Day two was the most physically exhausting. We spent the entire day restoring a damaged temple, with only short breaks in between. Our morning started with an introduction to the temple, and our school also presented a donation to its owner to support its restoration. My group was assigned to work in the basement, where we had to mix
and spread cement to reinforce the ground. This
Dear Diary,
Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the 2025 community service trip to Anhui. This threeday 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 checkin and a relaxing night. Day two was the most physically exhausting. We spent the entire day restoring a damaged temple, with only short breaks in between. Our morning started with an introduction to the temple, and our school also presented a donation to its owner to support its restoration. My group was assigned to work in the basement, where we had to mix and spread cement to reinforce the ground. This process took about two hours and required a lot of teamwork. After lunch, we moved on to our next task: preparing wooden beams to be installed in the temple ceiling. This involved cutting and shaving the wood to ensure it was the right size and smooth enough for placement. Though tiring, seeing our progress by the end of the day was incredibly fulfilling. We returned to the hotel, exhausted but satisfied with the work we had accomplished. On the final day, we visited a local school to teach English to children. Before our lesson, we were treated to an hour-long performance by the students, showcasing their talents through singing and dancing. We then split into groups to teach them English in a fun and engaging way, followed by outdoor games where we got to bond with the kids. We got to watch the children play tug-of-war and, in the end, we took a nice group photo. Overall, this year ' s trip required much more hands-on work compared to previous years, but it was an incredibly rewarding experience. Seeing the impact of our efforts made all the hard work worth it. I had an amazing time, and I’ m already looking forward to next year’ s trip!
process took about two hours and required a lot of teamwork. After lunch, we moved on to our next task: preparing wooden beams to be installed in the temple ceiling. This involved cutting and shaving the wood to ensure it was the right size and smooth enough for placement. Though tiring, seeing our progress by the end of the day was incredibly fulfilling. We returned to the hotel, exhausted but satisfied with the work we had accomplished.
On the final day, we visited a local school to teach English to children. Before our lesson, we were treated to an hour-long performance by the students, showcasing their talents through singing and dancing. We then split into groups to teach them English in a fun and engaging way, followed by outdoor games where we got to bond with the kids. We got to watch the children play tug-of-war and, in the end, we took a nice group photo. Overall, this year ' s trip required much more hands-on work compared to previous years, but it was an incredibly rewarding experience. Seeing the impact of our efforts made all the hard work worth it. I had an amazing time, and I’ m already looking forward to next year’ s trip!