Day Six

Glass of orange juice beside a plate of steamed buns, dumplings, and a sesame-topped pastry, with chopsticks on the table

Rooftop balcony lined with red rose bushes overlooking a street with residential buildings under an overcast sky

Day 6 Blog Post (Sebastian Romero - Nursing)

April 23rd, 2026

Today is our final day here in Wenzhou. So far, it has been the most beautiful and amazing place, full of adventures and experiences that will leave lifelong memories for everyone, including myself. Today’s activities include heading to a campus for a closing ceremony, where a few Gateways staff members and students will present, followed by an activity, lunch, and finally leaving this beautiful city of Wenzhou to head to Huzhou by bus.

With that being said, I will truly miss the hotel we stayed at; especially the food and juices, which were my favorite things.

We left the hotel around this time and the group entered the bus and headed to the closing ceremony that ZJITC is creating for us to share our experiences and feelings in Wenzhou and at ZJITC. Here are some photos of the landscape of Wenzhou!

Wide view of a river town with waterside buildings and green hills under a cloudy sky

We went to the Garden Expo to do our closing ceremony for our program here in Wenzhou. but before we did our ceremony, we explored the different areas across the garden.

Green lakeside park with a paved path, trees, and hills under a cloudy sky

Group of six people standing arm-in-arm on a bridge, with a lake and hills behind them

Group of people standing behind a large blue banner with text, in a paved outdoor area with trees and water

Five people standing inside a black sign frame with Chinese text, in a park with hills and a pagoda in the background

Carved stone post beside a river, with a forested hill and traditional buildings across the water

The atmosphere and scenery were out of this world. The number of people, including our group, taking photos of the scenery shows just how beautiful the garden is. It was so beautiful that I lost track of time and focused more on the architecture and my surroundings, fully embracing the new environment.

The walk took our group roughly 40 minutes to reach our destination for the closing ceremony. The ceremony itself didn’t take as long as our opening ceremony a few days ago. As a group, we shared our experiences and our favorite parts of our time in Wenzhou. I said that my favorite experience was visiting the Garden Expo and experiencing such a strong culture shock, while also feeling a very welcoming atmosphere and hospitality from everyone throughout the city.

After everyone gave their speeches, we all received an award from ZJITC for completing every activity during our four days here in Wenzhou

Man in a cap handing an item to a woman in a red dress, with two others standing nearby in a pavilion

Man in a red sweater and woman in a white top exchanging papers, with onlookers under a pavilion

Restaurant sign with Chinese text and food photos above a counter where people prepare food indoors

Bowl of noodles topped with herbs and ground meat, held in a hand

I got noodles recommended by Amy, it was so good and definitely the best noodles I had on the trip so far. I love the different flavors synergy with each other and a whole different type of noodles which was more on the thicker side but still delicious. Afterwards, Amy gave me sticky corn, which is corn but the texture is more sticky which at first I was skeptical about, but it was actually so good and actually flavorful and that is coming from a person who doesn’t like corn AT ALL, which is insane. Another thing is how much I love Chinese cuisines. I have been eating like a monster and surprise myself how much my stomach can take in by the amount of food it receives each day.

It was a bittersweet and somewhat saddening moment because this was our last event here in Wenzhou. Afterward, we began our journey to Huzhou by bus, which is about a 5 -6 hour ride.

Bus Ride Time:
At first, the bus ride to Huzhou sounded dreadful, but having headphones, along with a window seat to myself, made the commute much more enjoyable and manageable. During the ride, I took a bunch of photos that, to me, feel magical.

Green mountains under a cloudy sky, seen from a road with a guardrail

Wide river valley with a dry riverbed and mountains in the distance

Building entrance with Chinese signage, a parked car in a paved courtyard

Group of people standing and talking indoors, one looking at a phone, near curtained windows

After a five-hour bus ride, we finally made it to Huzhou and soon met with the college for dinner. Dinner went really well! Our group was split into two smaller groups, each with a Chinese student and one or two school officials. We talked about our individual stories, lifestyles, and cultures.

The food featured a variety of Huzhou cuisine, and my favorite dish was the cooked duck, it was so delicious! The students at the college were incredibly kind and brought great energy. I felt very welcomed, and I can’t wait to get to know them more tomorrow morning.

Today marked the end of our adventure in the city of Wenzhou. We experienced so many activities across different areas: touring, and fully immersing ourselves in Chinese culture through cuisine, music, art, and lifestyle. But every ending brings a new beginning, and that’s what awaits us in Huzhou.

I’m excited to see what the college has planned for us and what the city will offer. Memories that we will hold onto for a lifetime. Even though most of today was spent on a bus traveling to Huzhou, it made me realize how grateful I am to be here in China. This is my first time ever on a plane, and now I’m in a completely different country, which is honestly a flex, to say the least.

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