International Exchanges Programme

Round Square Exchange trip to the Concord College of Sino-Canada, Shenzhen CHINA - Dates: 11th - 19th June 2018

The ten day exchange programme to Shenzhen, China, was an experience of a lifetime and the entire group of 16 students and their teachers can attest to that. One can say without a moment of hesitation; that the diverse beauty, cultures and traditions of this country makes China a country of wonder! They returned not only with lifelong memories and friendships, but also new learnings and an insight into the rich Chinese culture and heritage.

The trip was exhilarating from the very beginning. After a long flight to Beijing, followed by a connecting flight to Shenzhen, the students finally landed at the bustling city- the place, which they would call home for the next eight days. Shenzhen is a city of unimaginable beauty, especially at night. One would be left marveling at the buildings lined with lights of every colour, flashing and shining so bright, that they glistened in the starry skies. The bus ride from the airport to the school left the students stunned; as they endlessly gazed out the windows in order to catch a glimpse of the beautiful city. After a warm welcome and an exotic Chinese dinner, the students were exhausted after a long day of traveling.

The next day was perhaps one of the most engaging days of this trip. It was the day of the opening ceremony, the day the students met and spent time with their hosts, while also enjoying the scenic beauty of the lush green hills and the beautiful coastline that surrounded Shenzhen. The long bus ride to the beach provided the students with the perfect opportunity to break the ice with their hosts, and also learn more about the Chinese culture and lifestyle. They learnt about the long hours the students spent at school every day, their dedication towards education and success. Despite language barriers, the students did not find it too difficult to communicate with their hosts because of the similarity in cultures between the two countries. While one group explored the beach, played several games including dodge ball and volleyball; the other group hiked up the grassy mountains.

The blue waves crashing onto the wide coastline was a sight to see, and the weather was pleasant and perfect until the clouds decided to part and shower down cold rainwater. After the exciting beach experience, donning their raincoats, the students went trekking to a restaurant atop a hill that overlooked the scenic surroundings. After a delicious meal of traditional Chinese and dozens of pictures they began their journey back to the school. On the way the students stopped at another beach, where they played several games and then took a group picture. It was a fantastic day and a great start to this exchange!

The next day the students attended classes in the school, along with their new friends. Some of the classes that they participated in were English, Physics, and Calligraphy. It was fascinating to learn how the Chinese students studied, the effort they put into their work and the different methods in which they learnt the same topics that had been taught to the students at DAIS.

The Chinese students had two teachers teaching them English, one expatriate teacher who helped them improve their vocabulary and language, while the other teacher taught to them in Mandarin, helping them improve their skills at writing and literature. The rest of the day was spent shopping and exploring a massive mall. It was the perfect end to a perfect day, and the glittering skyline and fluffy clouds lining the mauve sky disappeared as an exciting day neared its end.

The students spent the next few days caught up in the routine of the school, attending classes, rehearsing for the cultural performance, and most entertaining of all - hosting late evening football matches with the Chinese students! They also visited a Chinese cultural village - Splendid China.

The enormous park consisted of several statutes, which represented key aspects of the Chinese culture and gave them an insight to the rich cultural heritage of China. They began by watching a thrilling show in a massive arena, which showcased intruders invading a particular community-, which could possibly have been a glimpse of the history of China. Although the show was in Mandarin, one could easily grasp the contents of the show. With extremely loud explosions and stunts with fire and water, it was extremely enjoyable, fast-paced and thrilling. The show featured several amazing stunts displayed by well-trained horses and showcased the traditional dances of China. The students ended the day by shopping for souvenirs and after an exciting Chinese dinner, returned to their dormitories. Students also engaged themselves in a cooking activity. They prepared a dish known as the Zongzi (a rice dumpling wrapped in reed leaves), a special dish eaten by the Chinese, on the day of the upcoming ‘Dragon Boat Festival’

At the end of the week, the students attended several classes; including a Mandarin class, a Tai chi class (a Chinese martial art), and also a singing class where they learnt a Chinese song. This was all in preparation of the closing ceremony, which was scheduled later, in the evening.The ceremony saw a wonderful dance performance by the Chinese students, an address by the Heads of the school. The Cultural programme put up by the students of DAIS included three dances, a presentation highlighting the Indian culture, the Chinese song and the Tai Chi act, which they had learnt earlier in the day. At the end of a group song sung by the students and their hosts, and a final group picture, the students were all set to spend an eventful weekend with their hosts!

