THE country’s first university sailing team with seven students and teachers from the Ocean University of China finished a 106-day round-the-world voyage, arriving in Qingdao recently. Exploring the wild Students explored wild animals and other creatures during the trip. “We found a black widow spider in the jungle in Guatemala. I brought one home to show to my friends and family,” said Yu Jingyi, a senior student. “It was an amazing trip. We also ran into a large group of apes and other animals in the forest,” she said. Hurricane attack “Staying on the sea is the most lonely experience in the world and we had to cope with many difficulties such as bad food, insects and illness. It was very hard to live on a boat,” Yu said. They could not get used to the food. “When we arrived in America, we went to a Chinese market and found a bottle of Laoganma chilli source. It was like Spring Festival for us,” she said. When the boat was approaching Mexico, they ran into a hurricane. In five days, the boat was unable to make port to fuel up and many passengers were worried for their lives. “We stayed in the cabin, reading and holding seminars. In such circumstances, we learned the importance of caring for others and cherishing our lives and nature,” she said. Teaching Chinese On the boat, the team became Chinese teachers for all passengers. “There were a lot Japanese passengers who wanted to learn Chinese, so each of us had a few students. We taught them some Chinese and poems every day and our students also taught us a traditional Japanese dance,” Yu said. During the journey, they witnessed different cultures and knowledge and gained a better understanding of society, beliefs, peace and environmental protection. “On this trip, we discussed many issues such as natural scenery and historical sites. It is useful to help students learn through experience,” said Ouyang Xia, a teacher. (Wang Yuanyuan, Qing Bao) | 