When the students from Beijing No. 4 High School visited Burnside High School, we had the wonderful opportunity to welcome them into our school and our homes.
For some of us, it was a reunion with friends we had met during our visit to Beijing, while for others, it was a chance to make new friendships.
For those of us hosting a student for the first time, the homestay experience was especially meaningful. We wanted our buddies to feel welcome and experience life in New Zealand beyond the classroom. We introduced them to our friends and took them to places around Christchurch, including Riccarton Mall, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, New Brighton Pier and Sumner Beach. We also enjoyed a barbecue together. These shared experiences gave us opportunities to learn about each other’s cultures, interests and everyday lives.
One of the things we discovered was just how busy our Chinese buddies’ lives can be. They often have very tight schedules, balancing schoolwork with activities such as music practice and exercise. At the same time, our buddies were surprised by how relaxed and “chill” school life in New Zealand can feel compared with their experience in China. Although our daily routines and school environments are quite different, we found that we could still connect through conversations, laughter and shared activities.
The exchange also helped us grow personally. At first, some of us felt awkward or nervous about talking to someone we had only just met. However, as we spent more time together, conversations became easier and our confidence grew. Hosting an international student encouraged us to step outside our comfort zones, develop our social skills and become more open to different perspectives.
One of the highlights of the week was making traditional Chinese lucky knots together in our Chinese class on Wednesday. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful as students from both schools laughed, talked and sometimes struggled to tie the knots correctly! It was a simple activity, but it brought everyone together and created a memorable moment of friendship and cultural exchange.
The Beijing No. 4 visit was much more than a school exchange. It gave us the opportunity to experience another culture, share our own way of life and develop friendships across borders. We learned that although students in China and New Zealand may have very different school experiences and daily routines, we have much in common—and sometimes a shared laugh is all it takes to build a friendship.
