On the journey, both the Chinese and international students mixed and mingled, exchanging their cultural knowledge and improving on their language skills.

"This program has been a great opportunity for me to develop my communication skills, although there is still much more room for improvement," says Yan Kelin, a student of English from Weinan Normal University.

"Meanwhile, I have come to realize that English is merely a tool. In order to better introduce our regional culture to international visitors, I need to acquire more skills and deepen my understanding of my hometown in all aspects, such as its culture, history and ecology."

Wu Jie, another student from Weinan Normal University, describes the trip as a delightful journey, upon which she made friends with young people from diverse cultural backgrounds and broadened her cultural knowledge.

"Every time we visited a scenic spot, the international students were curious about the culture and history behind them, and I would do some research and explain it to them, while they also shared their knowledge about their own countries' culture with me," Wu says.

The friendships she formed will continue into the future, she says, as they have exchanged social media accounts, and she has promised to help the international students with any questions they may have about the Chinese language.

"During this trip I also gained fresh perspectives and knowledge about the cultural history of Weinan," Wu says.

"After graduation, I will probably work in a field related to foreign languages, and hope to have the opportunity to continue promoting our Chinese culture overseas," she adds.