Staying with the host family: This was one of the most exciting parts of the exchange, where the students lived in a Chinese household for three days. It was the best opportunity for the students to experience the new culture, spend time with their new friends and family, observe their lifestyle, and explore the city along with their hosts! Every student was engaged in different activities planned by their hosts - litchi-picking, exploring the popular theme park ‘Happy Valley’, or even visiting the famous tourist attraction ‘The Window of the World’. Spending time with their host families, watching movies, visiting malls, playing basketball and football, tasting the mouth-watering Chinese delicacies, driving around the city at night, gazing endlessly at the enormous skyscrapers made them realize how comfortable and secure they felt at their new homes away from Mumbai. The experience was beyond description; it was interactive, engaging, exciting, informative and full of unforgettable memories and friendships. All in all; the hospitality and warmth of the students, their host parents and the school teachers was absolutely heartwarming.

“The Round Square trip to China is the best experience I have ever had. During our stay we learned about the Chinese cultures, and also inherited their lifestyle over the long weekend that we spent with them. While we learned a lot, we also had a lot of fun. The cultural performances at Splendid China were one of the finest I’ve ever seen. This is a trip I’d never forget”.

Vishwaroop Chhabria:
“This cultural exchange experience has been extremely memorable. Besides learning about the cultures and traditions of people from another country, I also had the unique opportunity to gain knowledge about their daily lives and various other topics such as their household rules, diet, their attitudes and interests. This experience has influenced my life by instilling some important quintessential values in me that have helped me become a better person”.

Arjun Asudani: 
“Our trip to Shenzhen, China, was an unforgettable experience. To be honest, every moment on this trip was worthwhile. Be it waking up early in the morning, or playing football with the students of SCCSC late in the night - to – running frantically from shop to shop, or practicing our performances last minute, everything had its own unique feeling. Words cannot describe how we felt, as this experience not only changed our mindset about Chinese culture, but also taught us how to appreciate their thoughts and beliefs. We saw how our lives, though slightly different from theirs, is still similar in so many ways. ROUND SQUARE is a unique programme, which has taught me that culture and mindset of people may be very different in countries around the world; yet, we remain united in some way or the other”.

Atharva Nihalani: 
“It has been a unique experience, living in a different country, residing with a family whose culture was totally new to me. It gave me an insight into the contrasting lifestyles and the difference in their work schedule at school - the two-hour nap time in the afternoon. I feel that this trip has made me more responsible and helped make connections with people from another land, and brought me closer to some from our own”.

Kyra Roy: 
“The first thing that hit me about China when I landed there was the inherent comfort in their Cultural sensibility that a lot of the world is losing. The thing I felt was remarkable about Shenzhen was the fact that the development is planned and they are much more conscious of cleanliness. A combination of policy and people’s will has made China the dragon of opportunity that it is”.

Adya Rohira: 
“The Round Square trip to China was an experience that is hard to forget. It was indeed very enjoyable to learn about Chinese culture. I learnt that expectations and reality are completely different. This trip has definitely made me a lot more independent and understanding towards different cultures. Although it was hard to communicate with the Chinese at times, it was the hunger for knowledge, and the warmth of our hearts that brought us together”.

Ria Mittal: 
“The China exchange programme was one of the best experiences of my life. It gave me a beautiful insight to the unique Chinese culture. There were a lot of fun activities planned for us from beach games, shopping at malls and even attending the student’s classes. The weekend at my host family’s house was also a lot of fun and she took me to a lot of places in the city”.

