ST JOSEPH ’ S INSTITUTION • JOSEPHIAN ANNUAL 2014 LEARNING JOURNEY
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destination was the Tian Zi Fang shopping area and this place was simply amazing . At first glance , it may seem like just a narrow alley with a few shops here and there . But if you take a closer look at the map , you would be shocked to see a maze of intersecting lanes and intertwining walkways as well as an area several blocks wide . Here , our group went on an all out shopping spree . The sheer variety of intricately designed souvenirs and unique knick-knacks made us all yearn for more . Even though we roamed around for about two hours , we had actually only covered the first half of the area . It was so massive that we had to spend half an hour just locating the nearest exit ! Some of our group members decided to invest in a supposedly everlasting matchbox which was claimed to be able to be struck 20,000 times . But with China living up to its infamous reputation , the matchstick broke after 100 or so strikes . Seeing their crestfallen faces garnered a raucous laughter from the rest of the group . Soon , we left Tian Zi Fang with our wallets considerably lighter and headed to our final destination of the day : Mo Gan Shan Lu . The premier art district , Mo Gan Shan Lu is the ultimate hotspot for art fanatics and photo enthusiasts . So naturally , us students were not very interested in this place . However , there were several artworks and pictures that were simply astounding . After this short artwalk , we headed for dinner and then back to the hotel . We had the routine debrief by Claudine and we were also assigned a task : come up with a business proposal using the various marketing tips and skills we have picked up .
Day 5 :
At 9am , instead of meeting at the lobby , we all convened in Ms Ong ’ s room for the presentation of our business proposals . Our group had spent the previous night frantically searching for a source of inspiration , we finally settled on a F & B business as to us , it is one of , if not the most sought after business almost anywhere in the world . The presentation went fairly well , with solid proposals by other groups as well . However , to our surprise , we won ! Our prize was a packet of crackers but we were all proud as we had put a lot of time into it . Next , we set off for the Yu Yuan Bazaar . Here , we embarked on another shopping spree . The things sold here were unbelievably cheap and simply too hard to resist . After this shopping trip , we headed to the famous Bund for a look at Shanghai ’ s breathtaking skyline . Despite the haze that clouded the air , the view was still amazing . Soon , evening set and we headed to Nanjing Dong Lu . Here , we had a couple of hours to grab dinner and do some last-minute shopping . But due to the sheer size of the place , we spent nearly the entire time just finding a place to eat . Shortly after , we boarded the bus and headed for the airport , much to our disappointment . It was sad to leave China as we had so much fun there and wanted more time . However , we were also anxious to return home and see our families again .
We would all like to thank our teachers : Mdm Fauziah Hussein , Mdm Fauziah Abdullah and Ms Ong Shu Yee , without whom this trip would not have been this enjoyable . And of course , we would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to Claudine who was an amazing tour guide and really opened our eyes to the different way of life in China .