Our objective was to get to Kikungshan. It was 1929, and we were returning from Christmas vacation, with a group that included myself, Gerhard, probably Henry and several others. It was easier said than done. On the train, we sat in the coal car, and we got enough heat when the opened the boiler door, to keep us relatively OK. But the train stopped in Sintien which was at the base of the mountain, leaving a 7 mile hike up a mountain to get to Kikung. There were 7 of us. We we arrived there was one way up the mountain, and that was by foot through deep snow. We were not in great shape from being overnight on the coal car, but there was no place to stay. So we decided to hike up the mountain through the snow and all. It was not an easy task to hike that 7 miles, especially after spending the night on the coal car trying to keep warm. We took the shortest way up the mountain to get to the American School Kikungshan (ASK). I think I was perhaps the youngest in the group, at age 7, and I confronted the hike up the mountain through the snow and to ASK. I can't remember if we had anything to eat, but I sure remember being very hungry. Fortunately, there was no wind, and the snow had settled down the night before. So we got up and hiked. Needless to say, we detached from each other, and went up the mountain. I remember getting caught in deep snow on the way, and I was just a kid. But, the alternative was to sit still and freeze. I was a persistent kid, and I think it was late in the evening when we got up to Kikung. The single ladies and teachers connected with the school welcomed us with open arms and fed us comfortably after we arrived hungry and cold. By then we were ready for sleep. There were dormitory rooms, and each of us had a room - I had a room with my brother Gerhard. I don't recall where Henry was at the time. One wing had the Arcola heater working and we found a room that was warm enough for a night's sleep. A note - some coolies had been engaged to carry our luggage up the hill, and and when we arrived our luggage was there.