As a fourteen year old at the time, I don't think I ever expected to have the opportunity to visit a country so many miles away from home. I have always been interested in various different cultures and learning about the history of other places. While I'd never been an insanely confident person, the opportunity to go on a trip to the other side of the world (almost), a completely different continent without my parents massively scared me but, at the same time, it was an opportunity that I couldn't pass on and I knew that.
On 17th March 2013, myself and 12 (I think it was 12) other students at my school, along with three teachers, made our way to Heathrow airport ready to travel to China for ten days. Our trip consisted of five days in Shanghai, an overnight train, a day in Xi'an, another overnight train and, finally, three days in Beijing, returning home on 27th March 2013.
Over the course of the ten days we spent in the country (which, by the way, is honestly one of the most beautiful places I have ever had the pleasure of visiting) we experienced so many different things. We visited a Chinese school, met incredible people, visited some Chinese students' homes, visited the Great Wall of China (!!), visited the Beijing Olympic Park, saw the Terra Cotta Army, visited the Yakult factory, went to the top of the Oriental Pearl Tower, went on a boat cruise along The Bund in Shanghai, visited traditional markets, visited Buddhist Temples, visited the Beijing Zoo, various museums and so much more. I'm not going to lie to you, I've probably missed some of the activities out of that mini round up of the trip but, in all honesty, it was such an action packed trip that it was hard to remember what you'd even done the day before.
One of my favourite things to do now, as an eighteen year old, is to look back at my photos from the trip. I still, four years on, cannot believe that I've been to China. It was such a surreal, eye opening experience for me and I will be forever grateful of the opportunity. My confidence grew massively due to the experience and I had the most incredible time and met some of the loveliest, kindest people while I was over there. I genuinely struggle to believe that the trip was four years ago now - the time has gone insanely quickly and I miss it so much. Whenever asked about my greatest achievement or thing that I am most proud of in life, I always say visiting China at age fourteen - I didn't necessarily achieve anything but I feel as though the experience made me grow as a person. I learnt so much more about the Chinese culture and history whilst also growing in confidence. I genuinely hope that you have enjoyed this flashback to quite honestly one of the greatest times in my life so far. I will always consider my China trip and experience as one of the most incredible trips I will ever take and I am continuously grateful that I had the opportunity to participate and I cannot wait for the day that I have the opportunity to go back. Until next time, China.
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