In April 2025, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to China with eight students and Chinese teacher Xu Lǎoshī from Pakuranga College. We were selected to attend the 2025 Spring Camp, organised by the University of Auckland and Tui Tuia, where we explored the historic cities of Xi’an and Beijing.
One of the most unforgettable highlights for me was dressing in traditional Hanfu at Dà Táng Bù Yè Chéng and stepping back in time to experience life during the Tang Dynasty. We immersed ourselves in vibrant Chinese culture through hands-on activities such as tea ceremonies, Tai Chi, drumming lessons, Chinese calligraphy, and cultural visits to some of the most iconic sites in the world, such as Chángchéng (the Great Wall of China) and Bīngmǎyǒng (the Terracotta Warriors).
What made this trip truly special was the chance to connect with students from China, Brazil, the United States, and other schools across New Zealand. Getting to know their perspectives and everyday lives helped me see the world through a broader lens.
This journey didn’t just strengthen my Chinese speaking, reading, and writing skills—it gave me lifelong friendships and memories I’ll never forget”
Pavani Chawla, Year 11
I was another fortunate student chosen for the trip. A typical day for us would start at 8am, when we go down for breakfast. We get a variety of foods at breakfast like veggies, fried mantou (a type of bread), yogurt, and tea, but it does change each day.
After breakfast, we usually go to take our Chinese language course, but sometimes we have the lesson in the afternoon. After our lesson, we have another class, but that class is more of a cultural class. We sometimes make traditional Chinese knots, do calligraphy, traditional painting, paper cutting, a dialect course, or just learn some facts about the local traditions.
Next is the most exciting part of our day. We either take a bus or public transport to a tourist attraction. There, we get to learn about Xi’an culture and history. On some days, we get to walk along walls that have thousands of years of history stored within them, and on other days, we step into history by wearing Hanfu and strolling in the Ever Bright City.
After returning to our campus, we eat dinner, and that’s the school day finished!
What made the trip even more fun was when we interacted with the volunteers. They are like a light for us, and they were so fun to work with and talk to. Our teachers were the MVPs, though. This trip truly was a life-changing experience, and I would give everything to go on it again.
Chris Zhu, Year 10
