ICEP Trip Report 2017

Tuesday, July 4th – CCC After weeks of preparation, the moment we’d been envisioning finally arrived. All 13 participants and their families made their way from near and far to the Chimney sign barn, and checked in for ICEP China. After some introductions, and a brief orientation from TSP Admin, it was finally time to say goodbyes to our families and begin the journey. To break the ice, the girls gave the rest of the group a tour of Chimney. Along the way we stopped to play various name games and fun, silly activities to get everyone comfortable with each other. Later on after swim checks, dinner, and health checks, we established our Group Contract, and discussed some personal as well as group goals. A round of the shoe game capped off the activities before chat, and before we knew it, our first day together had come to a close.

Chat Question: What is something new about you since the last time you were at camp?

Wednesday, July 5th – CCC After breakfast in the Chimney dining hall, we continued our orientation by playing more icebreakers, introducing Behavior Interaction Styles and talking about more nitty-gritties of our trip. After lunch, we met with Becky, the assistant Travel and Service Program director, and she talked to us about the non-negotiable rules. We then met with 5 Aides who were participants on ICEP China last year. We asked many questions, and it was extremely informative to hear about their experience. We loved hearing their stories and advice. Next we did one more activity about our comfort zones before repacking our bags and showering for the last time for a while. We ate our final American meal in the dining hall and got on a bus to Logan shortly thereafter. We passed the time waiting for our flight by completing a scavenger hunt, doing jazzercise and telling stories. We also had cabin chat at our gate. We then boarded the airplane for our 16-hour flight to , tired and ready to sleep but so excited for what’s to come!

Chat Question: What morals do you hold closest to your heart, and how will they help you in China?

Friday, July 7th – Beijing Today our physical journey began in earnest as we set foot on Chinese soil. With the mysterious and elusive Thursday the 6th behind us, we were able to settle down at the hotel, rest, and talk about the upcoming events in Beijing. All were excited to meet the volunteers tomorrow, and start planning our lessons for the kids. Our first meal experience took place in a noodle shop just across the street from the hotel. Chopstick experience varied amongst the group, but all took pleasure in diving into some noodles and dumplings as curious locals looked on. By the end of our first day in Beijing, all were thoroughly ready for a full night’s sleep. Tomorrow we will visit the Temple of Heaven, and also meet the Y volunteers!

Chat Question: What first impressions have the sights, sounds, and smells of Beijing given you?

Saturday, July 8th – Beijing Today was our first full day in China! After a long night of much-needed sleep, we woke up and ate breakfast at our hotel. Then we took the subway with our host, Ms. Zhu Qi, to The Temple of Heaven. We enjoyed walking around the grounds, seeing the locals play games in the parks and admiring the different structures including the temple. We left the grounds and ate lunch before taking the subway back to our hotel. We had a little time to relax before we finished our individual presentations on China. In the late afternoon, we met our 13 Chinese volunteers who ranged in age from 12 to 22. We introduced ourselves in a circle, played icebreakers and started to get to know each other. We were really excited to become close with them over the next week. After dinner, we broke out into 3 small groups and planned our lessons for the next day at the school. Our groups were English, arts and crafts, and sports.

Chat Question: Which motto or value from Becket or Chimney Corners have you used most so far in China?

Sunday, July 9th – Beijing Today was our first service day! We woke up at 7 AM and had breakfast at our hotel. We drove 2 hours to a migrant school outside of Beijing where the YMCA of Beijing has a partnership. We broke out into our groups but quickly realized we would have to adapt. It was too hot to play sports outside, so that group became the second arts and crafts group / indoor games group. The English group taught the oldest students. We took a lunch break at a local restaurant and then returned to the school for an afternoon session of more crafts, games, songs and hand games. We ended our day early because it was extremely hot, and the rooms didn’t have air conditioning. We took the bus back to Beijing and checked into a new hotel that was easily accessible to the highway. We met as a group right away to debrief the day and adjust our plan for tomorrow. With our host, we decided that 2 groups would be better because one group could be in the only room with an AC while the other group would be in the only room with a fan, and then they could switch rooms in the middle of the day. We ate dinner at a restaurant next door to our hotel and had some free time after to shower and relax. We met for cabin chat at 8:30 PM.

