Burgemeester Björn Prasse en cultuurschepen Kathy Kamoen hielden een begroetingstoespraak.
Maerlant-lle NINA CONSERRIERE sprak namens de Blankenbergse leerlingen.
Haar toespraak:
Good evening everyone
Going to China was probably one of the most amazing trips I’ve ever done in my entire life but part of that exchange program was also taking them into our houses. That is what this week was all about, not experiencing my own adventures but giving these chinese students the opportunity to live in a once in a lifetime dream. Thursday evening Cherry and all the other Chinese students arrived here in Blankenberge and we took them to our homes.
Even though it wasn’t our first time meeting, it was still unusual to have someone living in your home and it was weird sharing your space with them. However I was very lucky to be partnered with Cherry because everything went really easy and comfortable. To give them a first view of what our city is like we went to watch the sunset on the pier.
Friday while we were at school the Chinese students went to Bruges and the only thing I know from that is that they came home with a lot of chocolate. In the evening we wanted them to be together so we all hung out at the jeugdhuis.
Saturday morning was our first family day. In the morning we went shopping with some to Knokke. This was a Nice trip but it led to 7 Chinese students and me and Anouk who had to wait 45 minutes on some of our other friends on the tram.
In the afternoon we went to the beachclub and went into the ocean on bodyboards. This was very fun and according to Cherry they also had an amazing time. After the bodyboarding we had a really good barbecue at the beach club which i think everyone enjoyed
Sunday was family day number two and we decided to go to Plopsaland, an amusement park, with almost the whole group. This was amazing. We laughed a lot and went on a lot of attractions together.
Monday was back to reality for us Belgian students because we had to go back to school, but the Chinese students went to Brussels where they also had a great time and this night Cherry and I stayed home for a Quiet evening.
These ten days are going by really fast because it is already tuesday and this was the first time the Chinese students went to school. And this evening we had a Nice campfire at Rani’s house.
Wednesday they also went to school and in the afternoon we went eating something with the whole group at charlies’s and after that we went bowling and Alexia won. I also went to ballet class together with Cherry and even though it was a little strange for her to be there, she adapted really quickly and fit right in. Because luckily as she said ballet is the same here as in china
Thursday they finally went to my school and lucky for us we got to have a delicious breakfast at the school together with all the chinese students and the students who go to Maerlant. After that we did have a normal school day, but our chinese friends got english lessons from mister Lips, went sporting and made beach paper flowers. For dinner I went to bones together with my family and joni her family. Both cherry and amy liked it very much because according to them it was the best food they ate here.
For their last full day here in belgium the chinese students also went to school where they had one lesson with us
And that finally leads us to this moment. 10 days spent in Beijing, 10 days here in Blankenberge. This exchange program has come to an end. I am so glad Cherry was my chinese partner because i instantly felt comfortable with her because she is so nice, I hope i gave her the same experience she gave me when i went to china. And i certainly hope everyone leaves belgium with so many memories and positive feelings. And i am so grateful i got to be a part of this amazing experience.
Thank you
KOEN VAN LANDSCHOOT, CP (commissaris) verkeersdienst politie Blankenberge/Zuienkerke, vader van een leerling van SJSP, sprak namens de ouders.
Zijn toespraak:
Dear Mayor and Aldermen, Principals, Teachers, Students, Host Families, and Everyone Who Supported This Exchange,
Martine asked me to say a few words about this exchange and how we, as parents, experienced it. First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone involved in organizing and participating in this special exchange. Special thanks go to the city government, Beijing High School, the two schools in Blankenberge (Maerlant and Sint-Pieters- Sint Jozef), Martine, Kathy, and of course, the parents.
This exchange is a wonderful opportunity to learn from each other and to experience the differences between China (Beijing) and Belgium (Blankenberge). It symbolizes a deep understanding between our cultures and traditions.
One of the first challenges for the students and their families was the language barrier, but everyone found their own way to overcome it. Thankfully, with today’s translation apps, this was made easier.
During their stay in Belgium, our Chinese guests had the chance to experience a few uniquely Belgian things:
Firstly, they were introduced to our famous Belgian weather. When they visited Bruges and Brussels, it was raining and cold. Our guest student, Steven, often said, “I like Belgium very much, but not the weather!” It’s certainly not like Beijing, where the weather is much warmer.
He also mentioned several times how “warm” he felt in our home. What he meant by this was that in Belgium, people are warm and welcoming, families are large, and we have more time for each other. It was heartwarming to see that every family gave their best to ensure that their Chinese guest had a pleasant stay. Some parents organized activities in their gardens, took their guests to restaurants, or went out to places like Pairi Daiza, Sluis, Plopsaland and other places.
Additionally, the students learned about the unpredictability of Belgian railways, especially our famous NMBS delays. When they returned from Bruges and Brussels, their train was delayed.
On the first family day, they were able to enjoy one of the most beautiful natural spectacles Blankenberge has to offer – a sunset at the beach, something they cannot see in Beijing.
In the following days, they attended school, did sports and learned more about what our country has to offer.
I think I can speak for every parent when I say that each Chinese student was very kind, polite, and respectful. Although, perhaps the “no phones at the table” rule is something a few of them might still need to learn!
This exchange was a unique opportunity to learn from one another, and it will leave lasting memories, not only for the students but also for the parents and families.
Once again, thank you to everyone who made this exchange possible. We would gladly do it all over again.
I would like to end with a few words in Chinese:
Xiexie ni de guanglin (Thank you for your presence). It was a great time.
Verder luisterden we naar een van de beide Pekinese leraressen en naar twee leerlingen uit de Chinese hoofdstad.
