Terratribes Xinjiang School Trip Sept 2011
The recently completed trip to the Xinjiang province was an enjoyable and exciting learning experience both for the students and the staff. There are a variety of landscapes and cultures in Xinjiang, which made it possible to have unique experiences every day. Activities included visiting museums, desert trekking, spending the night in a traditional Yurt in the mountains, and giving community service at a local school.
The trip began with a visit to the museum in Urumqi, where an English speaking tour guide gave an excellent introduction to the diversity of the Xinjiang area. Xinjiang has a rich history that has been brought to life at these museums. At the Karez well museum, it was inspiring to learn how people could create such an intricate tunnel system without the use of modern technological equipment. They didn’t even have compasses to help dig in a straight line. Instead they improvised the method of orienteering with pairs of straight sticks to point the way. Other cultural experiences included a visit to the Jiaohe Ruins where it was fun to imagine what the city must have been like in its days of glory.
It was very inspiring to go trekking in the desert. After working as teams to cook their own meals using camp stoves, students were given time to reflect on the power and beauty of the desert. While hiking through the desert, students learned of the difficulty of living in such a harsh environment. After the trek, many students had earned a great respect for the desert and the people who make it their home.
The hot desert air was contrasted by the cold mountain air as the students spent a night in a traditional yurt. Students practiced their compass skills on a short orienteering mission before dinner. After dinner, there was a little time to relax and play some Frisbee before going to the observatory to learn about the 25 meter radio telescope and how important it is as a link in the worldwide array of telescopes. After it was dark, the clear night sky revealed the Milky Way. Off to the North, Polaris（the North Star）hung proudly in the sky.
The day of community service at the local school in Turpan was perhaps the best and most memorable experience for all. The young school children were so excited just to have us there. Students spent time painting murals on the school walls and giving lessons to small groups of the children. Friendships were formed through table tennis and basketball. At the end of the day, the school held a performance where they showed off their skills at song and dance. It was an enriching experience to see such talent on display just because we had come to spend the day with them. In addition, Terratribes donated 2000 RMB to the school to aid the purchase of supplies for the children.