Akaesha Negi Tandon: 
“China is a country of wonder, that in spite of being our neighbour we barely know anything about. This trip has widened not only my palate and the knowledge of the world around me but will always be cherished in my heart and added to my list of favourite experiences. Right from the beginning it has been exhilarating and the stay with my host (Eleanor) and her family took it to another level. There is beauty everywhere in China, but you just need the right mind to explore it. Thank you for this experience”.

Devika Kothari: 
“Our exchange program in Shenzhen, China has definitely been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I learned a great deal about the rich culture and heritage of China and of how similar it was to India in so many aspects. I can safely say that we have formed some immensely strong bonds with the students of SCCSC that will hopefully turn into lifelong friendships. It was a fantastic learning experience for me and I'm truly grateful to everyone who made this trip possible”.

Dev Mehta: 
“The exchange to Shenzhen, China was a great experience for me as I learnt about Chinese culture, art and heritage. I also learnt about the student life and what its like to live in China. So, overall it was a great experience to learn about a foreign country in a unique interactive way”.

Aakash Doshi: 
“The Round Square trip to SCCSC was a pleasurable way to experience Chinese culture in its purest form. It helped us find similarities in our differences, allowing us to understand the new culture. I think speak for myself as well as the rest of our delegations when I say that this experience was perhaps one of the most remarkable experiences of my life”.

Kahaan Jain: 
“I don't think a few words can fully describe the wonderful time I had in the Shenzhen Concord College of Sino-Canada and the weekend that I spent with my host, Billy and his family. My host and his family are the kindest people I have ever met. We had a great time together visiting amusement parks, playing basketball and shopping. He didn't hesitate to go out of his way to ensure my happiness and comfort. Along with having fun, I learnt a lot about Chinese cultures, religions and their language, Mandarin”.

Ahaan Bhansali: 
“Summing up this eventful trip in a few sentences is no easy task; and finding somewhere to begin is even more challenging! Truth be told, I expected experiencing an entirely different culture during our wonderful visit. However, during my days spent at the bustling city of Shenzhen I noticed several similarities between both the Indian and Chinese cultures. Taking off footwear at the doorstep, a small temple in the house and munching on meals together were not uncommon at a regular Chinese household! It’s been amazing observing the lifestyles of the Chinese students; their long school hours, their passion for football and our exciting football matches with them, or even their ‘shopping time’ as I learnt to call it, during a typical weekend or a ‘break from school’. I come back with a broader perspective of the rich Chinese culture, a more open and understanding mind, and maybe even the ‘art of eating with chopsticks’! After all, the memories and relationships that were formed must be truly special if we could break communication barriers and interact with our Chinese companions so freely!”

Shenzhen China 12th to 19th JUNE 2017

For the 20 students and two teachers that comprised the Indian delegation for the Round Square Student Exchange to Shenzhen, China; the trip was exhilarating from the get-go. Completing a long journey of almost eight hours they finally arrived at Shekou Pier in Shenzhen, which itself is a beautiful industrial province near Hong Kong that is famous for being one of the largest and wealthiest cities in China. They were welcomed by Ms. Sunny and a student from SCCSC and taken to the school Shenzhen (Nanshan) Concord College Of Sino-Canada or more popularly known as SCCSC. The school campus was huge and there were different activities and classes including physics, calligraphy, English, Chinese, music and Tai Chi planned for them. After freshening up in their dorms the group was ready to explore the new country. Through the bus ride to OCT Harbor, all of them remained glued to the windows, ooh-ing and aah-ing at the marvelous sights in the new city.

Staying at the school dormitory helped them experience the student life in China and they found the students being extremely disciplined, time bound and multitasking as well. Students stayed for the week at the school dorm and went home on weekends which helped them balance and focus on their school work.

