EF Academy Torbay trip to Totnes

Today we went to the town of Totnes. It is said that Totnes is a really small town but I found plenty of interesting things and had one of my most unforgettable experiences there.

At 9:30 in the morning our Summer Prep. group met at the school canteen.  It seemed that everyone was excited about our tour because it was the first opportunity for us to go out of Torbay.

And I got my first train tickets in Britain!

It was crowded at the train station when we got there by taxi. The waiting was not boring because it was the first time that I met lots of British people. The train station is so different from my country,China; it is just like the station in the Harry Potter movies. For example, a red-and-yellow colour theme, with the rest room beside. I believe everyone has fascinating stories here.

After a long journey – most of that waiting, we arrived at Totnes. When we walked on the way to the High Street in the town, we met a family who were selling biscuits for charity.

We showed a great interest in helping them.  Almost eveyone bought a lovely cake.  At the same time their family members said ‘thank you’ to us and pointed out the way to go into the middle of the town. That was my first impression of the residents here – they are really friendly and warm-hearted.

The town was is really nice and interesting. There was a market in the square where,  you could see so many interesting things – old Chinese spoons, pocket watches and also colorful hand-made carpets. People in the market were patient. They spoke really slowly to me and explained the price and the things I wanted to buy. I found out that lots of people in the market knew each other. That might be because there aren’t many people living here. They talked to each other in a lighthearted way, just as they might if meeting by accident on a Sunday morning.

I bought a few items in the market: I bought a dragon ornament and  a blue mask with gold colour around for the children in hour host family, and a hand-made bookmark for myself.  The vendors are also very creative; there were lots of very beautiful things made by hand.

Then we went to the river in the town, the River Dart. It was a really beautiful river. My classmates, however, showed more interest in the lane just beside the river. I agree that the sights there were amazing.

There was also a surprising thing when we came back from the river. Although Callum told us there would be a British traditonal dance at 2 o’clock, when I saw them, I couldn’t stop laughing. Well, the dance brought us back to the 15th Century, with the man in the middle who was really funny and had a kind of ability to make everyone laugh.It made me feel as though I was in an old movie with Santa Claus!

The tour must be one of the most unforgettable experiences in my life. It provided a chance for us to feel another aspect of British culture.  I couldn’t believe I talked to so many people in this short period. People here are really polite. They may not be as outgoing as people in Torquay but they are patient and friendly as well. Thanks teachers for giving us a chance to go to Totnes, such a lovely town!