A group of American students embarked on an immersive cultural exchange program in Beijing, forming enduring friendships with local youth while learning about the country's history and modern society.
At the invitation of the Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School, 32 students and eight teachers from Muscatine High School in the U.S. state of Iowa visited cultural relics in Beijing during a study tour to Beijing, Hebei and Shanghai from April 16 to 24.
Participating in a China-initiated program designed to invite 50,000 American youths to China for exchanges and study within a five-year timeframe, this delegation marks the second visit by Muscatine High School students, following the initial batch in January of this year.
The delegation of American students arrived in Beijing on April 17 after an 18-hour journey, starting their week-long study tour. This was the first time for the 32 students to visit China.
Upon arrival, the Muscatine students were paired with their counterparts from Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School, their sister school in north China's Hebei Province. Together, they embarked on an exciting exploration of the National Stadium, or Bird's Nest stadium, the iconic Olympic landmark.
Amidst the stadium's grandeur, the students eagerly posed for photos with the Olympic torch and the adorable Fuwa mascot of the 2008 Games, immersing themselves in the vibrant ambiance of Beijing, which earned the title of the Dual Olympics City after it became the first city in the world to host both Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Some of the students used the Chinese language skills they had learned in school to speak highly of sights.
"The Bird's Nest is very big and beautiful," said one of the American students, who adopted the Chinese name Wang Junde.
Some of the students said the Olympic marvels surpassed their expectations based on impressions from television and media.
"Now that I'm like here in real life, it's insane because it is very big. In the news, people try to speculate, and I think people need to come here and see it in person," said U.S. student Nina.
"The Bird's Nest was where they held the Olympics here in 2008. I was also born in the year 2008. It was so surreal when I came here. Wow, it is so different than I imagined, in all the good ways," said U.S. student Lanny.
Continuing their cultural odyssey, the delegation visited two other iconic landmarks: the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, and the majestic Great Wall, from April 18 to 19.
At the Forbidden City, discoveries about imperial lifestyles surprised the young visitors.
"Everything is preserved very well, which I didn't really expect. I kind of thought it would be more worn down. I knew there's like rulers that lived [in] this place before I came in, but I learned more about how they lived here, like I saw a different amount of animals on the roofs shows the different levels of power," shared Taylor, another Muscatine student.
Some of the students were also deeply interested to learn about the security functions of the Great Wall as well as the engineering that went into building such a lasting achievement.
"There are no trees or anything because people can't dig under and assassinate people," said Thaddeus, another Muscatine High School student.
"Parts of it connect all the bricks together, the mortar was made with rice, so then it can stretch and shrink during the winter and summer. Two thousand, two hundred or so (years), it's a wonder of the world. The Great Wall protected China. Now people from my school and people from the Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School come together as friends and protect the world together. Make the world a better place," said the student who goes by the Chinese name Wang Junde.
During a visit to the United States in November 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a program to invite 50,000 American youths in the next five years to China for exchanges and study.
Sarah Lande, a friend of Xi from Iowa, wrote a letter to Xi, in which she expressed hope that Muscatine High School students could join the program.
With Xi's support, more than 20 Muscatine High School students paid an exchange visit to China from January 24 to 30, becoming the first group of American students to visit China under the program.
American students forge friendships, immerse themselves in Beijing culture
