While the Yangtze River Cruise was a nice break from the fast-paced activity of the first few weeks, there were still plenty of opportunities to experience China and all of its beauty. During one of the few days it didn’t rain during the cruise, we passed by many other ships and under a couple of bridges. Near one of the bridges was located a couple small lighthouses. Although simplistic in its design, this particular lighthouse showcases China’s engineering ability to build a large enough lighthouse on the side of a river as well as a way for people to easily reach the lighthouse regardless of the river water levels.

— Shane Byers – 5/19/2016

No matter how scary and undefined the path forward may be, the most important thing is that you’re on the path and you’re determined to make it through. While visiting the original Wu household and village, we were all able to witness just how different the rural life of China is compared to the hustle and bustle of the city life we had grown accustomed to throughout the first part of the program. I did not expect to have the opportunity given to me to travel to and experience China in the way that I did, but I knew that if I took the path less traveled and persisted through my ambitions, I would be able to conquer the unknown and learn some valuable lessons along the way.

— Shane Byers – 5/27/2016

While some parts of China may not be the most clean or orderly, the vast majority of the country is stunningly beautiful. No matter where you may find yourself in the enormous country, you will find signs of beauty that will undoubtedly stand out no matter what may be happening around it. Between the gorgeous cities that span miles and miles to the flowers that bloom during the last month of spring, China has plenty of awe-inspiring sights to be seen scattered from east to west across the entire country.

— Shane Byers – 5/31/2016

Beautiful in its simplicity yet powerful in its message, this image displays China’s mixture of ancient architecture as well as its modern engineering. Located next to rural farmlands, we were given the opportunity to climb the distant pagoda and see the Yangtze River on which we had been traveling for the past few days from a different perspective. Even though the river water levels used to be higher in the past, farmers and cows alike are able to adapt to the lower water levels and still not only survive, but also thrive.

— Shane Byers – 5/21/2016

After living in and experiencing the concepts of Amercian culture, it came to the surprise of myself and others just how past-oriented the Chinese people are as a whole. The ancestral roots from which any Chinese person comes from becomes ingrained into his or her being and personality. While Americans may think of the future generations to come, Chinese think of the past generations that already came. No matter how big a tree may become, without its roots, it will never be able to survive, and thus, without our past generations, none of us would be where we are today.

— Shane Byers – 5/24/2016