走进厦大，走向世界，Plinth的深厦行圆满结束

生机勃发的五月，在传统中学的学生还在紧张的复习备战即将来临的中高考或者期末考试时，Plinth的同学们已经又完成了一次与众不同的学习之旅，五月下旬，轻松的考完享有"国际高考"之称的A Level数学科目C1/C2后，Plinth的学生又去深圳、厦门进行了一场交流学习之旅。

In this thriving May, the students at Plinth have completed another unique study trip while most other students of their age have been going through an intense exam preparation process. In this late May, after nailing the mathematics C1&C2 Exam in A Level, the world-renowned education system, students at Plinth went to Shenzhen and Xiamen again for an exchange study experience.

首站我们来到了改革开放的窗口--深圳。作为Plinth升学指导服务中心的厦门大学GETS就设在南山区的虚拟大学园。厦门大学GETS全称厦门大学深圳研究院国际教育中心，研究院是直属于厦大的事业机构，也是厦大常设特区的文化"窗口"。厦大GETS充分利用厦门大学的优势教育资源，发挥深圳研究院的对外窗口作用，一直专注于国际教育和海外留学，已成功向美国、英国、澳大利亚、加拿大等世界名校输送了许多优秀学子。

The first stop of our trip was Shenzhen, the window of China's reform and opening-up. XMU GETS, as our University Guidance Center, is located at the virtual university in Nanshan District. As short for Global Education Team-center Shenzhen Research Institute, Xiamen University, XMU GETS is a department directly under XMU. In addition, it is also the cultural "window" of the permanent district of XMU. XMU GETS, making the utmost of the advantaged educational resources provided by Xiamen University and expanding its influences as the window to the outside world, has always been focusing on international education and overseas study. Furthermore, it has helped many excellent students receive offers from world-leading universities in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada etc.

研究院的活动丰富精彩，Raymond老师给同学们讲解了最新的国际课程、留学趋势以及A Level考试的一些注意事项和要点，还请同学们吃了地方特色的大餐。

There are plenty of colorful activities in the Shenzhen Research Institute. Raymond demonstrated to the students the most up to date international courses, trend for studying abroad and some notable matters and key points in the A Level exam, and at last, treated our students with a feast of local specialties.

创客和3D打印对同学们来说是只闻其名未见其实，这次同学们不仅观看了3D打印技术，还与来自英国的3D艺术家Barbara进行了一天中英创客教育交流以及3D艺术的创作学习。

Maker and 3D Printing were still unfamiliar criteria for our students. This time, the students did more than just watching the 3D Printing technology; they also learned 3D arts and carried on a Chinese-British Maker educational exchange with Barbara, a 3D artist from the UK.

此行的第二站是有鹭岛之称的厦门，同学们来到了憧憬已久的厦门大学，厦门大学由爱国华侨陈嘉庚先生于1921年创办，被誉为"南方之强"，是国家"211""985"重点建设高校。2015年厦门大学马来西亚分校投入使用，是我国第一所海外大学。

The second stop of this trip was Xiamen, the so-called Egret Island. The students paid a visit to the long-awaited Xiamen University. Xiamen University was officially founded by the well-known patriotic overseas Chinese Jiageng Chen in 1921. It is one of the "Project 985" and "Project 211" universities directly administered by the Chinese Ministry of Education. In 2015, Xiamen University, Malaysia Campus, China's first overseas university, was founded.

美丽的厦大校园处处是风景，处处有惊喜，同学们不仅游览了美丽的校园，还熟悉了厦大的校史，同时还去几个学院进行了参观学习，生物学院和芙蓉隧道最受同学们欢迎，生物学院里的数万件珍贵标本让同学们大开眼界，芙蓉隧道各种有创意的涂鸦让同学们流连忘返，同学们也约定好回来后设计一副有创意的涂鸦申请涂在芙蓉隧道。

The beautiful campus of XMU is full of sceneries and surprises. The students not only visited the wonderful campus, but also became more familiar with the history of Xiamen University. Besides, students were on a visit to a few colleges. The department of Biology and the Furong tunnel were the most popular sites with the students. There are tens of thousands of precious specimens in the department of Biology which provided a good opportunity for students to enlarge their horizon. Being stunned by a variety of creative graffiti in the Furong tunnel, the students made a promise to design a creative graffiti with their characteristics interpreted when they came back and apply for a graffiti spot in the Furong tunnel.

来自内陆的孩子到了厦门最向往的地方一定是大海，每日的闲暇时间基本都是泡在海边，享受着阳光、沙滩、海浪，当然还有各种特色美食。

Those came from the mainland always yearn for the ocean when in Xiamen. Our students spent most of their spare time by the sea, enjoying the sun, laying on the beach, listening to the sea wave and certainly tasting all kinds of special Delicious food.

这次深厦行的收获远不止这些，孩子们也体验了好多第一次，不同于以往出去都是父母或者旅行社把所有环节都安排好，照顾的面面俱到，这次从太原机场出发那一刻，很多事情就都需要同学们自己做了，换登机牌、托运行李、不能打车只能坐公交和地铁，要提前规划好线路，住民宿客栈而不是以往的大酒店，同时作为Gentleman，男同学还要负责照顾好女同学和女老师，独立能力得到锻炼的同时同学间的友谊更加深厚，师生间的感情也更融洽。

In this trip to Shenzhen and Xiamen, we gained far more than this. Our students also experienced many of their "first times". Different from the previous time, when parents and travel agencies prepare everything beforehand, this time, from the moment they set foot onto Taiyuan WuSu International Airport, they were on their own, for example, getting the boarding pass and checking in their luggage at the check-in counter, taking the bus and the Lrt System instead of taking a taxi, planning their travel route ahead of time, staying in homestays rather than hotels. In the meantime, our little gentlemen were also taking good care of the ladies. Not only the students were able to improve their independence, but also the friendship between classmates, the relationship between the teacher and the students have all became more profound than ever.

作为一所国际学校，关注点绝不仅仅只是在学习上，学生们优秀品德和良好行为习惯的养成是我们更加重视的，这次出行同学们暴露出的问题和不足，接下来的生活和学习中Plinth的全体老师也会指导和帮助同学们改进。如果世界名校是孩子进入社会的起点，那么让孩子进入名校只是我们提供教育的最低附属产品，所有家长都是望子成龙、望女成凤的，我们希望他们是独立自强而又温情感恩的，人生是一场长跑，我们希望他们既能爆发又擅坚韧。Plinth坚持素质教育，回归教育的本质，让孩子快乐成长。

As an international school, we are not only academically oriented, but also put more efforts on developing students’ good virtues and habits. This study trip is a trip to self-discovery as well as knowledge-enriching. As for the flaws reflected in this trip, all Plinth teachers and staff will help and guide students to improve and overcome their weaknesses in their following high school life. If getting offers from the world-leading universities is a start of a student’s social life, then we are absolutely providing more than just the entrance to the world. All the parents wish their kids to succeed in their life and we hope our students can be independent and grateful at the same time. Life is like a marathon, Plinth expects students to burst and also persist. Plinth upholds to the principle of quality education and adheres to the essence of education to make children grow up joyfully.