Yesterday (Thursday) was the last day in Wujiang Senior Middle School. The International Studies class welcomed us in the morning with a cultural display. Students sang, played musical instruments and danced for us. And then they asked us to become involved. We had to get up and teach them to sing an Australian song. You are all very lucky to be so far away, because it’s not a good experience to hear the three of us trying to sing “Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree.” But we managed it, and the kids did a pretty good job with it. Then we had to play games with the kids, and even try to use a hula-hoop – something most of us haven’t done for many years.
The class then took us through to another room where they taught us how to make Chinese dumplings – and they were really delicious.
During the trip we’ve had a film crew travelling with all of us, but yesterday they joined the Mooroolbark team at Wujiang. They interviewed each of us separately, and also filmed us involved in different activities. Hopefully you will be able to see some of this film next term.
Principal Li then organised a farewell ceremony for us. It was very official, and Ms. Williams signed a document on behalf of Mr. Reid agreeing to continue our relationship with Wujiang. Together with our sister-school we are starting to plan some very exciting activities.
In the afternoon Jane and David took us to Tongli, a beautiful old town that is built on canals and is known as “Venice of the East.” We had a wonderful, relaxing time walking around the streets and looking in all the shops. And then in the evening we had a farewell dinner with all the visiting schools from the Yarra Ranges and their Chinese sister-schools.
This morning we discovered that our visit had made the front page of the city’s nespaper. Very exciting, even though none of us can read it.
Leave a Reply