The inaugural Student Ambassador trip to Nanjing was a great success. The Lower Sixth formers who attended the trip returned full of excitement and lessons learned. Communicating across cultures can be challenging; the resilience and adaptability on the part of Guildford and Nanjing students was impressive as they learned how to overcome barriers of language and culture. We lost 2-0 in football, but the students’ camaraderie as they played, and their humour as they tried their hand at pottery, showed that friendships had been built on empathy and humility.
The students ran a joint student council; it was clear from the outcomes of the meeting that the RGSG students again empathised profoundly with the students in Nanjing. There was a keen sense of collective responsibility for change that came from highly effective rapport building. Students in both schools displayed impressive skills of social influence in the way that they handled the discussions.
The study sessions were an opportunity for the Guildford students to develop their leadership skills. They ran small workshops for younger Nanjing students, developing critical thinking skills on both sides of the table. The success of the sessions came partly from the creativity in their design, and partly from the communication and rapport building from all students.
The student Ambassadors were fascinated by learning calligraphy, sharing meals with local students and haggling in the markets, which all gave windows onto a new culture. Exploring new and old places in Nanjing and Shanghai, taking the metro and taxis all build up a wider picture of the culture.
As is so often the case, however, it was the element of service that the Guildford students found most rewarding. Supporting study skills, helping with the student council, and learning how to put people at their ease gave some of the most rewarding moments. The openness and empathy from students in both schools allowed lasting friendships to be formed – which is of course one of the most precious elements of RGS school life.