Seven days at the Beijing summer camp

In July 2017 a group of the school's students left for the Beijing summer camp. Every evening the teachers wrote to the parents. This is that diary.

Day 2 — the opening

A short, formal opening ceremony, with one of our students giving the address on behalf of all the participants. Then a tour of the Capital University of Physical Education, and in the afternoon the Summer Palace.

Day 3 — chess and the fan

In the morning, the rules of Chinese chess — enough to start playing properly. In the afternoon, tai chi with the fan: strength and form together, and a dozen movements learned in a few hours. In the evening, a quiz on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Day 4 — the Great Wall

Out at 7am, back at 9:30pm. We took the south section at Badaling, the steep one: the teachers' legs were shaking, the children went up in one go. In the afternoon the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube; in the evening Quanjude roast duck and a kung fu show.

Day 5 — table tennis and self-defence

A day of training.

Day 6 — Tiananmen and the Forbidden City

Hot, but the scale of the place carried everyone. In the afternoon, push hands: attack and yielding inside the same movement.

Day 7 — Chinese, and nunchaku

A Chinese lesson built out of games in the morning. Nunchaku in the afternoon — a row of small Bruce Lees.

More than a hundred photographs were shared with the families every day.