International students take a cultural trip to Dunhuang and pose for pictures in front of the Mogao Caves. [Hu Jun/For China Daily]

"It was so amazing. I never knew that there would be camels in China. It's like another side of the country," says Santoso, who began to study for his master's degree in computer science in Tiangong University in Tianjin last year.

Before he came to China, he thought it was a country full of technology-related companies — an impression that was bolstered by the fast and convenient technology-driven services that came to be a part of his daily life when he moved to Tianjin.

"I was impressed by China's science and technologies before coming to China. Here, everything is very convenient and interconnected. You can do everything on your phone," says Santoso, referring to services like electronic payment and online shopping.

The cultural trip, however, showed Santoso a view of China when art and goods were transported along the Silk Road more than a thousand years ago. The young man says he was taught a little bit about the Silk Road in his middle school history class.

His grandmother was a Chinese-Indonesian. He was even given a Chinese name, You Liangshan, when he was born. Every year, his family celebrates the Chinese Lunar New Year and they send red envelopes filled with money to young family members — a Lunar New Year tradition.