US first lady says embrace similarities

US first lady Michelle Obama (L) sits in for an English class with students at Chengdu No 7 High School during her visit in Chengdu, Sichuan province, March 25, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Education has been a key theme during the first lady's China tour. On Friday morning, Obama, her daughters Malia and Sasha and her mother, Marian Robinson, visited Second High School attached to Beijing Normal University, a model school in Beijing. And in a Saturday speech at Peking University, Obama campaigned for international students to study in the US.

At the high school in Chengdu, Obama expressed her appreciation for her parents' unswerving support－both spiritually and financially－for her education.

"I remember something my mother always told me－she said: 'A good education is something that no one can take away from you.'"

Yang Enyue, 17, a senior at the school, said of the speech: "She elaborated on her struggles, and the story was inspiring. It made us empathize with her."

Obama recalled her days at a special public high school that provided a top education but was located far from her home.

"I had to get up early every morning and ride a bus for an hour, even longer in bad weather ... and sometimes I woke up at 4:30 or 5 in the morning to study some more," she said.

After the speech, the first lady stepped into a classroom to interact with students more personally.

Wrapping up the meeting, Obama noted the excellence of the students and reminded them to think broadly.

"Education is more than learning words, numbers and memorizing things, taking tests and getting the scores," she said. "It is also about the experiences that you have."

Obama will conclude her seven-day China visit on Wednesday.

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