Every day in China is full of freshness! "The two-week" China First Experience "has just ended, and Kira Cortes, a high school student from Northern Niles, Illinois, eagerly made an agreement with her peers:" We must come back to China again. There are too many surprises worth exploring here. "Recently, at the joint invitation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Hebei Provincial People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and China Tourism Group Co., Ltd., a youth exchange group consisting of about 190 teachers and students from 14 high schools in seven states of the United States visited China. They visited five cities including Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Fuzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, immersing themselves in the local customs and traditions of China, interacting with local Chinese youth, and gaining a wonderful and fulfilling journey. Students from Fuzhou Education College Affiliated Middle School and Lincoln Middle School took a photo after experiencing traditional Chinese culture. Entering China: "Like a huge treasure trove". Take a ride in Beijing, cross the central axis, and appreciate the cultural heritage of the millennium old capital; Go to a rock feast in Shijiazhuang and enjoy the passionate summer night of the 'Rock City'; Strolling through Sanfang and Qixiang in Fuzhou, experiencing the perfect fusion of ancient houses and new trends; Take a boat ride on West Lake in Hangzhou and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the "heaven on earth"; Visit Yu Garden, visit Chenghuang Temple, visit the World Skills Museum, and taste the fireworks and science and technology in the bustling city... During the two-week activity, American teenagers have a taste of Chinese landscape, feel Chinese culture, and observe China's development. The vast majority of them are coming to China for the first time. This trip opened a door for them to enter China and allowed them to gain many fresh Chinese experiences. Wearing Hanfu, singing Peking Opera, weaving Chinese knots, making Lu Ban locks, performing shadow puppetry... To understand China, one must experience the rich and colorful Chinese culture. I have watched performances such as Tai Chi and Sichuan Opera face changing in the United States, and I know that there are many types of Chinese martial arts, but this is my first time encountering and learning Wuqi Emmett Crowley, a 17-year-old Quaker elite school student in Pennsylvania, studied Chinese for 4 years. This time, he walked into the martial arts classroom, put on his training uniform, and learned the technical movements of the Wuqi under the guidance of a Chinese teacher. Holding the flagpole and waving it vigorously, the flag with the word "wu" on it opened with a sharp and handsome movement that excited Emmett Clary. He sighed to the reporter, "I only discovered when I came to China that Chinese culture is far more wonderful than I imagined, like a huge treasure trove, hiding endless treasures. What fascinates and amazes American teenagers is the technology that can be felt everywhere in China. After taking two high-speed trains, Alex Banks, a student at North Niles High School, was amazed by the "silky" experience: "China's high-speed trains are very efficient, punctual, and can run smoothly at high speeds, which is fantastic!" At the World Museum of Technology in Shanghai, Alex Banks and his companions also boarded the simulated cockpit of the Fuxing train, and with the help of a guide, pressed the start button and push rod, "becoming" a high-speed train driver once. I really wish the United States could have a similar public transportation system, "said Alex Banks. There is experience and sharing. On the last day of the trip, at the China US Youth Friendly Exchange Conference, Leila Viena, a student from Tacoma Mountain High School in Washington State, took to the stage and performed Hawaiian hula dance and New Zealand Maori ball toss dance, winning applause from the audience. Leila Viena told reporters that this is her first time performing in front of a foreign audience, and "being able to share other ethnic cultures with Chinese friends is a very interesting experience. Rebecca Vegas, a teacher at Muscatine High School in Iowa, believes that this trip to China will broaden the horizons of American teenagers, and they can also become disseminators to help more people understand China. Children can bring back the gains of this trip to the United States and introduce Chinese culture to their peers. Perhaps in the future, when they travel to other countries, they can also share what they have seen and heard in China with others. "Harvesting friendship:" Becoming a precious gift in life. "" I like to play hulusi, which is a traditional Chinese instrument. What do you usually like to do? "" I am a wrestler and spend a lot of time training. "- At Fuzhou Education College Affiliated Middle School, the cheerful Chinese girl Chen Enci met Isabel Sordana, a student from Lincoln Middle School, and soon opened a" chat box ". Two girls shared their family and campus life with each other, "shared" photos of their hometown scenery saved on their phones, practiced calligraphy, wrapped meat swallows, and played pot throwing games together. Their day was brief but enjoyable. When talking to reporters about her new friend, Isabelle Saldana's face was filled with a smile: "We have endless topics to talk about. We also made a traditional oil paper umbrella from Fuzhou together, and I will bring it back to the United States as a souvenir." As they bid farewell, Chen Enci wrote her and Isabelle Saldana's names on the oil paper umbrella, "I hope she remembers me, remembers China. During this trip to China, every American teenager has gained precious friendships. In the five cities they visited, they were invited to visit local high schools and interact with Chinese teenagers. Strolling