Student Blog

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

Although many dreams are achievable, stopping time is not one of them. When I awoke this quiet morning, my heart wished that it could stay in China forever, that the summer wouldn't end and every night we could spend on the field drinking mate and dancing to Spanish music. My heart wished I didn't have to leave all these amazing people, that it didn't have to get out of bed and pack my bags.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

The day was not over yet! Once dinner was finished it wasn't long before closing ceremonies started, and we would finally get to showcase our Canadian performance we had been working so hard on. We went back to our dorms and quickly got into our costumes, returning to the second floor to the auditorium. We sat in theatre seats, in our Bus groups to watch the show.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

Soon it was lunchtime, and the chaos calmed down to refuel itself. At least, it was all now concentrated into the cafeteria with metal trays of rice and assorted items. And, of course, the fluffy cakes.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

By Julia Scott Lenz, Simon Fraser University, winner of the 2017 Stories from Abroad Scholarship.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.

I was familiar with the silk market of Shanghai and assumed this one would be along the same lines. Lots of little stores and tables set up, slightly aggressive and loud vendors with steel looks that could make me shiver despite the thirty-five-degree heat. Bargaining skills a must, unless you were okay with paying more than the price in Canada. Preferable to have good judgement for the value of sale items.

By: Lucy Dabbs, Georges P. Vanier Secondary School, participant of the 2017 Beijing International Education Exchange (BIEE) Summer Camp.