Qiao Liwei (far right) with her classmates in Nanjing.
RECENTLY, my class went on a three-day trip from Shanghai to Nanjing with only 200 yuan. It was fun and inspiring.
A hard beginning
We left for Nanjing early in the morning (4:52 am on March 19) by train. Unfortunately, because the tickets were difficult to get, we took the train without seats. The carriage quickly became crowded with students.
We stood on the train for over five hours until we arrived at our destination — Nanjing. By that time we all understood how hard it is for migrant (外来的) workers to return home from a big city.
Tough living
We had an educational campaign (活动) in front of the Memorial Hall to the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders (侵华日军南京大屠杀遇难同胞纪念馆) on the first day. We all felt the heavy weight of history as we walked quietly around the memorial hall. Relics of the war on display frightened and shocked us. We could imagine how hard life must have been for the Chinese people at that time.
Special research
On the second day we were divided into groups of seven to nine students. We were assigned (布置) to do research about the city, so we had to visit local people and talk to them.
As we were told not to take taxis, we traveled around the city by bus or subway. At the end of the day, we were so tired that no one touched the remote control of the television in our bedroom. However, we were all happy that we had learned to get around a strange city and that we understood Nanjing more.
Noble spirits
On the last day we went to Yuhuatai. Some students handed in applications to join the Communist Party there. We learnt about the martyrs’ (烈士的) stories and most of us were impressed by their noble spirits. They sacrificed (牺牲) their lives but they won respect.
A happy ending
Our three days soon came to an end. Sitting on the train back to Shanghai, we happily shared our adventures in Nanjing. Though we were tired, it was a really meaningful trip.