China Immersion Tour

Day 13

Day 13 was a full day of walking and bartering. We started off with prayer and breakfast, as father Fini left us to join the Oblate youth group. We left on a very long bus and train ride to Tiananmen Square which had crazy security and then we went to the Forbidden City which was amazing as our local tour guide Mary told us that in all the building there were no nails.

The awesome palaces for the Emperor seemed to go on forever and Mary said that they were almost a kilometer in length. After this we took an extremely cramped bus ride to the pearl markets where once again all the boys were ripped off in one way or another. Or did we do the ripping off as we bargained them to extremely low prices compared to what we can do in Melbourne? Maybe we both came out in front. We then went home with our trusty bus driver Bao and then we were tasked with finding our own dinner.

Amos

Day 12

With an early start to the day the Mazenod boys headed to the great wall on an hour’s drive; led by the infamous and legendary Bao (the bus driver). Once we arrived we went our separate ways, Father Fini and Mr. De la Zilwa off on the chair lift whilst the rest of us set out on the monster that is the wall. All the Nodders arrived within 20 or so minutes with teachers trailing behind another 10minutes later. After regrouping at gate 6 of the wall we separated yet again with the decision of taking a difficult and scenic side of the wall or facing a boring and easy walk. Needless to say the Nodder boys went onto the difficult path excluding all teachers apart from Mrs. Welsford.

Following the reaching of the peak, we regrouped and this time set off on a toboggan down the wall. All Nodders keen until an unfortunate turn of events. Formula 3 racer Jason J led the group on the toboggan ride however faced a very large problem, a middle aged woman that liked to go incredibly slowly and reach complete stops on an otherwise quick slide; this caused the rest of the Nodders to race down the track at snail like speeds and left all disappointed at what could have been. However, moods quickly rose again as we began light shopping at the markets nearby in which marble carvings and amazing hats were purchased.

The second half of the day consisted of helping in an after school program. The program was instigated by the Oblate priests to help migrant families living in appalling conditions in an overcrowded village. These migrants (from the country side) were often working late and did not have the ability to help their children with their homework. Sometimes the children were helping the parents in their street stall. The drop in centre was a haven of joy and community. The Nodders helped teach English as well as play with the children who were more than happy to comply with any activity. One child in particular found himself enticed with the man that is Father Fini, even inviting him home for a meal.

We finished the day at a restaurant owned and run by one of the teachers at the after school where we shared a massive feast even Father could not finish. The restaurant looked poor but the food was magnificent.

Jason Weerasinghe

Day 11

Day 11 started with an early prayer at the Oblate’s house, followed by breakfast. Once breakfast concluded, there was an hour of free time where everyone was free to do what they wanted before heading to “Love and Hope” at 9:30. Love and Hope is a place for dropouts where students come from faraway places and stay there to learn different subjects such as English, Chinese, baking, sewing and a whole variety of other courses.

The age group of the students started from 13 years and went up to 20 years. The Mazenodians interacted with the students in an attempt to improve their English. During our time there, we had pizza for lunch, with some playing some basketball (Mitch was the standout, but we were disgraced by losing) while others interacted with students from Love and Hope. We sang our national anthem and they sang theirs. When the time was up, we headed back to our hotel for some free time before heading out to Olympic Stadium. Once we got there and explored, some of the students were disappointed as there was not much happening around, but the scenic view was interesting and we were able to see around the “Bird’s Nest”, where the Olympics was mainly held.

Soon after, we all went to the nearby mall to buy some dinner, heading home after and ending the day.

Andrew

Day 10

Our hotel is a 10 minute walk from the Oblate priests’ house. So our breakfast in Beijing is after a walk and a prayer and then we have a meal of toast or cereal, bananas and cake. On the first day we visited the Baby’s Home (Little Flower). A home for abandoned children that the parents often rejected by their children because of some physical disability. Led by Rosie Welsford, the young Mazenod men did not take long to find themselves in amongst the young ones. David was quickly feeding those in high chairs whilst others were assigned duties in different areas. There was a group of younger teenagers waiting outside. One confined to a wheel chair, another with one very shortened leg on crutches but all willing to respond to our invitation to play. Jason W organized a goal kicking competition with himself as goalie. The one on crutches was amazing for his strong kicking. The wheel chair bound student proved his flexibility at volleyball with Sean and Andrew. Jason J was the hit of the day. He, on a fast moving scooter, was chasing the same wheel chair bound boy around the playground as well as getting two quiet students to participate. Upstairs the toddlers had moved from eating to playing games in a large pen area. There was reading, building with blocks, throwing balls and wrestling. It was a heart warming exchange for our students with a great sense of love and joy freely flowing.

