Mrs Gray’s examining tour to China
In July I went to China to examine in two cities – Shenzhen and Zhong Shan. It was the first time that an RAD examiner had been to these two schools and everyone was very excited.
I flew to Hong Kong via Amsterdam and then caught a bus and a train to get to the border with China. I had to fill out immigration papers and queue for 15 minutes to get out of Hong Kong, walk over a bridge and then repeat the whole process to get into China!!
First I examined in Shenzhen – in an Arts Educational school. There was a banner across the entrance welcoming me! All the children had sweet English names like Lily and Kitty as well as their Chinese names. They were very smart and very proud of themselves. I had my photo taken hundreds of times with each group of children!
On my free day the teachers took me on a tour of the city and took me to the market to look at all the fabrics – it was amazing. I also had a Chinese back massage and a traditional foot massage which were both extremely interesting (and painful!).
I then moved on to Zhong Shan and, during the first day, examined my first set of Pre-School Dance children – a new exam for us. They did a little dance about buying Mooncakes for the Festival of the Moon, which is on September 19th. Another banner was outside this school and Chinese television came to film when the exams were over because they were so proud of the children taking RAD exams.
Afterwards I caught the ferry and sailed across the South China sea to Hong Kong island and then travelled on to Kowloon where I had to wait one day for my flight home to England. I had to repeat the immigration process and also stand in front of a body sensor because no-one is allowed into Hong Kong with a temperature!
In Hong Kong it was raining all the time, but Mrs Ulian Chun – also an RAD examiner – and her daughter showed me all the sights and took me on the Star Ferry and the Peak train. Mrs Chun gave me a Mooncake to bring home.
On my long flight home I could clearly see the Gobi Desert, Tibet, Siberia and the great Russian plain. I missed the Great Wall of China!
It was a very interesting
experience that I will never forget.
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