By Sean Bursk
In November, 19 students and three chaperones travelled to China for a week. Seniors Caleb Boss, Casey Fritsch, Caleb Link, Gracie Mastruserio, Ryan Moss, Ellie Mulvaney, Jason Ng, Abigail Perry, Nicholas Phillips, Addison Russo, Tyler Sanders, and Annemarie Wolfer, Juniors Zoe Grube, Kaitlyn McConnell, Ella McConnell, Lily Von Holle, and Sophomore Izzy Tanner represented the students, with chaperones Ms. Mel Gaskins, Mr. Dan Freeman, and Mr. John Jorden.
After the first trip to China for students in September 2024, work began for McNick’s 2025 China trip. Students applied early in the school year, and since then, those participating completed the process of completing Chinese visas and preparing for the trip. I was one of the students chosen to attend this second trip to China.
Before we flew to China, we didn’t know what to expect, but all of us anticipated the 16-hour flight we would take from Dallas to Shanghai. Before we could leave the Dallas airspace, our flight was delayed by over 12 hours, forcing an overnight stay in Dallas. The U.S. government had opened only a few days before, and many flights were still being delayed or cancelled, especially international flights.
With a lost day, our schedule for China changed, and some events were cut. Landing in Shanghai after the 16-hour flight, fog surrounded the city. Looking out the window, I thought of Mr. Naumann’s emphasis of how agrarian Chinese society was in our modern world history class. High-rises packed with people were directly adjacent to farm fields, even in major cities. Having the sudden change of density was shocking since in the U.S., the change in density is more gradual. The further one goes from the city, the more land typically one person owns until it becomes fields of untapped land or crops.
Leaving the airport, I was glued to the window of our bus. I saw American stores and advertisements just like what we would see in the U.S., and we even went to a mall on our last night. While malls may be a dying fad in the U.S., Chinese malls were massive and elegant. Stores were smaller but more plentiful, and products felt well-priced and affordable. Even then, Chinese stores were accustomed to bargaining for every product. As an American, if felt awkward to debate the retailer on whether or not the price of a jacket was reasonable. We often just used hand motions to communicate, like thumbs down or thumbs up. What made it easy was that the vast majority of Chinese commerce was on phones. Not many shops accepted Chinese yuan, and none accepted a physical credit or debit card like in the U.S.
Walking around malls and other historic sites, we received many curious looks. It wasn’t a secret the mass group of teenagers were Americans. The more different you were, the more attention you got. Blonde hair, curly hair, blue eyes, and a tall stature would’ve captivated the most attention. Almost everyone we saw was of Chinese descent, but we did see a few foreigners who seemingly became Chinese residents and citizens.
One thing I didn’t realize until we returned home was how flat the landscape was. We were in Jiangsu province where it’s naturally flat. I distinctly remember going up the highway on-ramp in the States and thinking, “This is the most elevated terrain I’ve been on.” It made more sense why there were so many tall structures and elevated bridges and highways when you consider the area was as flat as Kansas.
Our China trip was fascinating. I was engaged throughout the whole experience. Before we left, we never thought we would make it. Between the passports, the visas, the flights, and the customs process, it was hard to recognize we were really in China. Even coming back, it’s hard to fully realize. I am so grateful to all the students we interacted with and how we learned from them. Their culture and society are enthralling.
Due to our shortened schedule, I didn’t personally meet with as many Chinese students as we originally planned. However, what we talked about was inspiring and relieving. We found infinitely more similarities over differences. We recognized our global situation and made commitments to each other and our respective countries. One Chinese national student said, “It is the responsibility of our generation to increase diplomacy and work towards the greater good of the people on our planet.”
The McNicholas Milestone 