Footprints in villages, friendships across the world

Astrid Schnitzer-Skjonsberg first visited China in 2015 when she explored Beijing and was amazed by the scale and efficiency of its subway system. But her recent trip to Xishuangbanna in Southwest China's Yunnan province was an entirely different experience.

"Here in Xishuangbanna, I wake up to the sound of roosters," said Schnitzer-Skjonsberg, an Austrian PhD student. "It's fascinating to see two such distinct sides of China."

She was one of nearly 70 students from more than 13 countries — including China, Austria, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Brazil, and the United States — who took part in the Summer School of Global Development& Country and Region Studies, organized by China Agricultural University (CAU) from July 3 to 12.