Greetings from chilly China!
Day One
After a long journey from Dubai - via Doha - we arrived in the bustling city of Shanghai. We were met by the smiling guide from China Highlights, who took us to our hotel right in the centre of the city, on the east bank of the Huangpu River. After a short rest in the hotel we started to explore the city by night. The students were amazed by the lights and the cityscape, which contains a vast array of buildings from different eras. We had dinner in a typical, cosy backstreet restaurant, where some local diners happily gave up their table in order to accommodate all 12 of us!
Day Two
We started our day of siteseeing bright and early. We checked out of the Hengsheng Peninsula Hotel then headed straight for the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Spectacular panoramic views of the city were enjoyed by all. Afterwards, we were driven to the beautiful, historic Yuyuan Garden, followed by a souvenir-buying experience at the Yuyuan Market. Then it was time to get our adrenalin pumping when we suddenly got stuck in a lift on our way up to the restaurant! We were rescued almost immediately, and now we can smile about it. Our guide ordered everything on the menu for us, to make sure we all experienced traditional Chinese food. The best fun was in guessing just what exactly we were eating. Lily thought she was eating eyeballs, and she rather enjoyed them! After filling our stomachs to near-bursting point we were transported to a Silk Exhibition where the students' strength was tested to the limits by the challenge of stretching silk. Sounds easy? It's not. More gifts were purchased as souvenirs for loved ones back home.
Then it was time to say goodbye to our guide, Sarah. Three cheers for her from the students. Dulwich College and the host families eagerly awaited the arrival of their guests for the weekend. The Festival was about to begin!
Day Three
Again, an early start for all as we met up as a group of 180 students in the gymnasium at Dulwich College. Although they were tired by this point each of the students gave us very positive feedback about their first night in the homes of their host families. Students were then put in their chosen ensemble groups and immediately set off on their cultural visit to the Shanghai World Financial Centre. This was followed by the contrasting experience of a traditional Chinese market, with its narrow lanes and street food for sale. The bravest of us tasted chicken, lamb or squid skewers. The less brave had the caramelised strawberry skewers. Back at the College, and after lunch, the students headed for their ensembles and continued developing their ideas on the theme of Noodle Makers to Skyscrapers.
Day Four
The whole morning was spent in the pre-selected workshops, led by enthusiastic experts in all manner of creative activities. Ollie, Tommy, Yasmina and Ciara got the chance to develop their martial arts skills, whilst Caroline and John John practised Tai chi. Lily enjoyed learning how to mix dance and movement with drama, whilst Charlotte's special effects skills were put to the test as she created a life-like wound dripping with blood (made from food colouring!) Ariana and Rishi combined sound and action to create a dynamic performance in their workshop.
After a well-deserved lunch, the students' energy levels rose again for an afternoon of ensemble work. This will form part of Day Five's final performance. Following this the students enjoyed another hearty Chinese meal, which provided enough energy for an evening of lively dancing. The party was a roaring success! Host families later collected their children and guests, and then headed off for their last night's sleep in China, with dreams of the big day tomorrow.
Day Five
The students are working feverishly to get their final performance together. The pressure is on, but every last one of them is eager to show the audience what they have learned during this busy but extremely successful three days of artistic and personal development. Expect some tired but exuberant students to return to Dubai with stories of their exciting journey, of their experiences of Shanghai, and of new friendships made.
See you soon