The Oblate fathers than put on a wonderful meal cooked in their house with Father Giovani proving to be a master chef. Travellers could choose lamb pieces, green vegetables and some tofu with abundant rice. We then walked to a local shopping centre containing a Direct Factory Outlet with an idea of pricing goods before our touring of the Pearl Markets later in the week.

In the afternoon we visited the drop in centre run by sisters of Charity. After a very long walk and bus ride we entered a migrant slum area. Rosie has already clocked up 25,000 steps. Here was a small centre where primary school students came to complete homework in an atmosphere of love provided by the three sisters and supported by the Oblates. Frank declared this the best experience of connecting with Chinese youth. After some help with their homework the boys played silent ball, table soccer, Uno with little regard to the rules and other games. There was not much structure to the activity but plenty of laughter. These were the children of internal migrants who, if they could not find jobs, were illegal and open to be moved on. Many had moved from the rural areas to the city in the hope of greater prosperity. Consequently there was little room in their “houses” and no one at home when school finished. The parents valued the fact that there was enforced period to do homework with adult supervision. The sisters could not declare their religion and so it was an act of loving service on their part. The sisters were always in danger of being ejected from their work by the authorities.

The migrants often have pieces of cardboard, tin and clothe for them to keep out of the cold. I hope we will get to see some on Wednesday. One of the students in Hong Kong said he was proud of his privileged house. It had four rooms – three bedrooms and kitchen together the size of two Australian bedrooms. He explained that many of the poorest houses were the size of two single beds. For cooking they place a flat piece of board on their bed with a portable gas cooker. It is the only room in their house. It is little wonder that the parks are full of activity from early morning to after dark.

The afternoon activity was followed by a tasty Chinese banquet meal where many dishes were brought out. The students sampled many delights going back for seconds when it took their fancy. It was finished with duck which the priests and adults had great expectations for which they were not disappointed.

The evening finished with a reflection as was the case with most nights. It consisted of about 8 minutes of guided silence, a reading from St Eugene’s letters and a sharing of reflections of the day. As was usual the last part was a request to verbalise any concerns or needs for improvement. After a period of quiet the only concern expressed was the need for sleep due to the early starts that were required. That start was 7.15 in the lobby foyer. The response was to go to bed earlier! Less time on the phone at night. They were free to go back to their luxurious rooms from about 9pm. Compared to our Hong Kong accommodation they are spacious, with good quality bathrooms and extremely comfortable beds.

Joe Moore

Day 9

Day 9 in Hong Kong started bright and early at 6:45 in order to catch a 45 minute bus ride to get to the 9 o'clock mass at St Alfred's Parish. Reaching the bus stop, we walked over a bridge to cross the river to get to the parish, seeing schools of fish and getting a taste of a more spacious area in the "new territory" compared to the suburbs of Hong Kong City.

Following the mass, which was celebrated by Father Fini and included lots of singing, we were invited for lunch in the cafeteria. This consisted of cooked noodles, bread and drinks which the boys all enjoyed. We then returned to Oblate Primary School where we prepared for our departure to Beijing, packing our bags and cleaning up the common areas and our rooms. We were then taken by bus to the airport.

At the airport, check-in went smoothly but unfortunately, our flight was delayed by 1 hour. We spent this time watching movies on the in-flight entertainment system. Following the 3 hour flight, we arrived in Beijing and was met with long lines and countless CCTV cameras. While recording our fingerprints, Father Fini has some trouble fitting his fingers on the scanner while Mr Moore was unable to do so. We passed through immigration quite smoothly and were greeted by Bao, our bus driver, Sonny, Fr. Giovanni and Fr. Johnny. They bused us to our hotel and we arrived around midnight. We quickly went to bed after a long, tiring day.

