Toespraken van Onderwijsschepen D. Monte, Chinese leraar en lerares, Chinese leerlingen, moeder lle. SJSP, leerlinge SJSP. Maerlant-lle Nena Roose. Aandoenlijk was het die speechen te horen:

Nena Rooses tekst:Dear Martine, teachers, parents and students

When I think back about my exchange, I realise how difficult it is to put everything I felt into words. What started as a trip that made me nervous became one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

Before leaving, I was scared. China felt so far away from home, and I had never been away from my family for such a long time. I wondered if I would feel comfortable and if I would make new friends. I had so many questions and worries in my head.

But the moment I arrived, I slowly realised that I had nothing to be afraid of.

My exchange student LI ZHIYU and her family welcomed me with so much kindness and warmth. They made me feel at home, even though I was thousands of kilometres away from my own home. I will always be grateful for the way they treated me and for all the little moments we shared together.

During the exchange, I experienced so many things that I will never forget. We visited beautiful and interesting places, learned about Chinese culture and had Chinese lessons that were both fun and challenging. Even the tiring excursions became memories that I now look back on with a smile.

Some of my favourite moments were actually the simplest ones. Laughing together, talking, doing sports during the breaks and just spending time with the people around me and getting to know the students at the chinese school. Those moments made me realise that you don’t need to speak the same language perfectly to connect with someone.

The hardest part was probably saying goodbye. In such a short amount of time, people who were strangers at the beginning became people I truly cared about. Leaving felt strange because I knew that I was going back home, while a part of me wanted to stay a little longer.

This exchange taught me much more than just Chinese words or facts about China. It taught me to step outside my comfort zone, to be open to new people and to appreciate the moments I have while they are happening.

I went to China with a suitcase full of clothes and a head full of doubts. I came home with a heart full of memories, new friendships and an experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

China will always be more than just a place I visited. It will always be a place where I grew, laughed, learned and created memories that I will never forget.

When she arrived here I knew I had to make her feel the same. I wanted her to feel the warmth and comfort that she gave me. During their time here we did lots of things. I cant believe that this amazing week has past already. It feels like she just arrived yesterday.

I am incredibly grateful that I got the chance to experience all of this. And although the exchange is over, I know that the memories and the people I met there will always have a special place in my heart.

Thank you for listening