Students from California experience traditional Chinese culture in Taicang, Suzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

A delegation of teachers and students from the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District in California visited Taicang, Suzhou, for a 2026 cultural exchange camp from June 11 to 12.

Rather than focusing on a single theme, the program combined rural immersion, school visits, enterprise tours and cultural experiences, allowing the visiting group to observe different facets of Taicang.

On June 11, the group visited Qinli village in Shuangfeng town, toured ChangingTek Robotics, and the Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University Entrepreneur College (Taicang). The day concluded with a visit to Nanyuan Garden, where classical Jiangnan garden design provided a contrast to the day's high-tech stops.

On June 12, the exchange moved into the classroom at Taicang Experimental Senior High School. US and Chinese students learned calligraphy and listened to traditional Jiangnan silk-and-bamboo music.

In the afternoon, the delegation visited Nike's China Logistics Center, where they learned about the company's history of development and observed how intelligent logistics systems support large-scale operations.

US students learn to make dumplings. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

"I've heard friends talk about their experiences abroad, but this is my first time in China," said student Ella Rose Crites. "I'm really looking forward to more opportunities like this in the future."

Katherine Tseng, chair of the school district board, along with teachers Cao Zhijun and Conway Wang, noted that the program provided meaningful learning outcomes. They said students gained a deeper appreciation of Chinese culture.