5
Location: Beijing
As we all loved the Wushu class we had yesterday, we started our morning with some Wushu practice with our Wushu god, Manuel, to immerse ourselves in more of the Chinese culture and get all of our blood pumping! After that, we had a filling breakfast of traditional Chinese Bao Zi and Congee in the hotel. Before leaving, we engaged in an activity in which we wrote compliments and positive affirmations for each other and also contemplated change we wished to see in the following days.
Minutes ticked by quickly as we sang Hannah Montana songs on the bus until it became time to start service at a private school for orphans located in Downtown Beijing. There, with the children we played simple games that were easy to understand, we did crafts such as tracing their hands on a piece of paper and turning it into a butterfly, as well as other fun activities. This was undoubtedly a morning filled with peals of laughter and left everyone with a smile on their faces.
In the afternoon, we went to the Roundabout Donation Centre, which is a non-profit organization which aims to collect donations and distributes them. We all had different duties such as rolling ties and belts in the clothing section, organizing books and checking board games for any missing pieces. Although we were all drenched in sweat afterward, it was very meaningful knowing that we were doing this for a good cause.
The activities of the day ended with a stroll in the streets of Old Beijing and tasting delectable local foods such as sugar-coated strawberries (冰糖葫芦) and milk tea. We are all very excited about the visit to the Forbidden City tomorrow!
THE QUOTE OF THE DAY: “All that I have purchased in China is Sprite” – Hannah