around the campus, eating in the cafeteria, participating in a variety of club activities, sharing interesting stories from each other's learning and life... Although Chinese and American teenagers meet for the first time, they can always quickly "break through the ice" and warm up. "Every Chinese friend I meet is very enthusiastic. We are often surprised to find in our conversations that we like the same athlete or follow the same TV series, and even have similar worries about learning and growth," said Jack Porter, a student at Washington State Sports Stadium High School, while showing reporters various selfies with Chinese friends in his phone album. When children return to the United States, the scene of being with their Chinese peers will become one of the most memorable images for them Linn Eisenhauer, a music teacher at Lincoln High School, has led her students to visit China for the fifth time, witnessing a group of Chinese and American teenagers overcome language and cultural differences and establish deep and long-lasting friendships. "Through communication, children from both countries have discovered that their commonalities far outweigh their differences, and it is these commonalities that bring them closer. I believe that the sincere friendship they have formed through sincere communication will become a precious gift in life." Sun Tianpei, a sophomore at Fudan University Affiliated High School, not only met new friends, but also remembered his old friends. In January of this year, he participated in the reception of the first batch of visiting students from Muscatine High School in China, and became a study partner with one of the boys named Jonathan. At that time, we experienced robot building together and had a great conversation. On New Year's Eve this year, I sent Jonathan a WeChat message, telling him that the Chinese Lunar New Year was coming and wishing him a happy New Year. Jonathan quickly replied to me, hoping to have the opportunity to come back to China, and also invited me to visit him in the United States. This time, I met a new group of students from Mascatine High School, who were very friendly. I believe that in the future, I will maintain contact with my new friends and our friendship will last forever, "said Sun Tianpei. Looking forward to reunion: "The story with China is just beginning," Todd Bowen, director of the language department at North Niles High School District, shared an interesting observation with reporters. As the exploration of China deepens, more and more American teenagers are trying to speak Chinese and looking forward to more interaction with Chinese people. Our school has been offering Chinese courses since 2008, and all students participating in this event have taken Chinese courses as electives. I am pleased to see that during this trip, they have become increasingly proactive in using their learned Chinese to communicate with the locals In Todd Bowen's view, language and culture are intertwined. "For children, learning Chinese not only requires mastering the meaning of vocabulary and sentences, and combining them together, but more importantly, understanding the culture behind them. This trip has built a bridge for children to better understand China and Chinese culture." Tejo Agoyo, a student at the Quaker Elite School who has been studying Chinese for three years, told reporters that he plans to continue his minor in Chinese at university. This trip is a great opportunity to practice Chinese and understand Chinese culture. After visiting China and seeing it firsthand, I have gained a more concrete understanding of the vocabulary and Chinese culture learned in Chinese class, "said Tejo Agoyo. Luke Rankin, a preparatory high school student from three cities in Washington state, also developed a strong interest in learning Chinese during this trip to China. Along the way, he repeatedly sought advice from Chinese teachers in his team on the basics of learning Chinese. I haven't studied Chinese before. After coming to China, I found that there are too many fascinating things here and I am eager to learn more about China, "said Luke Rankin. Many American teenagers, like Luke Rankin, have become "fans" of China due to this trip and look forward to having "closer" contact with China. The twin sisters Suhala Cowton and Sakina Cowton from Phillips Andover High School in Massachusetts fell in love with Mapo tofu during this trip and wanted to go to Sichuan to eat authentic Sichuan food; Sam Kobilinski, a student of Sinales High School in Illinois, heard that Xi'an is an ancient capital with a long history. He wanted to go there to see the Terra Cotta Warriors, known as the "eighth wonder of the world"; After experiencing the charm of modern metropolises such as Beijing and Shanghai, Beverly Jones, a student at Fox High School in Washington State, wants to go to Yunnan, Guizhou and other places to experience another beautiful scenery of China... As they bid farewell, American teenagers made a long wish list, longing for a reunion with China. I hope my family and friends can experience everything I have experienced in the past two weeks. I believe that this trip is just the beginning of a friendship. If we spend more time getting to know each other's culture and way of life, we will definitely have a better future London Meyer, a student at Mascatine High School, said. Lincoln High School student Schiff packed a precious gift into his backpack, which was a fan with the words "A friend in the sea, as close as neighbors in the ends of the earth" written on it. This is a gift from a good friend I met in Fujian. He told me that the meaning of this ancient Chinese poem is that even if a true good friend is thousands of miles away, their hearts will still be tightly connected, like neighbors. This beautiful journey is over, but I believe that our story with China is just beginning, "said Schiff. (New Society)