2013年7月29日，正在美国洛杉矶的汉普森海外游学团队接受了美国当地媒体的采访，学员和老师回答了记者的提问，以下是美国媒体报道的具体内容。
KENNETH SOUSA, FOR THE DAILY PRESS
Chinese students visiting from Hampson English Training school located in Nanjing, China, listen to Apple Valley Christian School teacher, Valery Neely, as she shows them pictures of her family. These students, among others, were part of a group of Chinese students visiting America, most for their first time, with the help of Apple Valley Christian School.
HESPERIA • The first wave of Chinese students has descended upon the campus shores of Apple Valley Christian School this summer.
John Richart, superintendent of AVCS in Hesperia, said 19 students from China are being hosted by several school families as part of the American Cultural Exchange Experience program.
“This is group No. 1, but we actually have five groups coming through and staying with us for various time periods,” Richart said. “All of these groups have never been to the United States.”
Richart said members of the school’s current two-week group are learning English, discovering Western culture and building relationships with local families as they visit the Victor Valley Museum, the Hesperia Zoo, Disneyland, Los Angeles, San Diego and other Southern California locations.
Chang “Simon” Xu Ming, 9, said America is a little different than what he expected.
“I expected more tall buildings and more cars like there are in my city,” Xu Ming said. “In my city, people live in big apartment buildings with no yards. The High Desert has little houses with very big yards.”
After having breakfast in the U.S., Cao “Kim” Jing Xuan discovered that “Cereal is so colorful in America, but each of the colors have the same taste.”
Jing Xuan, who lives in Xi’an, said learning in America is “more active” compared to China.
Richart said the school created the tour and learning package after meeting a Chinese lady in New York.
“What a great way to serve others, build relationships and learn about each others cultures,” Richart said. “Our visitors are 8 to 15 years old and most of them can carry on a conversation with you.”
On Saturday, the school hosted a carnival and barbecue for a second group of about 40 students visiting for the day.
Richart said many Chinese parents were hesitant to allow their children to travel to Apple Valley after Asiana Airlines Flight 2 14 crashed in San Francisco on July 6.
“Many of those passengers were on learning tours similar to ours, so you can imagine the fear,” Richart said.
Sui “Harry” Sheng Zhe, 13, who lives in Chendu, said he’s noticed major differences between home and the United States.
“There are many more cars in my hometown and the High Desert is much hotter,” Sheng Zhe said. “In China, parents do more of the thinking for their children.”