Chat Question: What past experiences did you learn from that prepared you for the school today?

Monday, July 10th – Beijing Today was our second day at the migrant school. We split into our two groups and each played games, drew, did arts and crafts and just hung out with the kids. We went to the same restaurant for lunch, and it was delicious. After lunch, we switched classrooms but kept the same kids because we were getting to know them well. We continued our time together from the morning. At 3 PM, some of us played their school’s soccer team while the rest of us either cheered them on or stayed inside with some of the other students. Their soccer team definitely gave us a run for our money, and it was so fun! After we left the school, we had an hour drive back to the hotel and had some time to relax before dinner. We went back to the same restaurant next door. We had another early cabin chat.

Chat Question: Which Hogwarts house would the person to your left most likely be in?

Tuesday, July 11th – Beijing Today was our last day of teaching at the migrant school in Beijing. We took advantage of the cooler weather and primarily programmed outside, only venturing indoors for brief air conditioning breaks. The group introduced some well-loved large group games such as “Fishy Fishy Cross My Ocean”, and “Red Light Green Light”. The kids from the school thoroughly enjoyed running around and were excited at every new game and activity presented. However, the time did come to say goodbye, and after a final group picture, high fives, and waves from the bus, we were headed back to the Y hotel in central Beijing. A Hotpot dinner in the central district added some new culinary flair to the trip, and proved a memorable experience for the group. Some small group exploration time downtown ended the day’s activities as the sun set and the city lights lit up.

Chat Question: What is something you wish people knew about you?

Wednesday, July 12th – Beijing After breakfast at our hotel, we took a bus to the Beijing Olympic Center. It was incredibly cool to see where so much recent history took place! We all went inside the Water Cube for an hour to explore around, and then we had another hour of free time to explore the outside complex. Some of the group paid to go inside The Bird’s Nest, while others chose to relax in the shade or walk around. We took the bus to the Hutong district and ate lunch at a local family’s home and listened to their family stories. After lunch, we took a rickshaw (3-wheeled passenger cart pedaled by someone) tour around the area, which is one of the oldest in Beijing. We had an English-speaking tour guide, and she brought us to the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower, both of which were used to tell time long ago. We went into the Drum Tower (after climbing 69 extremely steep steps) and watched a drum performance at the top as well and enjoyed a beautiful view of Beijing. We took the bus back to the hotel and had a kung-fu lesson from a master who was the son of the woman who cooked us lunch in her home. We even wore traditional kung-fu outfits while we learned and practiced for an hour and a half. After dinner, we had time to shower and then we had pizza for dinner! We went right to cabin chat. It was a very busy day and full of highlights.

Thursday, July 13th – Beijing Today was such a whirlwind of activities! It was our second sightseeing day since teaching at the migrant school, and it certainly turned out to be a packed one. On the itinerary: Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall; three top-tier items on a beautiful, albeit hazy and scorching day. Seeking shade when possible, constantly hydrating, and weaving through massive crowds, the group took in the vast spaces and grandeur of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. After a bus ride to lunch, we then made our way to the Great Wall! This particular portion of the wall had a large square perimeter of wall guarding a pass through the mountains. With cheery faces, we began the trek up the steps, and with heavy breath and sweaty clothing, we took in the views from the guard towers of the ancient winding defenses at the top. By the end of our ice cream debrief at the base of the climb, all reveled in our stories of quite literally walking along history. Our sore legs eventually led us to dinner, where the group was able to explore a bit and try new foods at their leisure.

Chat Question: How do popularity and individuality coincide?

