Tacoma returns favor as Chinese students visit

A day after arriving at Sea-Tac International Airport with 24 other students from China, Huang Yulin was still very much excited.

"For me, this is a golden opportunity to understand the real America, the people and their life, to communicate with my peers in the United States," Huang, a student at Ziyang Middle School in Southwest China's Sichuan province, said on Friday.

Huang and the delegation were visiting the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma.

Accompanying Huang were two students from Tacoma's Lincoln High School.  The girls talked about their classes, favorite games and songs. Huang's American peers also frequently mentioned their previous trip to China.

Two years ago, 100 students from Lincoln High School visited China as guests of President Xi Jinping.

On Friday morning, high school Principal Patrick Erwin and student representatives welcomed the Chinese delegation.

Haley Naparan was a junior at Lincoln when she was part of the historical trip to China. Naparan, who is about to start classes at Pierce College, said she was excited that Chinese students were visiting Tacoma.

"It is so good to be reconnecting with friends from beautiful Sichuan province, the hometown of giant pandas," she said. "China has a place in my heart. Our old friends had showed us around town while we were in China. Now it is like our roles switched. It is our turn to show them our language, culture and our perspectives. It feels like I was back in China," Naparan said.

Araya Zackery was a sophomore when she traveled to China. She was smiling the entire time as she answered the Chinese students' questions.

"The warm welcome and sincerity really made us feel right at home," she said. "I feel so lucky to be able to be exposed to a completely different culture with so many teachers and Chinese students."

The principal and students from nearby Steilacoom High School also accompanied the Chinese students on their tour.

"The ability to create friendships on the other side of the world is really awesome. We are thrilled to encourage and continue it in the future," said Principal Mike Miller. He and the students also met with the Chinese delegation at the zoo.

The Chinese delegation was drawn from middle school students and teachers from seven cities and regions in Sichuan province.

The delegation will spend a week in Washington state touring Seattle and Tacoma and taking classes and interacting with students from the two high schools.

The trip is sponsored by the US-China Youth and Students Association. The Sichuan and Washington state governments, Hainan Airlines, and the Washington State Panda Foundation helped coordinate the trip.