The very first exchange experience to China was an amazing experience for all. Over two weeks the group of ten students and two chaperones spent time in Huzhou, Shanghai, Xi’an and Beijing. Week 1 was the homestay with the host families and days in school with an exciting program of lessons, activities and outings. Students experienced art, music and sports lessons, played football with a school team, cooked dumplings in the school cafeteria, hiked to a local temple, visited a pearl museum, a calligraphy brush workshop, a model ancient village and even joined a late self study session all Huzhou students have to attend at school in the evening until 21:30.
Huzhou No. 2 High School teaches grades 10, 11 and 12, with around 2000 students on campus and about half of those boarding. With up to 40 students to a class and more traditional frontal teaching the learning experience was very different than LIS. Many adults commented on the confidence and maturity of our students.
After school our group was shown the sites of Huzhou, with outings and meals planned by the host families. Everyone really enjoyed their time with their host families often meeting up with other host families and combining activities.
Our final day, all students took part in a performance with their host students and final farewell meal with all the families. It was a very touching end to a very meaningful week of building relationships across cultures and language.
The second week of the trip was a round tour of China starting with two days on Shanghai. During our time in there we visited Nanjing and explored the shopping district and the Ju Gardens, and ended the day with a river boat tour on the Huangpu river, to see the city lit up at night. We were joined by one of our LIS board members, Axel Möring, who is currently in Shanghai.
One Day 2 we went up the Jin Mao Tower, the fourth tallest building in Shanghai, and visited the Shanghai Museum, which has an impressive range of exhibits from ancient bronze and porcelain to calligraphy. The tour also included a stop at Shanghai’s famous knock-off markets, where we tried our hand at haggling with the vendors. The day ended with the group boarding the first of two night trains, this one bound for Xi’an.
Xi’an is of course home to the Terracotta Army – an incredible wonder of the world built by the first emperor of unified China. In Xi’an we also visited the ancient city wall and the Muslim Quarter with its fascinating history along the Silk Road.
We also got to see the Great Wild Goose Pagoda; an important temple that housed some of the first Buddhist scripture brought from India centuries ago.
At all our stops students could enjoy some free time in groups to explore and shop within a limited range.
The next night train then took us on to Beijing with a very early start at Tiananmen Square going on to the incredible Forbidden City complex and then some much needed down time in the hotel.
Our final day we visited the Great Wall of China, then went on to the Silk Market and ended the day with Peking Duck dinner. It was an amazing end to a thrilling trip.
After 23 hours of buses, flights and trains, the group returned to Leipzig tired but full of stories to tell and very ready for their own beds.
Travel like this does more than tick off sights it stretches what students know (or think they know) about the world and themselves. They learn to navigate new places, try new things and lean on each other. The best part is doing it with friends: creating new shared jokes on long train rides, sorting out small challenges together and seeing the same moment from ten different angles. Those memories become a kind of toolkit they’ll carry forward confidence, curiosity and friendships shaped by an unforgettable shared journey.
