Like the local girls, she washed herself using a bucket of water and a towel.

"I really got to know what it was like to live there," she says.

Andrea's visit provided a big change for the students' view of life and themselves. The teacher told Andrea that after her visit, the students she sponsored had more motivation to do well in school.

"They want to get good grades to get good education, because they know that there is hope for them somewhere in the world. They think they are capable people that can do things," she says.

Andrea left Zhaojue in July but started a blog to record her experience in Zhaojue and to broadcast stories about foreign people in poverty. She has also been raising money for students in Zhaojue and keeps in touch with the students by letters.

She is looking forward to her next visit in 2014.

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