Prior to the end of March, Year 6 embarked on a trip to Kaiping for 4 days and 3 nights to explore the cultural diversity with a focus on ‘East meets West.’ Setting off early on Tuesday morning, spirits were high as we took just over 2-hours on the bus to our base at Cangdong. Students embarked on a range of activities and despite the poor weather conditions, were able to explore the surrounding area and learn about the buildings that make the area famous called ‘Dialou.’ We learned about the history of the buildings, and how visiting the area allows Chinese people who have traveled abroad the opportunity to reconnect with their traditional roots. The students showed open-mindedness in their activities, were responsible and principled in their environment, and showed various thinking skills as they developed plans that Kaiping could use to develop their tourist industry.  

Here are some of the highlights from the students: 

Steffi Keesari – Year 6 Red

The overall experience at Kaiping was actually more than I expected after COVID and we couldn’t go to Thailand. I would say that every single activity in the small village was enjoyable, and we learned a lot about the culture of this village.

The best part of the camp was the biking trip. It was adventurous in that we had to cross streets and ride on the wet road. There were also times when there were no fences on the farm and we just rode through them like adventurous grade 6s. I think it was the activity that I enjoyed the most and got most people into the most fun.

JiHo Shin – Year 6 Yellow

I enjoyed Kaiping camp because there were lots of various activities. There was flower making, making food,etc. The best part was riding a bicycle. It was great because there was a speed race. While riding a bicycle, I saw some beautiful villages and dogs. The air was so fresh so I really enjoyed riding my bicycle. After we rode the bicycle we ate delicious food. I thought the food will taste bad but it was so yummy. The rice was really good too. The rice was smooth and the texture was good. Last the trip was fantastic and I want to say thank you to all of the staff.

Lily Mead – Year 6 Green

For camp, the best part was the biking because the scenery was very nice and I like riding through the farms. I also enjoyed all of the crafting activities for example the clay rooster, and paper flower. The hotel room was very good because the beds were comfortable and the rooms had enough space to walk around. Kaiping was very good because I enjoyed the fresh air. I also liked the weather because it reminded me of my home country and of spring. During break time we liked playing with the dogs and we enjoyed naming them. Another thing I enjoyed was the nature walk because it was very relaxing and I used to do it a lot when I was younger.

Aidan Coetzee – Year 6 Yellow

I really enjoyed going to Kaiping. Some of my favorite activities were the scenery biking, I enjoyed it because the leader was funny, and exploring the beautiful area was fantastic. I also enjoyed the short but informal hike, I liked it because the area was very beautiful, and learning about the unique culture was interesting. Finally is the food, it was fantastic thanks to the lovely chefs. Overall I really enjoyed the trip and want to say a big thank you to all of the staff.

Nicholas Cameron
UISG Year 6