contrast the way classes are run in Yangzhou and Singapore. What is something you appreciative about Singapore schools that is not present in Yangzhou?

In Yangzhou, the students bow 90 degrees when they greet the teacher, no one talks in class unless they need to or are asked to. The students are also very participative in class, for example when we joined them for their music class, when they were asked to sing, everybody sang along with the teacher. Also between class breaks, the students have a sense of urgency as they would move quickly from one class to another. They were also very considerate for other classes who were still having classes, as they would walk and wait quietly for the next class to begin. Whereas, in Singapore, we have lesser respect for the teacher as we would talk in class, we are also less participative in class as we would hesitate to do things that the teachers ask us to do and we are very rowdy during our breaks. However, I think that Singapore schools have better facilities that the schools in Yangzhou as our school has clean toilets and are well maintained. For example, the railings in the school in Yangzhou that we went to were rusty and dented, however those in our school (RVHS) back in Singapore were still coated nicely in paint.

What good attitudes and behaviors can you learn from your peers in the partner schools?

We should be more participative in class, we should show more respect for teachers by not talking in class and we should be considerate for other classes by keeping quiet during our breaks.

What can Singapore learn form China's education system?

Maybe we can use Chinese to teach more classes to improve our Chinese.

Day 4: The collaboration 

Places: Lushi Old Mansion

I see... What is so unique about this restaurant? 

It has a unique historical theme to it as it the mansion is very well preserved, it's interior and exterior is designed very traditionally. They have old and traditional utensils, furnitures, garden and all. 

I think... With reference to Singapore, do we have similar kinds of restaurants with themes? What do you think is the purpose of such restaurants with reference to themes?

Yes there are. For example, Malaysia Boleh. Malaysia Boleh is a hawker centre in Jurong Point that serves Malaysia's best food and it is being designed like an old kampong in Malaysia. I think the purpose of such a restaurant will allow the clients/customers to have a better experience. The theme changes the atmosphere of the places and makes the customer feel that he/she is eating beck in the old kampong days.

I wonder... The restaurant achieved 2 different purposes in the way they run the business. With reference to Singapore, what are other possibilities/opportunities to merge different aspects of business/culture together to achieve a greater impact on both areas?

Restaurants can be built in old shops that have a rich history behind them. They can design thee restaurant base on the history of the old shop. This way, its heritage will still be conserved and business can also be made. 

Day 5: Education System- Same Same but Different

Places: 扬大附中东部分校初中学部

I used to think Singapore's education system...

Was one of the best education systems, however very stressful

But now I think Singapore's education system...

Is not as stressful as Yangzhou's. This is because the population in China is very high, thus competition to get into good schools is very high. I heard from my buddy that in order to get good marks, they can only sleep for about 3 hours as they have to study very hard.

Day 5: 朱自清的 “背影”

Places: Former Residence of Zhu Ziqing

Use a color, a symbol and an image to consolidate today's experiences. Explain your choices. 

Colour--> pink 

The colour pink represents his love and his contribution for Yangzhou 

Symbol--> star

I learned from this experience that Zhu Ziqing was a very smart man as he knew how to impact others by using words. Thus, I choose the star to signify that he was as bright as a star.

Image--> book and pen

I choose am image of a book and a pen as I learnt that Zhu Ziqing was a very famous writer.

Day 6: “腰缠十万贯，骑鹤下扬州”

Places: Geyuan Garden, Daming Temple

 Prominent features of a Chinese classical garden:

• Aesthetic ideal 

--> ponds with fishes

--> many bamboos as the owner liked bamboos, thus the name Geyuan "个园” as the Chinese name of bamboo “竹” look like the word ge "个”

• Special landscapes

--> one house that had glass windows to see the scenery when it is raining (very unique as there was no such thing as glass windows in the past)

--> rocks that depicted many different animals

--> staircase that looks like clouds

• Major religions influencing the garden design

In one of the rooms, there was a banner in the son's room and "勤” was written wrongly as it was missing a stroke. It was writer by his father, the owner of Geyuan. He wrote it like this as he wanted to remind his son that he still had a lot to learn and should not be proud. This is being influenced by Confucianism as Confucius felt that learning is important and learning goes on forever.

