An Unforgettable Journey: The High School of Glasgow's China Adventure

In October, more than 30 High School of Glasgow pupils embarked on an extraordinary ten-day expedition to China - an adventure from Beijing to Shanghai that created memories that will be indelibly etched in their minds forever.

Over ten remarkable days, pupils explored the Forbidden City, climbed the Great Wall and marvelled at Xi'an's Terracotta Warriors. They glided through Beijing's historic hutongs by rickshaw, learned ancient arts, from calligraphy to kung fu, and travelled between cities metropolises on bullet trains and overnight sleepers. They ascended modern megastructures like the Shanghai Tower, whilst cultural immersions ranged from traditional tea ceremonies to exploring vibrant night markets.

This is what The High School of Glasgow does - creating transformative opportunities that foster independence, cultural understanding and appreciation for our inter-connected world, carefully designed journeys that challenge, inspire and change young lives.

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Below, our intrepid travellers share their own recollections of this remarkable adventure...

I found it very rewarding to interact with locals and experience a snapshot of Chinese life and history as a whole. I was particularly impressed by how open China's cities are, despite being so busy and large, and the greenery throughout. The food was very good and our tour guides were all extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

I loved learning about the history of China - I realised that the world is so different in the East compared to the West and I would love to go back to travel to more cities. The markets are so lively and I really enjoyed looking at traditional art and calligraphy.

The trip was eye-opening - interacting with locals taught me so much, both conversationally and culturally. I was able to engage with centuries of east Asian culture and history that is not taught in school, and developed not only an understanding but a deeper appreciation for a country as old as China. Each city is so distinctly different and drawing comparisons between rural and urban life here and in China was very interesting."

Eunice O (S6)

My trip to China was an amazing experience. Eating at local restaurants and wandering the markets allowed us to immerse ourselves in the local culture, as well as giving us a chance to practice our bartering skills! It was interesting to see both the differences and similarities in our cultures as well as seeing iconic sights such as the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army, which was my favourite part of the trip.

This trip has given me an appreciation for the local values and customs, taught me about independence and allowed me to form many new friendships. It was an enjoyable and insightful experience that I will truly never forget."

Anna C (S5)

In China, we visited three of the main cities. The first was Beijing, where we took part in a kung fu lesson, climbed the Great Wall and watched an amazing acrobatic show. We then headed to Xi’an, where we tried their famous biangbiang noodles, visited the Terracotta Warriors Museum and even made our own terracotta figure. The last city was Shanghai, where we went up more than 120 floors in the Shanghai Tower to take in the views and went on a boat ride that captured views all of the futuristic buildings.

The most memorable part of the trip was when we had short a bike ride on Xian’s city wall while all the buildings near it were beautifully lit up, alongside having the chance to practice our Mandarin while talking to sellers at city markets."

Siyana A (S4)

I really enjoyed the China trip as I got to see some really interesting and beautifully designed architecture. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the people of China. We also met a lot of Vietnamese people. Everyone we met left a truly unique impression on us.

If the opportunity arrived I would 100% go back!"

Corey W (S4)

The trip opened my eyes to how different everyone is but how we can all learn from each other.”

Sam M (S4)

Going to China was something I’m really glad I could experience. We got to try out new foods and experiences, and understand the culture of many interesting historical places. The flight was long, but it was 100% worth it. I would recommend it to people who want to go on the next China trip - 谢谢!"

Chloe L (S3)

I both loved and somewhat disliked going to China! It taught me many lessons, from how much I missed my family, to how exotic and intricate Chinese culture is. While I loved learning about the culture, I was also unsettled by the culture changes. It was quite weird at first seeing, for example, the squat toilets. However, eventually I did get accustomed to it!"

Mark B-C (S3)

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Take the chance to flick through our gallery below, documenting a truly magical 10 days in China!