From July 31 to Aug. 14, 2015, 44 students of Shanghai Jiading No. 1 High School participated in the 15-day English culture summer camp activity in the UK.
The first week of the camp was arranged in the prestigious ancient historical and cultural city Edinburg. During the one week in Edinburg, the students first studied in the English school in the city center. They not only studied at class, but also heard series of theme lectures. They studied and exchanged with students from different countries, some of them are enthusiastic, some calm and steadfast, and some interesting and humorous. Each study and discussion was friction and collision of views, and in such studies, the students got to know some knowledge about history, famous sceneries, national festivals, featured food and famous figures of the UK, and they also cooperated to work out the activity plan for seven-day tour of Scotland, so that the students not only received colorful British education, exercised their oral English and manual skill, but also got precious friendship from foreign friends, and finally, they were awarded with certificate of completion to their surprise. During the week, the students fully appreciated the lively and world famous art festival in Edinburg, and sensed the Jazz Festival, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Fringe Festival and Music Festival closely, to experience personally the long history and culture of Scotland. Programs at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo were performed by delegations from different countries, and were quite attractive. The Fringe Festival was all the more funny, the programs were organized by citizens, including songs, dances, magic and living theatre …… and they were so abundant, colorful and wonderful in great number, bringing surprises one after another, really a glorious banquet of world culture.
The second week of the summer camp was culture exploration around the island. Led by British teachers, the students sensed the political and art atmosphere of London, experienced the education of the world famous Cambridge and Oxford, explored into Yorktown with brilliant religious traces of the ancient Roma, visited the Windsor Castle of the British Royal Family, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of lake area. Windsor Castle is magnificent, reflecting the powerful finance and leading science of the UK in those years. The British Museum deserves its reputation, and its rich collections provide precious first-hand historical materials for people to understand and research on history. The beautiful scenery in the lake area is intoxicant. The students really enjoyed the green lawn, villas in unique styles and tall trees with their own eyes. Especially, the blue seawater merges with the sky afar, mild and elegant, just like British gentlemen, yet also at a certain distance, offering a space for full relaxation to fully release oneself.
During the summer camp, the students lived in British families. In these families, they met with gracious old people, enthusiastic middle-aged couples and energetic young friends. They received students with various British food and delights, organized colorful family activities, and also talked with students on various topics including food, habits and study. Even in a family with a single old person, there was no feeling of loneliness, old persons usually choose to enter schools for the aged, participate in volunteer service team, learn a foreign language or short distance travel. In the UK, the students also experienced deeply the good traffic order of observing rules, giving precedence to pedestrians, and lining up for boarding, as well as the good safety awareness of tying up safety belt on vehicle.
Although a period of two weeks is not sufficient to deeply learn and understand the British history and culture, the students carried out micro subject research on “People and animals in the UK”, “Comparison of Shanghai food and Edinburg food”, “Traffic culture in the UK”, “High school education system in the UK”, “Difference of living habits between China and the UK”, “Research on British architecture style” and “Research on British churches” based on what they have seen, heard, learned and experienced, in various forms of collecting materials, field survey and family interview, to extend their international vision and upgrade the scientific and cultural competence.