Junior Siman Zhang returns home to China every summer.

Zhang said, “The main reason why I go to China is to visit my family. The only family I have here in Hawaii is my mom and sister. When I get to China, I get to visit my extended family.

“Not only do I get to catch up with family that I barely see, my family and I also get to relax and enjoy a well needed vacation,” she said.

Zhang said, “I love to see my family because with them, I feel lonely and it brings back memories to when I used to be a part of everything they did. It is a way to experience my culture authentically. I get to eat the food I love and speak and hear the language.

“Going to China really helps me to relax after the hectic school year. It makes me realize that being my age really has its benefits,” she said.

For Zhang, going to China every summer is never uneventful.

Zhang said, “Sometimes it gets boring because I have no friends in China and I can’t go out by myself. I don’t spend much time watching television because there are not many shows targeted for people my age and I also don’t understand a lot of it.

“However, I do eat a lot when I go to China. The Chinese food in Hawaii greatly differs from the food in China. When I go to China, I get to have authentic Chinese food from the north.

“I also do some shopping because some things are indeed cheaper in China, but not all. When I spend time with my family, we like to go karaoke or hiking.

“If other students are planning to visit China sometime in the future, I would most definitely recommend for them to try the different types of food. Even if the food may look weird or unusual, it could turn out to be very tasty. I would also recommend for them to try food from street vendors, especially since we don’t have them in Hawaii.

“Other than food, I would recommend for people to go to karaoke because the venues are huge and extravagant. They have many kinds of songs to sing.

“Historical sites and hiking at different destinations can be a good workout and you can learn a lot about the culture of China,” said Zhang.