Fast-forward through the next five days, which featured visits to shopping malls, enchanting and elaborate cultural shows, the Shenzhen cultural wax museum, a Chinese themed park, a trek to Maluan Mountain and the Dameihua beach cleanup with their host families, which inspired them to clean the Mumbai beaches too. They were given several opportunities to socialize with their hosts and the other students. The hardworking nature of the students at SCCSC inspired them, whilst they tried to embrace some qualities from the students of China. Each day was more exciting than the last. Both the staff and students from SCCSC were nothing but welcoming, and their friendly attitudes infectious. They found themselves being waved to and smiled upon by all members of the school. Talk about a warm welcome!

DAIS students spent a wonderful weekend with the respective host families. Their hosts were extremely warm and welcomed them into their homes. They took them to several places that displayed their extensive culture. The students soon began to understand that cultural differences are much more than just differences in language, food, appearances, and surroundings. Their culture reflects very deep insights, beliefs, and values that influence their way of life. The DAIS students really appreciated the fact that their host families went out of their way to make them feel comfortable and it was a great experience!

Following a meeting with the student and teacher leaders from SCCSC, they left Shenzhen on Monday afternoon carrying many gifts from their host families, and twice as many fond memories. They will always remember the amazing time they had in Shenzhen, as well as the friends they made and the new culture they had discovered. The exchange program to China helped them discover new strengths and abilities, overcome new challenges, and solve new problems. They learnt so much more about China than they would have ever learnt from a textbook or the Internet. Wanting to reciprocate the warmth and love received in China, they hope that their Chinese friends will visit them sometime soon!

In the words of Jawaharlal Nehru, “Experiencing a new culture widens the mind and the spirit.” And that’s exactly how they all felt after their trip to Shenzhen!

Adit Kadakia, hosted by Liao Gangyi (David): 
The one thing that pleased me the most about China was their warmth and hospitality, even though we did not understand their language, the happiness on their face was enough to make us all happy. Our trip to China will surely always remain in our memories, with all of the different classes like Tai Chi, Mandarin and Calligraphy and the visits to malls trying to explain the shopkeeper what no meat meant with hand gestures. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to China and we would never trade it for anything else.

Ananya Modi hosted by Zhang Boheng (Christine):
I have had an amazing time with my host, and now my close friend Christine. Her family, Mr. and Mrs. Zhang, and Dabao and Erbao and their turtles have been extremely welcoming. First I learnt the entire process of making tea and then I made it myself which was quite exciting. While traveling we took a train and I was amazed at how developed and clean the transportation systems are in Shenzhen. Here the people speak Cantonese and the food is very different like curd rolls, rice noodles and purple sweet potato dumplings. I am extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity and I'm looking forward to my friendship with Christine!

Anoushka Kasliwal hosted by Li Qirui (Katherine): 
My host and her family were extremely welcoming. We talked a lot about each other's different culture and learnt a lot. It was an amazing and memorable experience with some great memories that I will never forget!

Avana Patel, hosted by Ouyang Ying (Kristy):
Over the few days I have been here I have experienced the immense hospitality of the Chinese people. My host welcomed me with open arms and taught me about their culture and was also excited to hear about the cultural diversity of India. My host (Kristy) was very helpful and I am thankful to Kristy for making this trip one of the most memorable trips of my life.

Avi Agarwal, hosted by Zhenwei Zhang (Avi):
My host and his family are the kindest people I have ever met. They were extremely hospitable and invited me to stay with them any time I come to China. The past few days with this family have been amazing. Divija Shah, hosted by Chen Xinran (Nina): Nina and her family were welcoming and they made me feel at home. Her sister Anne was very cute and her mother cooked very good food for me. My whole experience with the family has been memorable and exciting!