Friday, July 14th – Beijing After breakfast at our hotel, we took the subway with our host and the Chinese volunteers to The Summer Palace. We broke out into 3 groups with ICEP and the Chinese volunteers combined. We spent the late morning and afternoon walking around the beautiful grounds filled with rivers, mountains, structures, countless paths and a huge lake with our groups. After we got back to our hotel, we went to dinner near the hotel, met to plan our free day and had cabin chat. After cabin chat, many people either did laundry in their bathroom sinks or emailed their parents.

Chat Question: What part of American culture do you miss the most?

Saturday, July 15th – Beijing On our last day with the Y volunteers, we hit the markets for a day of shopping. In the morning, we headed to a street market where the group indulged in fancy rolled frozen yogurt and matcha ice cream. Many students picked up postcards as well as small gifts to bring home. Post-lunch, we spent the rest of the afternoon in an indoor flea market. The group had the opportunity to practice their bargaining skills; this was a new one for many students. After purchases were modeled and wild encounters shared, we all had dinner with the volunteers back at the YMCA. Our group kicked off the entertainment portion of the evening with a rousing performance of the Star Spangled Banner, and the volunteers responded in kind with the Chinese National Anthem. For the rest of the evening we sang, danced, showed off talents and had a wonderful last night with our friends. Gifts were exchanged and selfies were taken, sealing the moment in history.

Chat Question: Where do you see yourself in 15 years?

Sunday, July 16th – Beijing Today was our first free day! After reading guide books and talking to the Chinese volunteers, we decided as a group to go to the National Museum of China in the morning and the 798 Art District in the afternoon. Even though we only had a couple hours in the museum, we took advantage of our time by splitting up into groups and passing through exhibits such as Rembrandt portraits, ancient Chinese money and jade sculptures. We enjoyed learning even more about Chinese history. After lunch, we went to the art district, and it was definitely a hidden gem in Beijing. We explored the narrow streets filled with street art, galleries, jewelry stores, souvenir shops and much more. We came back to the hotel to pack before diner. It was hard to believe that today was our last day in Beijing. After dinner, we had cabin chat.

Chat Question: Who is your role model?

Monday July 17th – Xi’an Today ended the first leg of our China trip as we left Beijing for the old dynastic capital of Xi’an. An early rise brought us to the train station, and before long we were sailing smoothly along the countryside. In just under six hours, we left the sprawling corners of Beijing and made our way past farms and industrial towns too numerous to count. The ride itself was a welcome rest and change of pace for the group; many passed the time with music, reading, journaling, and sleep. By midafternoon we had arrived in Xi’an and met our new hosts, Li and Luna. They gave us a wonderful introduction to Xi’an’s history as we made our way to the hotel, and took us out for a much needed dinner. Tomorrow we will meet the volunteers and begin to plan for our service days!

Chat Question: Which Disney character best represents the person to your right?

Tuesday, July 18th – Xi’an Today was our first full day in Xi’an. We began our day with a delicious breakfast buffet in our hotel. We left the hotel at 8:30 AM and walked to a nearby hotel to use their conference room. Our new Chinese volunteers were there waiting for us! After brief introductions, a PowerPoint on the history of China and Xi’an, and a tai chi performance, we played icebreaker games together. Then we learned and practiced a dance that we would be teaching to the kids at the school and doing every day for exercise. We broke out into 4 groups based on what we would be teaching at the school: English, P.E., Arts and Crafts, and Music. The Chinese volunteers joined our respective groups, and we got to know our individual group members. Each group performed for the larger group by showing off how much they knew about the members in their teaching group, as well as by performing the dance in front of everyone else. We took a break for lunch and walked to a nearby restaurant together. After lunch, we presented again with our groups on lessons for at the school and shared ideas. After singing karaoke and practicing the dance one more time, we left for a delicious dinner of dumplings. We returned to the hotel for an early cabin chat.

Chat Question: What is the most important thing you can teach someone?

Wednesday, July 19th – Xi’an Today we made our final preparations for our first day of teaching. After a fresh breakfast at the hotel in Xi’an, we packed up and made for the An Cun District, where we were finally able to see the school we’ll be working in. Within their respective lesson groups, the students and volunteers cleaned and decorated classrooms, shared large group games, and readied their lessons for the excited children arriving tomorrow.

