Well here we all 9 months after are original trip to China .. and now it’s are turn to be the hosts, and what an experience it has been.
I first meet the Chinese group at county hall in Chichester on Wednesday 29 July, they seamed like a nice enough bunch of young people, and after a few warm and friendly games organised by Dahlia the group began to open up and become more chatty.. I was really excited and happy that our Chinese tour guide Ivan had been able to accompany the Chinese young people to the UK and couldn’t wait to catch up with her. It was also nice to see members of the original UK group who travelled to China and who had help plan the visit with the help of Maralyn, Jane & Steve. After lunch we were asked to take the Chinese young people into Chichester for a bit of shopping.. something they seamed to enjoy doing a lot (but that’s another story)
On Thursday 30th July Me, Maddie, Sophie and Jeremy travelled with the young people to Brighton. The first part of the tour was spent at the University listening at Jane explain about some of the course on offer and the education system in the UK & some of the female students seamed particularly interested in this, however most of the boys seamed board if I’m honest. After lunch at the University we took the young people to the Royal pavilion however as it was closed Maralyn and Steve suggested that after they Chinese had finished taking photos that Me, Maddie & Sophie should take them shopping in Brighton …… Well that was a challenge in it self we were each allocated 4 young people to look after, however we thought it would be easier to walk around Brighton in a big group, what a mistake every shop we walked was a waiting target and before you could do anything half the group and disappeared through the shop doors ( very frustrating when you have a time scale to stick to) Anyway Me, Maddie & Sophie somehow managed to keep them together and didn’t lose a single one unlike the day before. After 2hrs walk around Churchill Square and shopping we took the Chinese down to the sea life centre were Maralyn and Steve were waiting for us, Along the way we brought a Pride flag to keep the group together and as we made are way down to the sea life centre shouts of ” two dollar” echoed from the front of the group ( what a sight it must have been) I don’t think the Chinese group appreciated the sea life centre and we more then happy to be hurried through by there group leader Ivan who by the looks of things was finding it hard to let go of being in charge. After the sea life centre we took the group for fish and chips on the pier this was such a funny thing to watch as the group tried to copy how we were holding and using a knife and folk to eat dinner after a few attempts though must of them pick t up rather well
On Saturday 1st Aug we took the group to Arundel castle to watch the jousting and medieval events. However due to typical English weather the rain put pay to the jousting and we head back to the youth centre. The day was not wanted though as the group did get to explore the castle and the grounds in the morning something they couldn’t agree on if they enjoyed or not. For lunch me. Maddie & Sophie treated the group to a hog roast something they enjoyed ..but didn’t fill them up with this we head back to the dinning room to buy them some more food. Saturday was also home stay night and very exciting and nerve raking at the same time, I was allocated Dracula and Frankie, after arriving home I told them it was my Nan’s birthday with this they rushed up stairs and bring down boxes and bags of gifts for her something we had not been expecting, that evening the had spaghetti Bolognese which I think they enjoyed. After dinner i asked them what they would like to do they said they wanted to stay in so we settled down and watched harry potter before heading to bed. Not every exciting but it had been a long day …
On Sunday it was agreed that Myself, Maddie, Dahlia, Rosie and Sophie would meet up at Tillgate park in Crawley with are home stay students this way we thought everyone would be happy and we wouldn’t have any of those awkward silences.. On this day if found the group to be honest and blunt about the truth and found it frustrating that Frankie and Dracula kept complain about the fact they were board and want to go shopping and that they were hungry even though they had just been feed. After 4 hrs at Tillgate the group headed for crawly shopping centre for lunch and Shopping time….When then returned to Home for dinner before heading of Bowling for the evening. On Sunday we decided to give the Chinese and English Chinese which they found very different and strangely they preferred it to the really thing over dinner interesting conversation developed about china and how it was opening up to the west after the Olympics games and government was “Changing.” after bowling we ended up back at Dahlia’s for drinks and a chat, before heading home about 11:00
I found the home stay a bit of a challenge and was glad that we meet up as a group on Sunday as it meant the day didn’t drag by.. it also gave me other people to chat to and not just Frankie and Dracula. If i had to do a home stay again I think it would be better to have 2 students for just the one night rather than two.. That I think is something al of us who did a home stay agreed on.
On Monday we meet at Adur Activities centre for a debrief on the home stay and team building activities.. I think the Chinese young people enjoyed themselves and a good time, however i found it a bit to full on and just want some time to relax on my own which most of the group caught on to. I helped Jane and Steve set up the BBQ in the afternoon along with Rosie, Maddie and Sophie. I found the BBQ rather frustrating because after telling everyone to take 1 of each item and them come back for more the Chinese young people just filled there plates and had more then anyone else.. That night it was nice to come home and sleep in my own bed.
On Tuesday 4th Aug It was the formal dinner and everyone was really excited Me, Maddie, Will, Dahlia and Rosie turned up early to help Maralyn and Jane set up for the evening. Sophie had travelled the group to Portsmouth for the day and was looking forward to have a catch up with everyone, after the important people had made there speeches it was dinner time conversation filled the room and so did laughter and the sound of clunking knifes and forks everyone seamed to be having a good time, at the end of the meal each member of the UK group was presented with a little present from the Group leader Mr snow. something we were not expecting and found very touching, the meal finished around 9:30 and it was home to pack ready for are London adventure on Wednesday.
Great to hear from you Josh! Glad you had a good experience overall!
Good to hear all about the programme Josh, what was it that made the programme ‘full on’, what would you have planned differently with hindsight?
The group seemed to be very interested in shopping is there anything that you learnt about the chinese group that you want to share?