Homework on the Subway [Beijing]

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Travelling around Beijing today, I spotted these two young students sat on the floor of the subway. Crouched next to one another I couldn’t help but notice that they were doing what seemed to be their English homework, with the student in the background scribbling notes and the other in the foreground looking up words on his cellphone.

It’s Sunday afternoon but it was clear that these young students were either coming from, or going to school. This isn’t rare in China at all, as many students are required to attend classes at the weekend. The pressures on young students in China is enormous and competition is high amongst classmates. Many have extra classes in school and/or out of it in private ones.

Whether getting a head start on their homework, or rushing to finish it before class, it was nice scene to see these guys helping each other out on the subway.

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