Eesha Bodapati hosted by Chen Siran (Helen):
I had a wonderful time at Helen’s house. Her parents were very enthusiastic and helpful and made sure I was comfortable. They put in a lot of effort to make sure I was happy. I really enjoyed playing with Helen's brother and her, and exploring Shenzhen. It was a great experience overall.

Insha Lakhani hosted by Tang Linzhi (Linda):
This was one of the most amazing experiences ever as the trip didn’t stop at just giving us a perspective but went further and helped us live life in a different place with different cultures. The true aim of RS to make us into global citizens with the power to surpass standards of race and nationality and just be human beings was the greatest learning for me.

Kiara Bose Roy hosted by Yu Ziti (Rey):
Everyone in Rey's family was very welcoming. Rey taught me how to play the piano and a Chinese board game too. I felt very comfortable around them.

Krishi Manek hosted by Chen Yarou (Kimmy):
I had the best time ever with Kimmy and her family! Her mother and grandmother cooked me scrumptious five course Chinese meals. Kimmy's family was very sweet and funny. I spent an amazing two days living with her family and experiencing everyday life in China, and every moment was special for me. Her family has invited me to come over anytime I am in China. I have made an amazing friend whom I will remember lifelong!

Nasya Sequeira hosted by Liu Xinyu (Evangeline):
My host, Evangeline, and her family were very hospitable and I had a wonderful time with them. Her grandmother made me traditional Chinese food. We talked about our schools, country and culture. We were both surprised to learn about the differences in customs and traditions. I really appreciate the fact that her family went out of their way to make me feel comfortable and it was a great experience!

Paree Rohera, hosted by Cui Junqi (Melissa):
Our hosts were all extremely warm and welcomed us into their homes on the weekend. They took us to several places that successfully displayed their extensive culture. I began to understand that cultural differences are much more than just differences in language, food, appearances, and surroundings. Their culture reflects very deep insights, beliefs, and values that influence their way of life. Opportunities like this exchange program helped me to discover new strengths and abilities, overcome new challenges, and solve new problems.

Prarthna Chabria hosted by Guo Yulin (Tracy):
My host family was extremely warm and hospitable and treated me as their daughter. Lisa aunty (Tracy’s mother) wanted me to experience their life. A trip complete with learning, adventure, fun and education is how I would like to summarize my wonderful experience. It will be etched in my mind forever.

Prisha Mangat, hosted by Wang Muyan (Natalia):
I felt very comfortable and welcome at my host Natalia's house, for I was given delicious vegetarian food that was made especially for me. In spite of her father's absence due to work, he made an effort to keep in touch with me throughout my stay.

Rashi Lalan, hosted by Song Qian
This summer I had my very first round square trip as well as student exchange programme in China.Apart from making me a very independent and responsible person I also learnt the importance of food and how food was valued in China. To conclude, I think this trip was a blast as I enjoyed ever second with my friends and along with that learnt to co-operate, adjust and most importantly value.

Shanaya Piramal hosted by Liang Weishan (Sandy):
It was very different staying with quite an orthodox Chinese family. It was like discovering a whole new part of the world that is so unknown to us, even though China is so close to our country. Without any social media or connection with the outside world, the family I stayed with was deeply rooted in their culture. It really gave me an insight on how other people live, an experience I am grateful to have.

Suakshi Soni hosted by Li Jialu (Carol):
My host Carol was very nice and her family too was extremely welcoming. They cooked special and delicious meals for me and showered me with lots of gifts.

Tanisha Agarwal hosted by Guo Yingyi (Patricia):
My host Patricia and her family have been kind and welcoming beyond belief. From long talks with her cousin Gloria about Indian and Chinese cinema, and obsessing over Iron Man with her little brother Gary, to celebrating father's day where I got to be a part of the lovely family get-together. Never once did I feel awkward or unwelcome, and my host family was so understanding and concerned about my injured ankle, it really warmed my heart. This was such a wonderful experience and I will always remember it!

