YCIS Chongqing students from Years 7 to 13 recently embarked on ‘Learning Outside The Classroom’ excursions that connected their curriculum to the real world. Join us to relive their journeys.

Trip to Songyang ：

Our Years 10 to 13 students spent a week engaging in various challenging and fun activities in Songyang.

Year 10:

They spent the week fixing roof tiles for the local community as winter was approaching, providing valuable service and much-needed help. They also had the opportunity to experience local culture through tea making and enjoyed hiking and kayaking in nature.

Year 11:

They spent the week interacting with the local community and learning about proper farming practices and the traditions behind them. They experienced the local lifestyle by making tofu in traditional ways and creating artwork with the local community.

Year 12 and 13:

Our Year 12 and 13 students participated in a cultural immersion programme. They prepared food for the local elderly community and learned about the rich cultural history of the community. Students dressed in local outfits, learned local songs and traditions. They also had fun hiking and cycling in nature. Our students visited two schools in the area and assisted with English teaching and sharing modern educational practices.

Trip to Yangshuo ：

Our Years 7 to 9 students embarked on a journey to camp in Yangshuo, Guilin. Their experiences included:

FOOD! Many students were quite impressed with themselves in cooking their own food. Opinions on whether or not their culinary creations actually tasted good were heavily divided.

SKILLS! A wide range of activities such as rock climbing, abseiling, raft building, fan painting, and tea picking took place. These activities not only taught our students individual skills but also contributed to building resilience and teamwork.

CHALLENGES! Bugs tested their perseverance. Rain and mud hindered biking. Our students embraced and overcame these challenges.

EMPATHY! After witnessing the hardships of rural villagers, such as hardworking farmers, dusty roads, and rundown buildings, students reflected on their own lives with gratitude.

"It was an impressive experience that I will remember often during my school life in the future, and it was a mentally healing school trip since I was able to spend five days without worrying about anything." - Jiyoon

"Throughout the trip, we not only enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Songyang, Zhejiang, but also gained valuable life experiences and created wonderful memories. I believe that this trip will have a profound impact on our future growth and development." - Henry

"Ultimately, through this service-learning experience, I have developed skills such as interacting with culturally different students, teamwork, overcoming fears, the cycle of failure and improvement, and learning about different cultures." - Cheryl

"This experience has made my educational journey far more engaging and has motivated me to continue stepping out of my comfort zone beyond the confines of a standardized curriculum." – Pearly

Our students embraced the rich experiences our ‘Learning Outside The Classroom’ program offered, learning to lead, to engage with a servant’s heart, forging stronger relationships with their peers, their teachers and with the wider community.