Day 6: Industrial Visits: Volkswagen 

Shanghai Volkswagen is a company that is well known for its close customer vendor relations. They have a mindset of mindset which is "满不满意，顾客说的算” and they have a lot of employees as they open up many jobs for the public, helping China to increase the number of employed people and they would constantly give donation to the public. This shows that the company has close customer vendor relations. Besides this, Shanghai Volkswagen have developed many new models and new ideas, for instance, they have developed electric cars and environmentally savvy cars. I think that these are the main reasons for this companies success and they would continue to do as long as they continue doing the two things that were elaborated above.

Day 7: The transportation System

Places: Bullet train

Think about the locals you have met on the bullet trains. How do the locals show consideration for others? Think about the similarities and differences between the transportation systems in Shanghai and Singapore?

The locals sitting in the bullet train were very quiet and this shows that they were being considerate for others as being loud would disturb others.

Some of the similarities between the transport system in Shanghai and Singapore is that there are seats and air conditioner. However, the bullet train in Shanghai is way better as the seats are more comfortable, they can rotate and incline backwards. Besides that, passengers are given tickets with assigned seat numbers and cabins, this makes boarding the train more orderly. They also allow food and drinks on board the train, unlike in Singapore. Last but not least, the bullet trains travel fatter than the trains in Singapore.

What are some local behaviors that puzzled you? Did any of your actions or behavior puzzle the Chinese? How and why are the transportation systems different or similar to Singapore. 

Some Chinese get agitated very easily while others are friendly and constantly stand around to look at us. I find this puzzling as I did not think that the locals would be so friendly to us. I think that the speed of the trains in Shanghai is faster than is Singapore as the land in Shanghai is many time bigger than Singapore. I also think that food and drink is not aloud in public transportation in Singapore as Singaporeans are very inconsiderate and irresponsible as they would leave the train in a mess if food and drinks were to be allowed. 

What does this discussion make you want to explore as a Singaporean and as a Chinese/Malay/Indian/others? Is there any behavior deemed as inappropriate by a person of another nationality/race/religion? Besides Taiwan and Singapore, are there any other countries/cities that have similar transportation system? 

It makes me wonder what each race and religion thinks is an appropriate behavior. For instance, Muslims will feel appalled when people offer pork to them or Buddhists will feel appalled when beef is offered to them. Hong Kong and Japan also has a similar train system to that of Singapore.

Done by: Clarissa Lee (7)

OELP daily reflection

OELP Daily Reflections

Day 1

-Today is the first day, when we arrived in the Shanghai airport. I wasn't really adapted to the language they use there. I feel that Singapore's airport is much more advanced and the environment and ambience in China is not as good as compared to that of Singapore's. Upon leaving the airport, we took a bus to our very first destination, the Bund. The scenery that can be seen from the Bund is extremely beautiful, and the Oriental Pearl Tower could be seen from there. What's even more interesting is that there are several couples taking their wedding photos there. It is definitely an enjoyable and relaxing place to be at. We had our very first meals in Shanghai too. Although all of us were not really used to the food there, we tried our best to finish them so as to not waste any of the food. At night, we took a ride on a boat at the Huang Pu Jiang river. The boat was extremely big and had 2 levels. Our class headed to the second level, as we could see the beautiful scenery on the upper deck. As the boat was moving, what lay before our eyes were many different types of buildings. There were those that were shaped like a saber. As it was at night, the buildings were being lit with LED lights, giving an even more serene atmosphere. Unfortunately, the strong winds at that time made a lot of us not enjoying the ride to its fullest. 