By Sean Ng

Day 8

A balmy morning sleep-in ruined by the happy voice of the one and only Joe Moore, “Jóusàhn” (good morning). A healthy bowl of Milo cereal to boost us through the day and we were off on our way to the steep accent of the cable cars where the big Buddha awaited us. A luxurious 20 minute ride over the ocean and hills filled up by the comforting talks of what if the wire breaks.

To Father Fini’s delight we arrived and set upon our journey up the stairs to see the big Buddha. Once we got up, we pretty much went straight back down. The monastery below was full of different gods worshiped by the Buddhists and few Monks. The next destination that awaited us tourists was Victoria Peak. After our 40 minute wait for our tour guides we were warmly welcomed into another 1 hour line pleasing us all.

Finally after throwing a few elbows we boarded the tram that took us to the viewing point of the peak. It was a scary ride up as the train was on a 45 degree angle testing the cables' strength. Safe and sound we hopped off at the destination and caught up over some expensive lunch. The view overlooked all of Hong Kong and was a sight to behold.

Our final bus ride back to the school was accompanied by Frank Seal’s og music, finishing up day 8.

Day 7

Day 7 in Hong Kong would be considered by most of the boys as the most enjoyable day, spending 10 hours in Disneyland. Unfortunately for us, it did happen to be a public holiday which meant a lot of the time was spent waiting in lines; unless you were smart enough to read your ticket and find out a fast pass was included for you. However, this didn’t stop the boys from pulling through and having a great time.

We made sure to get a taste of every ride we could, but the clear winner was the space mountain star wars coaster which managed to provide a great thrill for the boys each time. It was a terrific morning and afternoon but everyone struggled to find cheap food.

All good things do come to an end and we finally had to leave. However, there was no time to rest as the boys were taken straight to Notre Dame College to attend the ‘stations of the cross’, and spent the rest of the night providing food for the homeless once again. This was done with the local Oblate Youth Group. It allowed us to immerse ourselves with their company.

Finally, the adventurous day ended, with some classic Hong Kong cuisine, a gargantuan Maccas feast with the Hong Kong Youth.

By Frank Seal

Day 6

Day 6 in Hong Kong kicked off nice and early with us walking to the nearby high school, Notre Dame.

The first session we undertook was a speed dating-like activity where we had two minutes to talk with the other students on the topic of Plastic waste in Hong Kong and Australia.

After some work in the classroom, we were able to mingle with the Notre Dame Students during their recess, many of us Mazenod boys making some new friends, especially the handsome Andrew Do.

We enjoyed a feast with the students whilst watching a movie, again allowing us to converse with the students further. Once again we participated in a P.E class, but this time David and Sean were able to show off their talents as soccer stars, the game ended with scores level at two all. The school day had ended but many students were staying back for extracurricular activities so us Mazenod boys decided to join in, with Mitch, Frank, David and myself playing basketball against many of the students (not losing a single game) Andrew, Sean and Jason W joining in on with volleyball, Jason J having a baseball throw with students while Amos went to have a jam playing bass with a past student called Anderson.

By Tom Sullivan

Day 5

Day 5 saw the boys being woken up by the chanting and noises of the OPS schoolchildren gathering in their basketball court, their only space available for them to isolate themselves from their classroom. This sight would set the tone for the day, reminding the boys how privileged they are as they embarked on a mission to teach and communicate with the students in English, a task which would prove to be quite difficult.

Morning did not come easy over the boys as they were required to present themselves to 700 excited Hong Kong Children, eager to discover the lives and stories behind the Mazenod boys. Through the presentations of Sean, Andrew and Thomas, the children were exposed to animals, houses and the environment in which we take for granted. Through the chants and sounds of excitement within the crowd, the boys came to truly comprehend how blessed we all are, even in the little things we take for granted.

After the presentations, groups of three set about on a seemingly impossible task; teaching English to the students. As the lessons went by, the boys came to understand that the students were much more exposed to English and provided the boys with a much more solid framework to adjust their lessons.

Later in the afternoon, the school was treated to a game of ‘Aussie Rules’, and despite the questionable collective performance, every kick, miss hit, fumble and tackle still was enough to create smiles of happiness.

The boys finished the day with another English tutorial and found themselves granted with a nice evening to spend as they please.

Hong Kong Harbour

Day 4

Another day in Hong Kong where we attended the Po Yan Oblate Primary school. One of our activities was cutting out a Chinese word meaning Spring festival, which really put our cutting skills to the test. We also had a lesson in karate.

