Junior YiChuan Zhang traded the city life in China for rural Rockbridge County for his exchange year. Zhang lived just a few minutes outside of Hong Kong but was drawn to the United States for the schools.

“The education in America is really good,” said Zhang. “We have to take lots of tests in China, every day. I was always stressed out.” He also thinks the cafeteria food is better in America.

Zhang hails from the same town as last year’s exchange student David Jiang. He is even staying with the same host family.

Back home, Zhang lived in a dormitory school Monday through Friday. He only saw his parents on the weekends. Since he is used to being away from home, Zhang has been able to adjust to America without being homesick. Language, however, has been the biggest challenge for him.

“There are some new words I don’t know, it’s maybe the hardest part,” he said.

In his free time in China, Zhang played basketball, rode bikes and spent time with friends. Now he mostly hangs out with his new friends and runs cross country. However, he can not wait to play basketball later in the year. Zhang hopes to make the team as point guard in the winter.