Year 12 Residential Update from Inner Mongolia 2023

To succeed in the world, our students first explore it! Our residential programme is an integral part of our curriculum here. It broadens our students’ horizons and help them form lifelong friendships. We have worked closely with our service providers to ensure that the students will experience a wide range of engaging and educational activities that include elements of cultural immersion, challenge, and community building.

Date: Monday 12th June to Friday 16th June, 2023

Please see daily updates from Ms. Donnelly, IBDP Coordinator

Day 1

After taking the high speed train from Beijing to Hohhot, we were taken by bus to the Grasslands. We were greeted at the Yurt facility with a traditional Mongolian welcoming ceremony involving blue hada (scarves placed around our necks) and xia ma jiu. Students then settled into their beautiful Yurts before a traditional Mongolian meal. We’re excited to begin our week full of interesting activities!

Day 2

We woke up to a beautiful, bright and sunny morning. After a hearty breakfast the group set off for a day of fun activities, including Mongolian wrestling, archery, dancing and yurt building. This also included dressing up in traditional costumes! As a morning snack, we learned about Mongolian salted milk tea.  For lunch, students were challenged to make their own baoze, which were delicious! Later students were given a budget to choose their own dinner. It was lovely to see them negotiate this; they made sure everybody would be catered for. They still had enough energy at the end of the day for some games of frisbee and volleyball!

Day 3

It was another beautiful start to what was our last day in the Inner Mongolian Grasslands. After a good breakfast to set ourselves up for the journey ahead, we set off to our next location: Baotou. On the way, we stopped off to enjoy a Mongolian vegetarian lunch, and then visited the 16th century Meidaizhao Temple where students worked in groups to complete a Hunt Through History challenge that helped them engage with key facts about this site.

We then travelled on to the desert. Students had fun with some orienteering challenges before we headed to eat a special Mongolian hotpot for dinner, and then check into our hotel where we stay for the next two nights. Another action packed day!

Day 4

Day 4 of the Year 12 Residential Trip was all about the desert. After our hotel buffet breakfast, students’ first activity was a sandcastle (well, structure) building competition. Working in teams, they were challenged to choose one of the Hutong’s Core Values as the focus for their sand structures.Winning team ‘We’ve Already Won’ chose the value of ‘smiling more’, and created a sand hippo, who, despite bathing in sand, is still finding a way to smile.

After some fun with sand sledding we headed for lunch, and then to create sand art. Students then learned about some desert plants, the Tibetan Aobao, a spiritual monument, and before leaving made their own Mani stone to bring good luck to those who encounter them.

After a much needed freshen up at the hotel we then headed back to the desert for a final BBQ and bonfire party, where students of the week were celebrated. It was a great final full day of activities!