A delegation of high school students from the U.S. state of Washington received a warm welcome on Monday. Ten volunteers from the College of International Studies at Shenzhen University assisted the students during their two-day stay in the city.
The students visited China from March 17 to 27, under a program announced by President Xi Jinping last November to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study in the next five years.
The visit has been packed with diverse activities. The first day offered a blend of nature and urban exploration. Students explored the Futian Mangrove Nature Reserve and learned about the critical role of mangrove ecosystems.
The delegates and SZU volunteers then journeyed to the “Mirror of the Sky” observation deck, where they captured panoramic views of the surrounding area. The cityscape unfurled beneath them, a testament to Shenzhen’s rapid growth. Following this, delegates and volunteers planted trees near the Qianhai Shuangjiehe River.
Throughout the visit, a relaxed and friendly atmosphere prevailed, with American students and SZU volunteers engaging in conversation and sharing songs. Before their departure, they enjoyed a night of leisure at COCO Park in Futian District.
Strolling in COCO Park, the volunteers introduced local brands to their new friends. “I’d love to buy some Chinese jewelry for my mum as a present. They look so exquisite!” said Audrianna Ritamarie Burns, from Lincoln High School, at a traditional jewelry shop with excitement.
Students also exchanged views on eco-friendly lifestyles. Makenna Mae Kelpman, a girl from Steilacoom High School shared local habits of using paper straws and recycle shopping bags at dinner table with Chinese friends. She was also impressd to hear that garbage sorting was becoming prevalent in China. “It’s really cool that people are more environmentally conscious,” she commented.
SZU volunteers’ English communication skills and warm company have been applauded by their American guests.
“The biggest gain is the friends we’ve made,” said Montserrat Romero-Rocha, a student from Lincoln High School. “They are all very nice people. And they speak English so well. I’d love to go back to Shenzhen again.”
“Cross-cultural communication is much more challenging than I’ve imagined. But the rewards are worth every obstacle we’ve overcome. After two days, we have already become very good friends.” said Zhou Junshu, one of the volunteers.
“It is a true honor to help promote cultural exchange. I am so glad to witness growing interests for Chinese culture among my new friends. Some of them even bought exercise books to learn Chinese.” said Zhang Zebin, another volunteer from SZU, after the activity.
（刘若萱 邱亦阳）
