By Gracie Newman

Have you ever wanted to dig a hole to China? Nikki Everding pursued her dreams this summer as she adventured to the beautiful city of Chengdu, Sichuan in China! She was able to go there through NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth), a program which she described as “challenging but rewarding in the end.”

She may have had a mountain to conquer, but once she did, the view and experiences were unforgettable. The six weeks she spent in the heart of China showed her a whole new world filled with extraordinary architecture, unique customs, and fun traditions.

Her favorite aspect of this new culture was the opera because everyone had costumes and changed their masks unbelievably quickly. She would suggest this program to any open-minded person who is up for adventure and seeing different perspectives.