It's all coming to an end

This scholarship has been one of the best decisions that I have made. I have had so many great opportunities to make friends from all over the world, experience one of the most culturally rich counties in the world, experienced independence, explored new cities and towns and best of all learned one of the most difficult languages in the world. I would 100% recommend that anyone considering this an option for when they leave school, Go For It! Just apply and you never know what might happen. This month was a really fun time. The Scholars got to take part in a university sports day involving the full university. We came up with a routine and waved flags from all over the world. It was a cool and unique experience for me, however the 6am start wasn’t so enjoyable. In China, sports day is really quite an important event; people dress in smart uniforms and there is a moment of silence as they raise the Chinese flag.

This month the university also arranged a trip to Hebei acrobatics centre where we got to see loads of circus tricks and a big acrobatics show. This was very impressive and you really appreciate the skills involved. I’m not going to lie, I was a little apprehensive about going to the circus as I don’t support the use of animals in any type of performance, however, no animals were used in any of the acts and it was solely acrobats with the performers jumping through hoops 10 foot in the air and others making themselves into a human pretzel – pretty impressive!

By now you know I love the sun and as the weather has got a lot warmer recently, with temperatures up to 40 degrees, we have been taking full advantage and spending our free time at Min Yuan Stadium. Min Yuan Stadium looks like a big coliseum and loads of students from the university and local residents hang out there in the sun. We get our favourite pizza restaurant Sciugnizzo’s to deliver pizza to us there. I have been enjoying the sun and topping up my Vitamin D, however in China, pale skin is a very desirable trait unlike in some other parts of the world. In China, having a tan, you are considered to look like a farmer or a labourer from the countryside. I love having a tan so I am fully okay with any presumptions that may come my way. The dislike of getting a tan comes with an easy solution here. Chinese people use umbrellas to keep the sun off and a sea of umbrellas appears when the sun is out. 

Now that my penultimate blog is completed and the end of my time here in China is fast approaching I have mixed feelings of looking forward to being home and wishing I could start it all over again.