Frank Gao, G9, RDF International School

This past Christmas holiday, I embarked on an adventurous journey with my classmates and the school headmaster, cycling nearly 400 kilometers across half of Hainan Island over the course of four days.

At first, the magnitude of this endeavor seemed beyond my wildest imagination. Despite my enthusiasm for cycling, the task was daunting given my limited long-distance experience. However, I decided to take the challenge, encouraged by my classmates.

Our goal was ambitious — to traverse the entire coastline of the island province. Arriving at the starting point, we were greeted by the breathtaking tropical island panorama. The wind swayed the coconut trees, while the sun illuminated the boundless sea, stoking our eagerness to begin our expedition. On the inaugural day, we pedaled joyfully, halting at nightfall to rest at a local hotel. However, by the second day, every sinew of my body ached, and I almost bowed to the temptation of giving up. Others were not anywhere better. Yet, when our youngest comrade, a mere 11-year-old, showed zeal and determination for the remaining leg of our journey, we felt ashamed of ourselves and found new courage for the mission.

The most daunting part of our journey was a very steep upward incline. Despite its daunting nature, we marshaled our strength and pressed ahead. As I ascended to the top, third in line, I saw our headmaster, always the first to conquer such obstacles, descending to encourage and aid our companions in fulfilling the ascent. Ultimately, the entire team conquered the summit. Throughout this expedition, the actions of our headmaster taught us a good lesson about camaraderie and teamwork.

Pastor and author Joel Osteen once said, “If we’re going to bring out the best in people, we, too, need to sow seeds of encouragement.”

This arduous cycling escapade not only bestowed upon me a sense of gratification and accomplishment, but also helped me realize the pivotal role of determination and mutual support in attaining shared objectives.