Chat Question: What is one goal you made at the beginning of the trip that you still think you can work on?

Thursday, July 20th – Xi’an Today was our first day of summer camp with the kids. After an early breakfast at 7 AM, we left the hotel and drove to the school where the summer camp would be held. Many excited kids were already there to greet us! We did some last-minute preparations in our classrooms before inviting the first groups into their respective classrooms to introduce the camp and talk about expectations. At 9:40 AM, all the groups met outside, and we had an opening ceremony. We performed the dance that we learned, and then the groups took their kids back to their classrooms to teach them the dance. The students went home for lunch while we ate in the canteen at school. We had a little extra time before the afternoon sessions, so we walked to a nearby shop to get ice cream. In the afternoon, we taught our respective classes for 2 hours with a 15-minute break in the middle. The P.E. class played badminton, ping-pong and the shoe game, the art class made picture frames and finger-painted, the music class learned songs and played freeze dance, and the English class played bingo and other fun games. The camp ended at 4:30 PM, and then we cleaned up and debriefed with the Chinese volunteers about what went well and what we could work on for the following day. We took a bus back to the hotel and went to dinner. After dinner, we had some time to relax and shower, and then we met in one of the rooms at 7:30 PM for a group game. We had cabin chat after.

Chat Question: What was your proudest moment?

Friday July 21st – Xi’an Today was Day 2 of teaching in the An Cun district. The group definitely found their groove, as each day brought more and more stories to share at the end of the day. As always, our day began at the school with the dance. We became quite skilled in this particular morning ritual, and the added joy of seeing the dozens of small children join in the dance made it several times better. After the thorough warm up, it was straight into classes, and the group looked as eager and ready as ever. Teaching alongside the volunteers continued to both reward and test the group in many ways, but at the end of the day, all were incredibly happy with the experience given to the school kids. A brief thunderstorm marked the end of the day, and all made their way back to the hotel for another savory dinner and chat.

Chat Question: What is one memorable experience or story you have about the person on your right?

Saturday, July 22nd – Xi’an Today was our third day of service at the An Cun primary school. After breakfast at our hotel, we took a bus with the Chinese YMCA staff and volunteers to the school. We started the day as the previous two days by organizing and preparing for the students’ arrival. We welcomed them into our respective classrooms, and at 9 AM we all met outside for our exercise dance. Then we split back into our classrooms for the morning. We taught the same activities as the previous two days with a break in between the two hours. For lunch, we ate homemade dumplings in the canteen. After lunch, we still had an hour and a half before the afternoon session started, so some of us went to get ice cream while others stayed in the air conditioning and played card games. In the afternoon, we had a carnival, and it was so fun! There were 12 stations of games, and the kids went around at their own pace. We helped run the stations, played games with the kids and just hung out with them. After the carnival, we cleaned up and took the bus back to the hotel. We ate dinner at 6 PM, had some time to relax and then had cabin chat at 7:45. We still had time to hang out before bedtime because it was so early, so some people watched synchronized diving on TV, while others went to one of the Chinese volunteers’ rooms to play card games.

Chat question: If you could plan a new ICEP trip, where would you go and why? And what service would you do?

Sunday July 23rd – Xi’an Today marked the end of the last day of teaching in Xi’an. The past four days had flown by, but the memories of our time spent in An Cun would stay with us for a long time to come. After our last “Singing & Vigorous Exercise” dance and lessons, the group participated in the closing ceremonies alongside the volunteers and children. Each group was given awards and prizes, a few performances were given by the staff, and autographs were signed by every ICEP member – requested by nearly every single child. When the last student was swept away by a parent, we debriefed the previous four days and congratulated everyone for a job well done. Dinner and our original hotel awaited us back in Xi’an, as well as a good night’s sleep.

Chat Question: What is your favorite photo?

