Visitors from Inner Mongolia
Fourteen children, four girls and ten boys have travelled all the way from Inner Mongolia in the People’s Republic of China to experience British culture, improve their English skills, and engage in an immersive learning experience with British students at Ashford School.
For many of them, this is their first visit to UK and to Europe.
Their Agent, Emilio Wang said “The children are thrilled to explore an interesting new environment and culture. Their visit will last two weeks, the first week is an immersive educational experience at Ashford School. The second week will allow them to visit London and have other cultural experiences.
“Out Chinese pupils are amazed by the beauty of the UK, from the historic architecture and the scenic countryside. At Ashford School, they were warmly welcomed by both staff and students, and they found the campus vibrant, diverse and inclusive.
“The food has been an interesting experience! While some dishes are new to them, they enjoy trying different cuisines. The warmth and friendliness of everyone they’ve met have made them feel at home, which they deeply appreciate.”
On the educational experience Mr Wang said “The Chinese students certainly admire the passion and creativity of their new teachers at Ashford School. In particular, they like the interactive teaching style which is a refreshing change from the teaching that they experience at their schools in China, and they also enjoy the emphasis on discussions and collaboration in class.”
Each Chinese pupil has been matched up with a local ‘Buddy’, an Ashford School pupil who guides them around the school and helps them makes sense of what is going on in class. Friendships between locals and visitors are flourishing and they have been sharing a few laughs over cultural differences and confusions.
After their stay at Ashford, the group visit London and other parts of the UK to enrich their cultural experience before heading back home to Inner Mongolia.
Mr Wang concluded “We would be delighted to welcome any Ashford students to spend a week or two at a school in Inner Mongolia! Such a visit would be an incredible opportunity to continue building lasting friendships.”
