Day One

Hazy sunrise over a tree-covered hillside with apartment buildings in the foreground, viewed from an elevated vantage point

Day 1 of Week 2 Blog Post (Jacob Thillemann - EMT Fire Sciences)

April 25th, 2026

On this wonderful Saturday morning the Chinese Sun strongly welcomed the group to prepare for the day ahead.

The agenda for the day consisted of fun physical activity in the morning, the closing ceremony and gateways school presentation in the early afternoon, then finally embarking on a train to Wuhan.

Upon arrival to Huzhou College, the group was greeted by each one’s Chinese student counterpart and beginning the day with a tour of the history of the school.

Two people in casual clothing standing before a white relief wall carved with Chinese characters and a building illustration

Museum corridor with blue ceiling lighting and timeline display panels showing photos and date ranges

Exhibition hall with red wall panels, an emblem, and a curved ceiling light, with a bench in the center of the room

Scale model of a campus with buildings, a sports track, and roads, displayed under glass beneath a circular emblem on the wall

Gallery corridor with a wall of framed photographs, a glass display counter, and large windows along one side

Glass display case with a green robot-shaped mascot figure, two diamond-framed character illustrations, and small info cards

Wall display of framed photographs arranged in a grid around a central screen showing an aerial campus view

After the informative tour, the group was directed through the beautiful campus towards the library. Many photo opportunities presented themselves.

Two people in casual dark clothing giving thumbs up in front of a lake and a tree-covered rocky hill

Lake with a large modern building along the far shore, hills in the background, and trees in the foreground

Tall white clock tower with a pagoda-style roof, viewed from below through tree branches against a clear sky

Modern multi-story building with a tiered dark facade and stone base, a numbered signpost and yellow flowering bushes in front

Two people standing under a wooden pavilion roof, one in a black tank top and the other with arms crossed in a dark jacket

Multi-story building atrium with a glass skylight roof, tiled floor, and balconies on upper levels

We entered the library and was greeted with gorgeous architecture and art. Our Chinese counterparts led us through a tour and a museum which focused largely on Tang Zhao Ji, or the “Peony Master Tang”. He is a Huzhou-born artist, known for his great works in poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving. He is perhaps most famous for his work in these areas through his depictions of peony flowers.

Wall-mounted portrait photograph and signature beside a large panel of text in a gallery space

Gallery wall with Chinese text and a shadow cast on it, beside a glass case displaying an orange ceramic vase

Glossy dark red grand piano displayed on a white platform, with four abstract paintings on the wall behind it

Row of illuminated glass display cases showing hanging scroll paintings of flowers and calligraphy

Antique wooden screen with an intricately carved fretwork panel, displayed on an ornate carved stand under glass

Wall-mounted panel of dense small text, illuminated against a plain gray wall

Continuing through the library, we noticed a very stark difference between study areas in China and the U.S. Students had dedicated desks for themselves throughout the library where they would keep their belongings. It creates a very comfortable and cozy environment.

Outdoor plaza with a large curved concrete canopy overhead and people walking near a building entrance

Person seated at a desk with a laptop, facing a window overlooking an interior atrium

I also found a parked ambulance and the worker was kind enough to show me the inside. It was cool to see the slight differences but ultimately similar setup.

White ambulance with red and blue stripe markings and its side door open, parked with hills in the background

Interior of an ambulance with a stretcher, blue seats, and medical monitoring equipment mounted on the wall

The group then went to participate in some physical activity. An initial kung fu performance was displayed by very talented students. We then were led through a tai-chi experience.

Group of people in matching black uniforms performing a martial arts stance on a blue mat

Group photo of people in matching black martial arts uniforms posing with hand gestures, some kneeling in front

Indoor sports hall with rows of ping pong tables and a wood slat ceiling, people scattered around

Two people standing side by side, each holding a table tennis paddle

And we ended out our physical activity with some ping pong. I was honored to play with this kid who would have kicked my butt if he didn’t go easy on me.

We ate some tasty lunch and headed to the Huzhou College ending ceremony!

Wooden tray with bowls of rice, greens, fried chicken, and other dishes, with bananas and a drink alongside

During this ceremony, final remarks were made by both school’s leadership. And a student created presentation on our school Gateway was given.

Auditorium stage with a large screen displaying a presentation slide, two people standing nearby

Three people wearing lanyards standing on a stage in front of a screen showing a presentation slide

Four people wearing lanyards standing on a stage, one speaking into a microphone

Four people standing on a stage in front of a large screen showing a presentation slide

Four people wearing lanyards standing together, one holding a blue folder

Row of people bowing on a stage in front of a screen showing a thank-you message

Spending time with all of our new Chinese friends was truly the honor and privilege of a lifetime. We will all cherish the memories we created with them. After we said our goodbyes, we journeyed to the train station. The group began the 5ish hour train ride to Wuhan. Upon arrival, we ate some long-awaited McDonald’s and it was… well, McDonald’s. We were then shuttled to the hotel through the huge city center, taking in the sights. At the hotel, face met pillow. It was a good day.

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