Wednesday, July 24th – Xi’an Today was our first sightseeing day in Xi’an. After breakfast at our hotel, we took a bus with the YMCA staff and volunteers to the Terracotta Warriors. We had an English-speaking guide named Julie, and she gave us a brief history lesson on the 1-hour bus ride. Once we got there, our first stop was Pit #1, the most famous of the area. We walked into a massive hall, and we were astonished by the rows of Terracotta Warriors. We spent a half hour there before moving on to another pit that was mostly pieces and fragments still in the process of being unearthed. The final pit we saw was dubbed by our host as “the hospital” – where archeologists were still piecing together more warriors. After we finished walking around, we stopped at a food court for lunch, and we could either choose Subway or McDonald’s – a huge hit. We took the bus back to our hotel, and we had a calligraphy class in one of the conference rooms with the volunteers. We were taught the strokes and meanings of some well-known characters, and we got to practice our own. After cleaning up and washing our hands, we walked to dinner in the Muslim Quarter. We each got a bowl and two pieces of unleavened bread and were instructed to break the bread into smaller bits. Our waiter took our bowls back into the kitchen to boil, and when he returned we had a delicious bowl of beef soup with the bread as if it were pieces of French bread dipped into a hearty stew. We returned to the hotel for cabin chat.

Chat question: If you were a superhero, what would your power be, and what would you fight against?

Tuesday, July 25th – Xi’an It feels as though it was only yesterday that our group walked into a hotel conference room and was greeted by a room full of friendly, inquisitive volunteers. Now, after five days of lesson planning, teaching, games, sightseeing and blazing heat, it was emotion that filled the room as new friends said their goodbyes. Our group spent the entire day strolling about Xi’an with the volunteers on a scavenger hunt. We visited the provincial historical museum, and several major monuments and historic buildings around the city. For many, the highlight was the massive city wall, which offers impressive views of the city and ample room to bike along. After a dinner amongst friends, we returned to the hotel for a farewell party marked once again with songs, presentations, and kind words of thanks and parting. We would certainly never forget our time in Xi’an with this special group of educators and friends.

Wednesday, July 26th – Xi’an Today was our free day in Xi’an. After going to the Muslim Quarter previously for dinner, we decided to return during the day to explore more. We finally slept in and ate brunch at the hotel. We walked from our hotel to the Muslim Quarter. It was street after street of delicious foods, cold drinks, sweet snacks, and souvenirs. We met back together after an hour and decided we still wanted an hour more. We were full from the all the food we tried that morning, so we walked back to the hotel in the early afternoon. From there, some people relaxed in the hotel while others made a trip to the supermarket for more local snacks. We met in the hotel lobby at 5 PM for dinner, and we walked to a restaurant to get “Xi’an burgers.” When we asked the volunteers what they suggested we eat for dinner on our free day, we got this as a suggestion, and we’re so glad we listened! It consisted of two warm, steamed buns with shredded pork in the middle. After a delicious dinner, we walked to KTV (karaoke). This was something that we had been looking forward to for a long time, and we were so excited to finally find time to do it. We started with two hours but extended to three because everyone was having such a great time. They had English songs, and we took turns choosing songs and singing into the microphones. We walked back to the hotel, and at this point, it was very late, so we had a quick cabin chat.

Chat question: If you were given a million dollars, what would you spend it on?

Thursday, July 27- July 29 After departing Xi’an, we flew to , where we were met by our hosts. Everyone went straight into their homestays after we landed and spent the next three nights with their new host families.

Sunday July 30th – Guangzhou Reunited! By 9:30am the group converged on the Flower Hotel, having been away with their host families since landing in Guangzhou. We spent the better part of the morning catching up and sharing stories about each of our mini adventures. This continued throughout lunch and the remainder of the day. We walked about the local with park ice cream in hand, stopping to take a pedal boat cruise around the pond. The idyllic setting faded into an evening dinner around town, followed swiftly by a water supply run and chat. All are ready for an early night’s sleep to prepare for a full day of icebreakers with the volunteers tomorrow.

