Students from the U.S. and China try out tie-dyeing. (PHOTO: Yuan Yulong)

Hands-on experiences bring China to life

This is the second time that Feng Lian, a Chinese language teacher at Hillcrest High School at the U.S. state of Utah, has joined students on the program. "The first time we came to Hainan, the students were curious about the 'real China.' This time around, they were much more forthcoming, whipping out their phones and live streaming scenes from Haikou's Qilou Historical Quarter directly to their followers in the US," explained Feng. At the Chinese-style garden party held at Shan'gao Senior High Experimental School, Chinese and the U.S. students worked together to make zongzi (glutinous rice dumplings), write calligraphy, and happily muddle their way through the bamboo dance, allowing cultural differences to spark cordial dialogue.

 A 9-year-old U.S. student, proudly shows off his calligraphy. (PHOTO: Yuan Yulong)

A day of fun and deepening friendship

Earlier before June 16, the U.S. student-teacher delegation visited the Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Garden, where they got to see rare animals like the liger (lion-tiger hybrid) and Asian elephant up close. At the Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage Product Exhibition Center, Lilian Forth, a student at The University of Utah, was wowed by traditional Li ethnic tree bark cloth production: "I never thought traditional crafts could be so creative!" Trying on Hanfu costumes and watching the traditional court dance performance at "China Chic City" allowed the students to immerse themselves in the charm of traditional Chinese dress culture.

The Chinese and the U.S. students had a party in the evening on June 16. (PHOTO: Shan'gao Senior High Experimental School)

In the evening, both the Chinese and US students had even more fun and further deepened their cross-cultural friendships, putting on a talent show with over a dozen performances, including a rendition of Justin Bieber's Baby, a Chinese sword dance, a magic show, and a group dance to APT by Bruno Mars and Rosé.

Talking about the effects of this transpacific youth exchange, Luo Hui, principal of Shan'gao Senior High Experimental School, said, "We hope that by giving these U.S. students the chance to experience China for themselves, we can smash any stereotypes they might have… Once they return home, the memories of their time here in Hainan that they share with their friends and family will help to build understanding, trust, and friendship."