Global Canberran Programme 2024: Guangzhou

Selected Secondary 3 Canberrans participated in an enriching Global Canberra Programme (GCP) journey to Guangzhou, China from 24 to 30 October 2024. This cultural immersion program supports our mission to nurture confident and competent global citizens who can navigate and appreciate diverse cultures while engaging meaningfully with local communities.

Day 1 (24 October 2024) -

Greetings from Guangzhou!

On our first day, we visited Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, Yuexiu Park and the Five Rams Statue. After dinner, we enjoyed the spectacular night scenery from Canton Tower.

Day 2 (25 October 2024) -

We had a ‘Shenzhen-paced’ day today. Noted for its efficiency and speed, we visited Shen Zhen on high speed train. The visit to Shen Zhen Museum was informative. The highlight for the day was the cultural performances at Splendid China Folk Cultural Village. Our five senses were continuously stimulated by the colourful costumes, ear-splitting explosions, synchronised dance moves and theatrical displays.

Day 3 (26 October 2024) -

We put our creativity to the test with round fan painting today at Lingnan Impression Park. We finally did some shopping as we had a walking tour at Shamian Island, Yongqingfang and Shangxiajiu Pedestrain Street. We admired the local streets - the old and the refurbished ones. There were also architectural buildings built from the British, French and colonial influences. We ended our day immersing in the splendid night scenery of Guangzhou on a night cruise.

Day 4 (27 October 2024) -

A walk along Beijing Road kickstarted our day. Though it is a bustling shopping district now, it was a thousand year old lane with remnants of an ancient building. Next, we learnt how to make chinese pancake and how to weave using a loom. Our patience was put to the test and we gained a deeper respect for the ancient people for their wisdom and handicraft.

Day 5 (28 October 2024) -

The highlight of today is our visit to Nansha Experimental Middle School affiliated to the Guangzhou University. We witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two schools, cementing our twinning schools status. We got a chance to attend lessons and interact with the students and staff. We were awestruck by the massive campus, amenities and teaching and learning activities. The meaningful exchange amongst the students marks the start of a close relationship between Singapore and China.

Day 6 (29 October 2024) -

It’s our second day at our sister school in Nansha. We were envious of the well-equipped science laboratories, music rooms, art rooms and computer laboratories. We learnt to appreciate chinese tea culture and some of us even learnt to brew fruit tea for ourselves. From our chinese calligraphy class, we appreciated the significance of perseverance, precision and patience as we wrote chinese calligraphy with ink and brush. After immersing ourselves in chinese culture, we visited GAC Technology Museum. We were captivated by how technology has really evolved and we will look forward to more technologically advanced cars which are made and designed in Guangzhou in future. Today marks the end of our learning journey. It is an extremely enriching experience and we are really honoured to be the first group from our school to visit Nansha, Guangzhou.