Tara Agarwal hosted by Li Ruizhi (Julia):
I don't think a few words can fully describe the weekend that I spent with the Li family. Julia (my host) was very friendly and welcoming and went out of her way to ensure my happiness and comfort. We were exposed to each other's diverse cultures and realized the importance on family and values such as honesty and gratitude. I became significantly more independent. I'm immensely grateful to Julia and her family for making this weekend the best of my life. I will never forget this experience.

Lekh Parekh hosted by Chen Chong (Chad):
To be honest, the hospitality showed towards me by the Chong family was way over my expectations. I didn't have the faintest idea that my host, Chen's mother would take the conscious effort to go to a store all the way across town and buy be some 'dal' and try to cook it for me the day I reached their place. I was under the weather for a couple of days so she consistently kept asking me whether I need or took my medicine on time. We left feeling content by the fact that we would meet them soon and these memories will definitely never fade away.

Round Square Exchange Trip to Concord College of Sino-Canada in Shenzhen, China 2016 - 13th to 20th June.

As a part of the Round Square Student exchange initiative 11 students of classes VIII and IX, accompanied by 2 teachers, visited the Round Square member school in China, Shenzhen (Nanshan) Concord College of Sino Canada for a period of 8 days.

The visiting students participated in the regular school activities, lived in the school dormitory, and imbibed the local culture by visiting places of cultural and historical significance. They also enjoyed the warmth of the Chinese hospitality and learnt about the Chinese culture by staying with their host families over the weekend.

Through the week the students attended regular school which began at 7:30 am. Children attended many classes and learnt how to write basic Chinese Calligraphy, attended a physics class, learnt a popular Chinese song called ‘Song Bie’, participated in Mandarin speaking session, an English class and a Taiji learning session.

interacted with the local students and exchanged their cultures with each other. The visiting students experienced the local cuisine and learnt the art of eating with chopsticks.

The group was taken around the city and visited many iconic spots like the Chinese Cultural Village and witnessed the show “Proud Son of Heaven” which depicted the evolution of the Chinese history through a spectacular dance and drama performance. The visit to the OCT Harbor, Luohu Market, Shenzhen Museum.

As part of the adventure and environmental service the group went trekking up a hillock and then descended down to a local beach. The activity involved the thrill of climbing down to the beach through thick foliage and bushes. The delegates mapped their path with the local students and this served as an ice breaking session.

Post lunch the group moved to ‘Jiochangwei’ beach. Here the Indian students were taken aback at the cleanliness maintained on the beach. Though there was very little left to clean up at the beach, they were very keen to start a beach cleanup in Mumbai on their return. The day ended with beach games and great camaraderie between the students. As a part of the cultural exchange both the host and the visiting students show cased their cultures through a series of performances and presentations.

Over the weekend the students and the teachers were hosted by the local parents. This provided great insight into the culture. The hosts outdid themselves by taking the delegates around the city, making them experience the local theme parks, areas of tourist interest, shopping, sampling the local cuisine. The delegates build a great bond with their hosts which was evident with the many gifts that were exchanged and the heavy heart with which they parted ways.

The overall experience was enriching to the visiting delegates as they had a great insight into the new culture and experienced the warmth of the Chinese hospitality that they had only heard about. The experience of the school life was a great revelation for them as they were impressed with the discipline and dedication the Chinese students had towards education.

We left from China with beautiful memories and a promise to see each other again when they visit India.

Special Acknowledgement and Appreciation to the Heads and Principals of Shenzhen Concord College of Sino Canada and Ms. Sunny, the Round Square Rep who helped to coordinate and organize this exchange.

Participating Students (11 Nos): Sakshi Hinduja, Isha Valia, Nayantara Batra, Lameeya Bandukwala, Shanai Munium, Jhanvi Doshi, Smiti Dani, Twisha Shah, Yashowardhan Bajla, Shayan Mistri, Aahan Punjabi

Accompanying Teachers: Manisha Nanda, Chanchal Singh