Thirty-five high school students and teachers of a U.S. tour group concluded their "unforgettable" seven-day-quarantine Thursday in central China's Yichang city after seven of the 42-member group were diagnosed with A/H1N1 flu.
The tour group, from Pacific Ridge School in Carlsbad, California, arrived in Beijing on June 3, visited the Terra Cotta Warriors in the western city of Xi'an and cruised down from Chongqing to Yichang city on the Yangtze River to visit the Three Gorges Dam.
Over the past week, the quarantined students and teachers were served by an 80-member team, and stayed in touch with their families via Internet, according to the city government.
When the American students and teachers released from flu quarantine, they hugged each other with great joy. Surrounded by flowers, they took photos with local medical workers and expressed thanks to their considerate care during the quarantine, one of them even hold a board with Chinese characters "Xiexie (thank you)"
"I'm quite excited and eager to go home. During these days, we could see Chinese people's kindness. This experience will become the unforgettable memory of their whole life," said Qiu Xiuli, a high school teacher of the U.S. group.
"I feel be loved and safe under your care. We are all pleased by your surprising gifts, like roses, chocolate, McDonald, and computers. We'll never forget this experience and can not wait to come back to meet our dear friends. Thank you so much, Xiexie (thank you) and Zaijian(goodbye)," said a teenager student of the U.S. group.
A 15-year-old student named Alexa Causey also wrote a letter to Yichang's disease control center, saying "I enjoy stay in China and Yichang". "I have met very nice people and appreciate all you have done for us," she added. A boy also delivered his appreciation by writing Chinese Characters"Xiexie"on the glass.
"We will certainly come back. Next time we will see our old friends and will not stay a week only in the hotel," said Qiu.
"I Hope they will have a good life after going back and keep away from the disease," said Li Chunyan, a nurse of Yichang central hospital.
