In Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, where high plateaus stretch as far as the eye can see and villages dot the landscape like scattered pearls, education often feels just out of reach. For 14-year-old Pasang Dondrup, that meant a 20-kilometer trek from his family's pasture to get to the nearest boarding school.
On his first day, Pasang's eyes welled up with tears. "I missed my parents and the warmth of home," he recalls. But as days turned into weeks, life in the dorm began to feel like a second family. Surrounded by fellow students from farming and herding households, he discovered not just lessons in math and literature but a world of possibilities beyond the mountains.
Today, Pasang's dream is as bold as the landscape around him: he aspires to serve his country as a soldier. "Every day I train my mind and body," he explains, "so I can protect others and give back." His teachers say his determination lights up the corridors of the school, inspiring peers to dream big, no matter where they come from.
Pasang's journey highlights how boarding schools in remote regions are transforming lives. By bridging geographic gaps and offering stability, they're fueling ambitions that once seemed impossible—proving that sometimes, a long walk leads straight to a brighter future.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
