International Student Trips Powered By Discovery Education
China Adventure

Common language

Friday, August 7, 2009

I've heard the term "international language" applied to many things. I'm not sure if there is exactly one but I witnessed a coming together event that fits the term better than anything I've seen before; cultural boundaries disappeared as people enjoyed playing sports.


After our dragonboat race the students had activity in their veins. We had time before lunch and the resort we were at had a gym, basketball court and grass field. We jumped right into pickup games of badminton, table tennis, frisbee, and basketball.


It was an unscheduled break. No points, no rules and no agenda. Chinese played alongside American. CA partnered with NJ. Photo crew put down played their cameras to play with kids. Smiles decorated every face. There was a tangible peace in the air. This purity of fun comes when people leave everything else behind to play like a kid. This is why I love sport. It is an international language everyone can understand.


Our group of students have bonded in a way we couldn't have planned. Jimbo, the videographer who arrived only one day after the teachers and students, clarified it when he said "I can't even tell which kid is from which state."


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4 comments:

Bill Chapman said...

You wrote,"I've heard the term "international language" applied to many things. I'm not sure if there is exactly..."

There is a planned international language called Esperanto which may be of use to you on your travels. Take a look at www.lernu,net

Enjoy life!

Harv said...

Jimbo himself enjoyed a good 1 hour break from the camera in a table tennis with Katie, one of my teenage girls

Karen Wells said...

I enjoyed your post and think you are right. Sharing in fun activties is the international language. Jimbo was with us in South Africa. I know he embraced the ping pong - gotta love the guy.

RJ Stangherlin said...

Sports and music are a universal language. Your post really brings that home to us. Thanks for sharing.

RJ Stangherlin
PA DEN LC Blog Coordinator

Essential Programs Details

Duration 15 days
When August 1st - 14th, 2009
Focus History/Culture
Martial Arts
Modern/Ancient Architecture