Hi, my name is Jason Li. I’m 16 years old and I attend Cary Academy. During this experience, I traveled with a group of students to teach at Zhuzhou No. 2 High School, introducing Chinese students around our age to American culture and lifestyle. This trip ended up being incredibly unique and fun but that wasn’t the case at the start.
The trip began with my dad waking me up at 2 a.m. so we could catch a 5 a.m. flight to Dallas, where we would then board a 14-hour flight to Shanghai. I traveled with Nathaniel Ye, and together we were assigned as teaching partners. Even on the plane, we were still finalizing our lesson plans. We were skeptical about whether the students in Zhuzhou would learn anything from us, especially since we had read online that Chinese high schoolers have extremely rigorous schedules and are taught more advanced material than we are.
After arriving in Shanghai, our entire 2025 Teaching in China group met up and boarded a high-speed train to Zhuzhou. When we arrived at the school, we were greeted warmly with an opening ceremony. Students from various grades played traditional Chinese music to welcome us, and others handed out welcome cards and gave us a tour of the campus. The campus had an aura of grandeur; it was shocking to see a high school this large. In fact, it was as big as a university in the United States. The cafeteria had three floors, each offering amazing food. It quickly became a social hub where I met many new people, shared stories, and listened to theirs. Adjacent to the cafeteria was a small convenience store that was packed at all hours of the day. But the most unique part of the campus was the dorms. Five of us shared a small, compact room with one toilet and one shower. Despite occasional arguments, the dorms were where I bonded most with my classmates. Through late-night talks, jokes, gossip about who got more attention from the students, and scratching mosquito bites from our mosquito-infested room, we quickly became friends.
The most fun part of the trip, by far, was teaching. On the first day, I was incredibly nervous. I spoke too fast, mumbled, and avoided eye contact. I acted like no one was even in the room. But after class, several students came up and told me I did a great job, which boosted my confidence. The next class went much better, and from that point on, I started to enjoy teaching and really came out of my shell. I went from mumbling to speaking clearly and slowly, adjusting to the class’s pace, making sure everyone understood, and trying to ensure the lessons were engaging and fun. The students were very supportive, and that encouragement helped me improve quickly.
Throughout the week, I made many friends from both Grade 1 and Grade 2. I played sports with them, worked out in the gym, and shared meals. On a more serious note, a common question they asked was, “What is daily life in the United States like?” I told them I live a very privileged life, where I can balance school and free time and generally have fun. They were surprised to hear this and explained that their daily schedule includes studying until 10:30 p.m. and waking up at 6 a.m. for school. This made me feel extremely grateful for the lifestyle I have—waking up at 8:30, finishing school at 3:30, and having time to relax or hang out with friends.
When it was time to leave, I felt really sad, but I’m glad I can stay in touch with the friends I made through WeChat. Overall, this was an incredible experience, and I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity. I highly recommend this program to any students who want to learn more about Chinese culture and connect with peers from a different part of the world.