Teacher learns lessons about the countryside's 'endless potential'

She came, she saw, she liked. That would best describe Sophie Chen's trip to the ancient town of Zhongdu, a scenic spot in Liuzhou, Southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The British teacher has been living in Liuzhou for 11 years. She loves luosifen, a local delicacy of rice noodles, and considers the city her second home.

She recently ventured into the countryside around Liuzhou to discover the local rural way of life.

"In the Chinese countryside, you get that clean, fresh air, relaxed sort of feeling. However, you do have lots of neighbors around you, and the rural areas have a genuine sense of community," she said.

In Zhongdu, she took a cruise on the Luojiang River, visited a homestay, learned to weave a basket with a senior craftsman, and tasted the local rice noodle snack of zhongdu chaihuo.

In addition to having fun, Chen noticed some changes in the countryside. "When I first came to China, rural land was divided into small areas. Different people planted on their own land which was later integrated, like the farms back home," she said.

She also noted what China's cooperatives are doing: using odd sections of farmers' land and conducting large-scale planting. They also work with companies to promote the sale of agricultural products. As a result, farmers' incomes have risen and their living conditions have improved.

"When I first came here, I just wanted to have fun. But when I dug a little deeper, I saw the endless potential in China's rural areas," Chen said.