About 1,000 Senior 1 students from Shenzhen Senior High School paid a visit to Jinggangshan for a social science activity from June 5 to 9. It was a special trip because Jinggangshan was the birthplace of the Red Army and is considered the cradle of China’s revolution.

    After an exhausting 15-hour journey, we arrived at our destination early in the morning on June 6. However, as soon as we got off the train, we were amazed by the natural scenery. The air was fresh, and many mountain peaks were surrounded by mist as if they were in a fairyland.

    We were divided into several groups, and each group was led by a local student to his or her home to stay. Yang Fan, a Jinggangshan Middle School student, took us to his small family house. Yang’s house was made of stone and looked very primitive. The wood furniture looked worn-out, as if it was made centuries ago. During the day, we helped the family do farm work, and we bought some food to cook them dinner. We also enjoyed local dishes the host family prepared, but we never learned the names of the dishes.

    The local people were very hospitable, kind and generous. They tried their best to make us feel at home. For example, they often asked us if we were hungry and offered us many snacks to eat. Compared with the modern city of Shenzhen, life there was hard, but it was quiet and simple. Though we lived in Yang’s house for only a day, we fell in love with the slow-pace life there. Before we left, they presented us with many special local products such as Chinese doughnuts and pancakes.

    This trip was very meaningful to me. It gave me a chance to experience a different kind of lifestyle, which deeply impressed me.