South students traveled to China over February break
March 9, 2017
Last week, a group of South students took a trip abroad to China. The group left on Feb. 16, and returned eight days later. This time was filled with a variety of experiences.
The trip was arranged and advised by Dennis Pascoe and Kendra Caralis–both South teachers– with the organizational help from ACIS (American Council for International Studies), a business dedicated to planning educational trips.
The group traveled to three different cities: Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. According to Pascoe, there were many sightseeing opportunities in each city, so there were tour guides to lead the group to the different sites.
Taken at the Forbidden City.
During the day, the students visited major tourist places, and at night they went to shopping and entertainment districts, Pascoe said.
Students saw many historical landmarks such as the governmental center, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall, according to Reis Dempsey, ‘19, one of the travelers.
“Being involved in another country’s culture was breathtaking. The water in China was not drinkable, so we had to use bottled water to brush our teeth,” Dempsey said. “Everything was so different there, but unforgettable.”
According to Gabie Smith ‘18 new friendships formed between people who had barely talked before the trip. Students met lots of new people, while having the opportunity to view a different culture firsthand.
“We went on a lot of adventures,” Smith said. “We hiked the Great Wall, and that was beautiful. We saw many Buddhist temples, and I thought the food was great because it was all authentic Chinese food.”
The trip to China allowed kids to get outside of the bubble and their comfort zone, Pascoe said. Many people are not exposed to cultures of other countries in the world, and are only used to the American lifestyle, according to Pascoe.
“I think this trip really helps open the eyes of people and give them a new experience,” Pascoe said. “It shows them that it’s not just Grosse Pointe, there is more to the world than that.”