Guizhou Cultural Exploration

By Mirae Park (G10)

This trip had so many memorable moments, and it honestly seemed more like a mini vacation rather than a school trip! Going to a remote area, away from the city, it was easy to forget about my worries and just enjoy the moment (especially the view! I don't think I'll be forgetting how incredible the scenery looked anytime soon). 

Besides exploring the mountains, we participated in numerous cultural activities around Guizhou. We had the opportunity to talk to the local Miao elders and learning about their everyday lives. It was fascinating listening to them talking about the place which they never left their entire lives! We also visited a wood ear fungus farm and spent our morning picking them. Later, we tried to sell our mushrooms at a local market through ostentatious advertisement (and we were successful!). Another day, we visited a massive cave to learn about the traditional way of making paper. We even got to make our own decorated paper pieces! But my favorite activity of the entire journey has got to be the day we spent with the primary school kids. Us teaching them English and then them teaching us how to do a few PE activities was the highlight of the whole trip! 

Through these experiences, I became friends with people who I probably wouldn’t have become close to without the opportunity. By the end of the trip, our group was one big family! I am grateful for being able to participate in such a valuable, memorable trip, and I hope I can partake in a similar experience in the future!