We then had an assembly where Jason, Frank and Sean talked to the school about their families. Then the students gave us an amazing performance on the drums. After this we moved into a P.E class which was held in the park next door to the school. Teaching the kids Aussie rules turned out to be a harder task than we first thought. However, us boys soon mastered showing the skills to the students. In our four on five game of footy Frank scored the deciding and only goal of the match.

After this we moved onto lunch where we had enough food to feed twice our group. When we got back to the accommodation most of the boys just chilled until we went out to go on the ferry and watch the light show. It was very entertaining and when we returned to the accommodation we finished most of the leftovers from lunch. Mr. Moore, Jason W, Sean, and Andrew finished the night with an intense game of 500.

By Amos Duckett

Day 3

With the commencement of P3’s overly energetic PE class the Mazenod boys were thrown into intense competition and playing with the students of Saint Eugene De Mazenod Primary school; the students taught the kids how to play rugby and how to throw the ball whilst achieving the perfect spiral. Frank Seal showing all the students the “Aussie way”.

Following the PE class we progressed into recess where we interacted with all the students and were treated like celebrities. Once recess had reached its end all the Mazenod boys were introduced to the entirety of the primary school, in which I (Jason W) introduced myself and the rest of the boys via mic and speaker. After the sensational speech we were led into English in which we played a series of fun activities practicing English with the students as well as practiced their reading.

After a very draining series of classes, Father Fini took us out to lunch at a local restaurant; students soon discovered the wonders of Honk Kong cuisine such as Pork Bao, the favorite of all the students. Once we left, we unable to move from the feed and we returned back to our accommodation for a small practice class and then we were sent out to explore, mostly play basketball and drink bubble tea.

Finally we finished the day at the markets where everyone got to practice their bartering skills, our level of skill varied from a weak effort and bordering getting scammed to seasonal professionals.

By Jason Weerasinghe

Day 2

Waking up to the sound of Tai Chi music and balls bouncing up and down on the basketball courts next to our residence. As we all gathered for breakfast, we discussed our plans for the next few weeks especially when we will teach primary school students English. After we went out to visit the mall close by we had free time where students went to buy McDonalds. After we all met up back at the school we practiced our teaching where three students would act as “teachers” and the rest including Mr. Moore, were the disruptive students.

As time came close to mass we headed out to Notre Dame College. When mass ended we planned to head by taxi to visit Father John Wotherspoon who has a pizza party for the homeless and ex-criminals but some of us ended up getting lost or passing the designated area, as one taxi driver did not trust Mr. De La Zilwa’s map but his own.

When everyone was finally gathered we were able to hear their weekly bible reading and after it concluded we were asked to join in singing and dancing to Happy Birthday in English and Chinese, as there were local boys volunteering with us. After that everyone helped out in giving the food to the people sitting at the tables. For most of us the experience was an eye opener to see nearly over 200 people happily sharing a meal together but who had come from such difficult circumstances.

In one case Jason Weerasinghe witnessed a man reaching out for his portion, but a lady slapped his arm and took his as for some of these people this was their first meal for the weekend. When everyone left there was some leftovers which we took and gave to homeless living on Temple Street. Father John Wotherspoon then took everyone to his apartment which was really cramped, since it was the size of a normal bathroom and surprisingly everyone was able to fit in. Father told us about his efforts to reduce drug trafficking to China from South America and South Africa. Many of the traffickers are sent to prison where Father John visits them every day.

We finished the night sharing food with the volunteers and Father John.

By Andrew Do

Here we go!!

As promised, Mark our bus driver arrived at 5am where we quickly loaded our cases and said a swift goodbye to the family members who braved the early morning wake up call to get us to Mazenod on time. Tullamarine was busy but we didn’t have to wait too long, except for when Mr De La Zilwa, Mitchell, Tom, Francis & David were selected to be drug tested, Jason W had his bag stopped on conveyor belt to be checked and then Francis’ photo on his passport wasn’t recognised!!

Plane was delayed but students were patient and calm happy to catch up on social media while having a breakfast snack in the waiting lounge. Everyone seems very excited about what lays ahead for the next 13 days summed up beautifully by Amos when chatting “Looking forward to this trip Miss” Same here Amos, Same here!