Day 2

-We woke up extremely early and had breakfast in the Shanghai Rayfront Xuhui Hotel. After that, we headed to the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall. It was a place built specially for us tourists and even their locals to understand how Shanghai had developed throughout the years. Inside there were many different sculptures which further enhances our understanding. What surprised me was the large sculpture of the overview of the whole of Shanghai. There was a big screen there which showed us how Shanghai has grew economically. Also, the information that was provided was extremely meaningful and I had learnt a lot from there. Next, we went to French Concession. To be honest, the French Concession is one of my favourite places that we have went throughout the whole trip. It was built when foreign aggression took place and the French built it there. Now, it has became a tourist attraction. Moreover, this place was preserved for a long period of time already, with a bit of the modern world mixed into it. Places such as Starbucks were built there, attracting even more people to visit this place. Next, we went to Tian Zi Fang, a street full of shops that sells different interesting things. There were items ranging from sweets to keychains and even yogurts! It was an enjoyable place to be in. On the very same day, we went to dine at Hai Di Lao. The food there was delicious and was to my liking. What impressed me was the service that was provided. They gave us spectacle wipes and hand phone covers so that we won't dirty them. They also went to the extent in helping us on the tap to wash our hands in the toilet. I would want to visit there again, definitely would.

Day 3

-We took another boat ride in the Slim Western Lake. It was build in the past to please the Chinese Emperor when he came to visit Yangzhou and it is the second largest lake in China. There are many houses and pavilions, bridges around this place that are being well preserved, and each of this places are of great historical value and also have an interesting story behind each of them. Tourists would be able to know more about Yangzhou's history after visiting this place. Later on, we went to visit a shopping street, with the name of 东圈街. It is a very traditional place and it is one of the more preserved streets in Yangzhou. There are many traditional shops that sell things from traditional Chinese handicraft to Yangzhou's speciality, 扬州三把刀. It is the perfect place for tourists to experience how the people in Yangzhou lived in the past. 

In the afternoon, we went to Yangzhou's block printing museum, where there is a live demonstration of different types of block printing. Each type has its own speciality, and what was surprising is that one mistake made from it, and the whole thing needs to be restarted. The demonstrators are also extremely careful and concentrated. I have learnt a lot from this museum too, as it teaches us about the historical value of different types of block printing. At night, we went to watch a performance mainly by women as it showcases the beauty of Yangzhou women. The performance also shows Yangzhou's traditions and cultures by singing songs using their dialect and playing their Chinese traditional instruments such as 古筝 and 二胡. This performance also allows us to understand more about their traditional food and activities in Yangzhou. 

Day 4

-We went to the Yangzhou school! It was a little awkward at first, but after a while of conversing and understanding each other, both parties, Singapore and China students, made friends really quickly. We went to attend some of their lessons and we realized their education culture is worlds apart from ours. They sit up straight throughout the whole lesson, unlike us, slouching every once in a while. We also realized that they way they conduct their lessons is totally different from ours, but we still enjoyed it no matter what. After that, we went to dine at the traditional restaurant, the Lushi Old Mansion. It was built according to a theme, which was a man with the surname of Lushi. There is a rich history and culture value in this restaurant, which allows us tourists to visit and understand more too. Delicious Yangzhou food, including expensive dishes that can only be found in certain places are served here. At night, we went to the Beijing-Hangzhou grand canal, a colorful and lively area where almost everything is decorated with LED lights. Many people are taking a stroll and having relaxing activities there. This shows that life in Yangzhou is slow paced, unlike that of Shanghai, where people live in a fast-paced lifestyle. 

Day 5

-We attended more of the China school's lessons and learnt a lot. We tried paper cutting and how to 包粽子, something we don't usually do in our daily lives. We also did many more different activities that we had never done in our whole life before. Other than this, we did not really go to any places of interest. 

