Dear Diary, Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the 2025 community service trip to Anhui. This three-day trip was both exhausting and rewarding, leaving me with unforgettable memories. Our journey began early on the first day, as we arrived at school at 6:45 AM. We spent some time in the cafeteria before making our way to the bus. The short, 10- minute ride brought us to the train station, where we waited in a crowded area near the entrance. Once we passed through security, we prepared to board the train, as we only had four minutes to board. Finally settled into our seats, we started on our scenic three-hour journey to Anhui. The view outside the train windows was breathtaking, with rolling mountains, ancient temples, and groups of traditional black-and-white buildings. Upon arrival, we took another bus to a local restaurant for lunch. There, the WildChina leaders introduced themselves, giving us insight into what the trip would entail.
After eating, we headed to a historical field and temple area, where we kicked off the trip with icebreaker games. The games were physically exhausting under the warm sun, and I felt they genuinely had no purpose. Afterward, we toured the temple grounds, learning about its rich history and the craftsmanship behind its construction. One of the afternoon ' s highlights was a lesson on Anhui architecture, where we had to design our temple structures. Following that, we went to a bamboo carving museum and got to carve our bamboo cups. The day ended with a well-deserved dinner, followed by hotel check-in and a relaxing night