Community and Service – How will my actions affect the individuals at the community center?
Before I visited the Hui ling Community Center, I thought that mentally challenged people lived dull lives because of their disabilities that prevented them from being able to get a job and support themselves. However, at the Hui ling Community Center, I was proved wrong. Once we arrived at the center, I noticed that it was not the most luxurious place on earth but everyone there was making the best of the situation and having a really great and fun time. When the mentally disabled were putting on the performances for us, they had a perpetuous smile on their faces and were also very energetic. Michael was one of the mentally disabled people at the center, he really inspired me because of his positive energy and his love for Michael Jackson and his dance moves. I really appreciate what the people at the Hui Ling Community center do, I know that it is hard for them to memorize dance moves, song lyrics and lines so I applaud them for all the work that they put in to entertain us. I think that by me being happy at the community center, it inspires everyone at the center to keep on going with their lives and to stay positie because other people care too.
Health and Social Education – What were some difficulties or personal challenges you faced on the trip?
When I am away from home, I often get homesick. This time, I knew I would get homesick because my birthday was during camp and I really wanted to celebrate it with my family. However, after the first night of missing home I decided to try and not get homesick by keeping busy. I kept myself busy by reading in bed, calling others and visiting other rooms, this helped me take my mind off home and I did not get homesick. Next time, I think that I should have more of a positive attitude toward camp, this time I really did not want to go but camp turned out fine. Next time, I should not expect the worst and actually hope for the best. That way I can enjoy the trip even more.
Environments – How one’s environment shape the way in which one views the world?
There are many similarities and differences between Beijing and Hong Kong, I decided to use a visual aid such as a venn diagram to communicate them.
Human Ingenuity – What are the consequences to what we create?
Over time, the purpose of the Great Wall has changed significantly. Before, Shi Huang Di, the first emperor of China built it to protect tribes from the North from invading into China. However, it is now a tourist attraction. This is the same for the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven. The Summer Palace in the olden days was used as a holiday home for the emperor and his family, it is now also used as a tourist attraction. This case is similar with the Temple of Heaven, before the Temple of Heaven was used to pray to the gods in heaven to symbolize good luck. The use has changed to it becoming a tourist attraction too.
Approaches to Learning – Consider the following quotation : ” For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn them by doing them” -Aristotle
1) On the trip, I was able to practice my mandarin with the locals. With more mandarin practice, I will be a better mandarin speaker. Being better at mandarin is very valuable because the Chinese are gaining power in the world and I can take part in that with my mandarin language skills in the future.
2) On the trip, I learnt how to bargain in a market. This will be valuable to me in the future because I can save money by bargaining.
Overall, I would give this trip a 5 star rating because I really enjoyed it. We learnt a lot and I would not mind going again.
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