Chat Question: What is your favorite and least favorite word?

Monday, July 31st –Guangzhou Today was our first day with the Guangzhou volunteers. We ate breakfast in a restaurant across the street from our hotel and left promptly at 8:30 AM. We took the public bus to one of the YMCA centers in Fangcun. We introduced ourselves and played icebreakers. We taught the volunteers camp games such as The Shoe Game and Screaming Toes, and they loved them all! They gave a presentation on their YMCA and its programs, and then we gave a presentation on BCCYMCA and the TSP program. During our break before lunch, we taught them the dance that we learned in Xi’an, and they loved that too. After our catered lunch in the center, we went over the itinerary for the next week and broke out into groups for more games. We had a little free time before dinner to hang out with the volunteers, and dinner was catered to the center again. For our evening activity, we had Culture Night. They gave a presentation on the history and geography of Guangzhou and even bought us special Chinese snacks to try. One volunteer performed a street dance, and two other volunteers performed a traditional Chinese dance and played a traditional Chinese musical instrument respectively. Next it was our turn to present. We used PowerPoint to explain a brief history of America, famous art and literature, pop culture, holidays, and food. At the end of the night, we took a chartered bus back to the hotel and had cabin chat at 9 PM.

Chat question: What is one song that reminds you of your childhood?

Tuesday, August 1st – Guangzhou We ate breakfast at the same restaurant across the street from our hotel and left at 8 AM. We took a chartered bus to the YMCA Huangcun center. After one more icebreaker with the Chinese volunteers, we broke out into 6 groups. Each group was given a recipe and instructed to buy the ingredients at markets in the surrounding area. We brought the ingredients back to the center and proceeded to cook the dishes for the whole group for lunch. The dishes included: dumplings, sweet potato soup, curry fish balls, cola chicken wings, sandwiches and fruit salad. It was the first time we had the opportunity to cook for ourselves, and it was delicious! After lunch, we had a little break, and we started the afternoon cultural sessions with a opera performance. We also watched traditional tai chi performances – one with swords and one with fans. After they were over, we had the opportunity to learn from the performers for 10 minutes and then gave a short performance of our own. After the performance, we broke out into 3 groups to perform a famous Chinese drama. The groups were the actors / actresses, costume designers and camera crew. During the planning time, the actors and actresses ran through their lines, the costume designers created the costumes for the performers, and the camera crew learned the cameras and practiced their shots. The show was a great success! We took the chartered bus back to the hotel and had dinner at a Korean restaurant, which was a welcomed break from Chinese food. We stopped at Wal-Mart on the way back to the hotel to get more water and Chinese snacks. We had cabin chat right after returning to the hotel.

Chat question: What is the most meaningful interaction you’ve had in China thus far?

Wednesday, August 2nd – Guangzhou Today the group met a new batch of volunteers at the YMCA Hualin Center. We began the morning by learning how to make Chinese knots and had a brief Cantonese language lesson. Both were useful as we headed out into the city and visited with local elders. The group brought freshly made soup as well as their new knots to bring good luck to the remarkably spry seniors. The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the city on a scavenger hunt and learning about some of the local history. After dinner, we ended the evening with a cruise down the Pearl River. It was a sight to behold, with the Canton Tower and the whole city lit up before us.

Chat Question: What is your favorite thing about yourself, both inside and out?

Thursday, August 3th – Guangzhou After breakfast at the restaurant across the street from our hotel again, we left at 8 AM. We took a chartered bus to a dance studio, where we spent the morning learning a mix of Chinese folk dance with street dance. We walked to a nearby vegetarian restaurant for lunch, and then took the subway to The China Hotel. They invited us to their hotel because they are a big supporter of the YMCA in Guangzhou. After a brief presentation on the history of the hotel, we got a tour which included seeing the rooms and the kitchens of the restaurants. We ended our time there by having a Q&A session with the general manager and some of his associates. Then we walked to the Nanyue King Mausoleum Museum. We had an English-speaking tour guide who showed us around the museum, and we even got to go into the tomb! We took the subway back to the area around the hotel and ate at an Italian restaurant for dinner. Then we went back to the hotel and had an early cabin chat.

