By Jin Lu

International students from Belt and Road Initiative countries took part in a kelp harvesting activity at an aquaculture farm at Tianfei Lake in Fenghua District, Ningbo, on the morning of May 17, experiencing firsthand coastal village life during the busy growing season.

The students, from countries including Iran and Sudan, worked alongside local farmers under the guidance of an experienced kelp grower, Yang. Bending down to reach floating ropes, they pulled up bundles of dark green kelp from the water.

Glossy strands of kelp drifted at the water's surface under the morning sun, drawing repeated reactions of surprise from the students. "It's so big and slippery. I've never seen fresh kelp like this before," several participants said.

Zeina Saeed, a student from Sudan, said the hands-on work was more demanding than expected. After harvesting a few bundles, she was visibly out of breath but remained enthusiastic. "It's a very interesting and memorable experience," she said.

The activity was part of the "Walking with Chinese Modernization" exchange program for Chinese and international youth, jointly organized by Ningbo University and local youth authorities. Iranian student Marjan Ebadi, who has studied in Ningbo for more than two years, said she had long been curious about kelp harvesting after first trying cold shredded kelp last year. "I'm very happy to finally experience it myself," she said.

Following the harvest, students visited a kelp drying site, sampled local seafood, and toured the surrounding fishing village. Rows of sun-dried kelp stretched across drying racks, forming part of the coastal landscape alongside distant hills and moored fishing boats.

University officials said they would continue to strengthen cooperation with local communities to create more hands-on learning opportunities. The village, they added, has become a regular destination for international students seeking to engage with Ningbo's coastal culture and rural life.