Cranford Review / March_2018

From
delicious culinary dishes, to ancient artefacts,
amazing architecture and mesmerising
views, China was honestly the experience of a lifetime. Upon
our arrival at Tianjin College of Commerce (TCC), we were
greeted with the warmest of welcomes and
though completely jetlagged, everyone seemed
to be in awe of both the hotel and the campus.
The next few days were filled with sights, various
locations and different cultural findings where
each new experience turned out to be better than
the last. Everywhere you turned you would find
Chinese culture had a lot to offer, especially at the
Tianjin Market where everyone’s bargaining skills
made that day a quest for who could get the best
deal. I definitely didn’t win.
Amongst the few shopping sprees, filled with endless
souvenirs, cheap Gucci belts and Burberry scarves which
seemed to be the pick of the lot, there also came challenges
of physical aptitude.
cultures, new people and new
places to see. It was overwhelming
trying all these new things during
such a short period of time yet I
enjoyed every moment of my stay.
Unfortunately, our stay there was
only for 9 days; to some this might
sound long but to me it felt like a
day. That’s when I understood what
they really meant by: “time flies
when you’re having fun”.
For me the best part of my stay
was being able to spend time with
students from (TCC) and eventually
becoming good friends. I was not
only able to make friends with the
Chinese students but also with the
people who went on this trip with
me. Two months after the trip I’m
still in contact with my new friends
from China, even though we have
the time difference as an obstacle
but we are able to overcome that.
This exchange programme has
allowed me to create a new circle
of friends that I hope to treasure for
life alongside with all my memories
of my stay in China. To me that’s
what matters the most.
Sabrina Aktar (year 12)
First it was badminton, next it was climbing the Great Wall.
Quite a jump, I know.
The day we climbed the Great Wall was
a day no one had prepared for, not even
the most athletic amongst us. Yet after
several flights of stairs, water breaks and
false hopes given by our staff members
like “Come on guys, you’re nearly
there!”, we made it to the Great Wall of
China. What a view.
Despite not being able to go Beijing, I am grateful
for all my unique experiences as a tourist in Tianjin.
Not many people receive the opportunity to become
so fully immersed in a completely different culture.
Having been able to meet students on campus and
also visit one of the students’ home, we got
to experience their way of living
which was very fascinating as
many students in Tianjin have
a completely different way of
life from those in the UK. What
I also found astonishing was the
hospitality and patience of our
Chinese hosts; without them the
language barrier would’ve become
more prominent.
Sadly, it was over before we knew
it and wishing our “thank you” and “goodbyes”, became
hardest part (harder than climbing the Great Wall). In the end,
this trip was truly an authentic experience.
Cristiana Eftenoiu (year 12)
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