Chat question: What is your most embarrassing moment?

Friday, August 4th – Guangzhou After our final breakfast at the noodle restaurant across the street, the group headed to a local Taoist temple to learn more about the religion & philosophy, as well as experience some martial arts. We witnessed some tremendous kung-fu and tai chi performances, and were even welcomed to give some of the basics a try. After lunch, the group separated into two smaller groups. One group met with a local graffiti artist and calligrapher to paint a large mural, and the other met with calligraphers and musicians to have practice their writing and musical skills. Post-dinner and chat brought conversations of what all had been thinking: that tomorrow will be our last full day in China!

Chat Question: What is one way you have grown as a leader during this trip?

Saturday, August 5th – Guangzhou Not only was today our last day in Guangzhou, but it was also our last day in China. We started the day by sleeping in and we left our hotel at 9 AM. We went to brunch at a nearby restaurant and then took a chartered bus to an indoor souvenir market. After 2 hours of shopping for last- minute gifts for our families and friends, we took the bus back to the hotel. We had two and a half hours to pack, get ready for the farewell party, and go on one last Wal-Mart run to stock up on Chinese snacks and candy to bring home. We left the hotel at 5 PM and took a chartered bus to karaoke. We had a 2-story private room with bathrooms, a pool table and many couches. We sang lots of songs with the volunteers before finishing the night with a slideshow of our time together and exchanging contact information. We took the bus back to the hotel and had cabin chat at 9:40 PM.

Chat question: Who would you want by your side during a zombie apocalypse?

Sunday, August 6th– Hong Kong Airport & flight home Today brought our time in China to a close as we boarded the short flight to Hong Kong. We said our final goodbyes to the volunteers who saw us off at the airport, and started the long journey back home. We spent 8 hours in the Hong Kong airport, and took time to have a final meal “out” together. Before we knew it, we were boarding the last flight of the trip. The 15 hours were passed with sleep, movies, reading and chatting. Eventually we crossed over the Canadian tundra, and found ourselves once again in Boston. A comparatively brief bus ride later, we arrived at camp and made our way to Gibson Hall for a much-anticipated night’s sleep.

Monday, August 7th – Camp Becket Despite getting less than 4 hours of sleep, we voted to go to breakfast at the Camp Becket dining hall. We were excited to see French toast, cereal, fruit and yogurt. After breakfast, we debriefed with Becky about the trip and filled out written evaluations, and then went to the infirmary for health check-outs. After lunch, we took a walk around Rudd Pond before going back to Gibson Hall for an afternoon of CCRs, bus notes, and working on the slideshow. After dinner, many of us fell asleep from the jet lag, but we woke up at 8:30 for chat. After chat, we spent our last night together by bringing our mattresses and sleeping bags into the middle of Gibson Hall to have a big slumber party.

Chat question: Fill in the blank – Remember when______

Tuesday, August 8th – Camp Becket We couldn’t believe it. The day had finally arrived that we had all been pushing away in our minds. After a last breakfast in the Becket dining hall, we finished packing up, put the final touches on the presentation, and headed out on the inter-camp trail for Chimney. Along the way we recounted the endless moments of laughter and excitement from the trip, and took comfort in the last few hours we had together. It wasn’t too long before all the parents filled the Sign Barn, eager to see their children and excited to see photos of our trip. The presentation was enjoyed by all, but an even bigger hit was our “Singing and Vigorous Exercise” demonstration. Once the presentation ended, it was time to say goodbye. We all lingered over our goodbyes for quite some time, but after hugs were given, tears shed, pictures taken and bus notes exchanged, each of the students in turn left with their families. The parting was indeed sad; however all of the memories of the past 5 weeks would surely live on in the hearts of the entire group.