Day 6

-Early in the morning, we headed to Geyuan garden. It has a very nice and calm scenery, along with clean fresh air and serene environment. The ponds and plants with the different shapes and sizes of rocks provided us with peace. There are also staircases made out of jagged and uneven rocks, giving a sense of uniqueness since we seldom see nature being made used of as stairs. Overall, this garden is rich in its natural beauty and special landscapes. We then headed to the 剪纸博物馆. It is a traditional place and there are many displays of Chinese paper cutting done by professioners. The cuttings are extremely complicated and has many detailed parts in them. There is a workshop for paper cutting and we were able to a hands on experience. We were given several 宣纸, some pictures of animals for us to cut from and special Chinese paper cutting scissors that we could bring home after the workshop. Whenever we faced difficulty, the trainers there would voluntarily step ahead and help us in any way that we need. On the lower floor, there was a souvenir shop selling many different works, like different designed hand held fans and bookmarks made up of the Chinese paper cutting. It was no doubt an enjoyable and meaningful experience. Next, we went to The Former Residence of Zhu Ziqing. The Former residence of Zhu Ziqing (朱自清故居) is located in a small alley and it was where Zhu Ziqing (朱自清), a renowned poet and essayist lived. Zhu Ziqing migrated to Yangzhou at a young age, away from his family, and he was well known for his love for Yangzhou. The Zhu Ziqing's Former residence is preserved and turned into a tourist attraction to remember his contribution to Yangzhou. At Zhu Ziqing's former residence, his books and his handwritten work are also displayed there. In the afternoon, we went to the Daming Temple. The Daming Temple is a popular tourist attraction. Over there, we were welcomed with an extremely big entrance with small stores selling praying items. There is also a very big hall of different Buddhas, including the Guanyin Buddha. The Daming Temple is an ideal place to make a prayer for blessings and well being. There are rooms that display pictures and statues to commemorate some renowned poets and the person who played a big part in spreading Taoism to Japan. Later in the afternoon, we went to somewhere which I was excited to go to, the Shanghai Volkswagen Company. It is extremely big and there are many Volkswagen cars at the side of the exhibition, and all of them were new and cool. There is also a brief 3D map of the whole of this Volkswagen company on display. We were brought into a meeting room to watch a short clip of the success of Volkswagen and how it progressed to be this successful throughout the years. After the video, we were split up into 4 different groups to board onto 4 different electric cars to bring us for a tour around the whole of its factory. While we were on the trip in exploring how they manufacture their cars, the driver would explain to us what was going on using a wireless MP3 that was given to each of us. We were also provided safety goggles, that we had to put on in case any bits of metal or sparks fell on our face. Inside the factory, there were many many machines used to help out in their work. These machines were extremely efficient and useful and they do things well in the shortest amount of time possible. The different processes of making a Volkswagen car was extremely complicated as the car had to be extremely safe and secure. Many checks on the cars were being held out and they use fake people to test it out. In the factory, there were many banners found in every part of it

Each banner wrote something motivational, to motivate their workers to strive for the best and work as hard as they could to satisfy every customer they have. I feel that they were extremely hardworking and disciplined in doing this job. The trip through the enormous factory gave me a deep impression of this place, and it gives me a deeper understanding on how cars are made and manufactured. It is not easy to make a car, however, I really enjoyed this experience and will never forget it in my entire life. Day 6 was the most interesting of them all, in my opinion. 

Day 7

-It was our very last day. We were sad to leave China, but no matter what, we had to. The bus uncle drove us to the Bullet Train platform, where we would be taking the train back to Shanghai. That was the last few times we would be meeting him, and we were sad that we had to leave the bus uncle too. It was tough for him having to drive us for the whole 7 days, and we appreciate what he had done for us. We went into the train platform and waited for our train to come. Upon its arrival, we entered the train and found a place to sit. The seats were extremely comfortable and the train was extremely spacious and clean. There were also toilets and mini stores, selling food and drinks, in the train. What amazed me was that the seats were able to turn around so that we could face each other throughout the 1 hour journey. Throughout the whole journey, I enjoyed the fast and steady train ride, and I would love to take another bullet train ride in the future. 

It was time to leave China and our classmates, and not forgetting, our very beloved tour guide. He had been there for us for the whole trip and without him, this trip wouldn't have been what it was. I am extremely grateful for what he had done for us, and would never forget him. We still had to leave each of us and head back to where we started, our home. I had learnt and enjoyed a lot during this 7 day trip, and I hope we can go overseas as a class again in the future. 

-Danson Tan (31)