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High school students set to broaden world view in China

Sep 28, 2013 | 4:03 PM

The Prince Albert Travel Club (PATC) is going to China with close to 70 students next spring.

Trips like these are meant to enlighten the youth, said trip organizer Donna Dalziel

“All of us need to open our eyes and understand that we are all different,” she explained. “When we go to a different country we learn the universality of a handshake, a smile, a greeting, concern. All of that makes for a very small world.”

Dalziel said for more than 20 years she's witnessed students humbled by poverty and other difficulties in third world countries during their travels. The organizer also added how important it is to travel and learn new things because breaking down cultural barriers teaches children not to judge their peers and to be more accepting of those who are struggling.

Grade 10 student Kennedy Erickson is a living example of this. She went to Thailand with PATC last year.

Thailand opened her eyes, she said, to so much more.

“Seeing all the people in the streets and like the poverty going from like the contrast of the huge, gigantic office buildings that were some of the largest in the world and then seeing broken down concrete houses with laundry outside was difficult,” said Erickson.

In 2010, Allison Hine, now 19, also went to China with PATC. Hine said after visiting a foreign country, cultural barriers were washed away. “I think that going to different cultures, especially something very different, is really enriching and it gives you perspective on your life.”

Erickson enjoyed her time in Thailand so much that she is in the process of fundraising to go to China with PATC this year. 

This will be her first trip to the country with the world's largest population.

“Hopefully through seeing different cultures and having people my age experience those things they’ll be more grateful for things back home and have a better aspect of the world,” she said.

Grades 10, 11 and 12 students in northern Saskatchewan, are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible, as fundraising is a priority until the trip. An information session for guardians will be held ept. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church.

Each participant will need to raise $3,600 to cover flight costs, accommodations and food.

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