A group of Minin students majoring in teaching English and Chinese spent an autumn term in Chinese University. They share their emotions in the article.
Entering the university, when we finally decided what specialty we wanted to choose, we clearly realized that it’s easier to succeed in learning a foreign language if you are learning it surrounded by native speakers, in a country where this language is a mother tongue. It’s especially important if you deal with one of the most difficult ones, such as Chinese. At first, we doubted our trip to this country, as China differs greatly from Russia in many aspects, but when we began to learn more about Chinese culture and way of life we found out that most of stereotypes foreigners have about this country are no more than just a myth. Thus, after having packed our luggage and saying good-bye to our families and friends, we enthusiastically set off on our adventure.
As soon as we happily got off the plane after a long flight, we met with people who were to accompany us on our trip to the university. We get to Zibo by a comfortable bus, and we were shocked to find out how huge it turned out to be (It is, probably, ten times as large as Nizhny Novgorod!) During our trip there, sitting in the bus, we looked in surprise at all those beautiful things we noticed through the glass of the windows: magnificent landscapes, small cozy houses as if leaping from the pages of travel journals, rivers and lakes with smooth and mirror-like surfaces.
After we had arrived in Zibo, we were shown where the university building was situated, and our curators helped us to settle into the dormitory. Shandong University of Technology impressed us with its great territory and a huge amount of different conveniences. There you can find anything you need, ranging from comfortable dormitories for foreign and native students to small cozy gift shops and eateries with their unique atmosphere.
There are many foreign students in this university, and most of them are Russians. In the beginning it was quite easy to adapt to new living conditions due to their sincere friendliness and kindness. If we had any questions, our curator Alexander was always ready to help. He is a person who could easily solve not only problems related to studying, but also to any other extracurricular activities. Due to him and his help we had a very interesting and colorful “Chinese life”.
“Every time I was walking along the night streets of Zibo, I was overwhelmed with excitement and the feeling of admiration,” joyfully told us Elmira Zhulenkova, one of the exchange students. One can’t but agree with her: bright lights of the night city attracted us with their captivating shining, and the sky full of stars enchanted with its magical beauty.
China is a country where people prefer to use bicycles and motorbikes. It is great that it was available for each of us as well. All you need is just to just lease a bicycle for a small fee and enjoy the views and the atmosphere of the city while riding it. After it, if you return the bicycle without any damage, you get your money back! Profitably and easy!
What a life without a good rest? In China we discovered a lot of interesting and unforgettable things besides studying (that, of course, was the first and the most important aim for us). We took part in the event which, according to its content and the way it was held, could be called “the World’s Fair”. It was a large international exhibition and concert designed to show traditions and peculiarities of nations. Russian students performed a Russian folk dance and Russian ballet. The students of Minin University took part in it with great relish. The concert program impressed us so much that for the rest of the day we could feel the inspiration that filled the hearts of the participants. All of them prepared wonderful performances that reflected the spirit of their country. The students also had an opportunity to try new delicious dishes of national cuisine which were introduced during the event. This, undoubtedly, could cheer up even the most pessimistic person among the guests. Each of us enjoyed the day spent in good company and filled with positive emotions.
Later we visited a picturesque Chinese village, where we had an opportunity to discover traditions and customs of the true Chinese way of life, meet new friends and develop our Chinese. The nature there is unbelievably beautiful; even though the day was rainy and overcast, we had a great time walking down the ancient streets. “I’ll never forget my first experience in calligraphy, when you’re trying to make every character come out perfect. At this moment you feel so deeply involved in it that literally stop noticing what’s going on around you!” George Philippov shared his feelings to us. In the village we also performed for the locals, and after that they treated us to traditional Chinese dinner. “Mutton served with savoury spices, some local “secret” recipe… That was incredible,” said Victoria Kanakova over and over again. Village people are very friendly and talkative, so it was challenging to check our knowledge of Chinese in real situations, having short warm conversations with them.
The process of studying at the university is as interesting as entertainment. While spending four months there you’ll never get bored! Certainly, it’s a bit difficult to get used to a new way of life, but convenient and effective learning system made this process less stressful and more exciting. Starting with the easiest things, you gradually move further, step by step, plunging into the world of Chinese grammar and oral speech. So, the main advice is the following: don’t be afraid to study in China just because you think that your language level isn’t high enough. The teachers who are very understanding will always support you and help you to develop your skills. One way or another, you can’t avoid such thing as culture shock, but after you experience it you’ll gain much more than you are able to lose.
All the students found the tasks given by teachers very interesting and unusual. As for textbooks, there we could find rules and texts translated and explained in English so as to make the beginning of learning easier for those who was unfamiliar with Chinese at all. After two months of studying we were to pass our midterm exams, and in the end of the course final examination was waiting for us. The latter was rather hard, but nevertheless, revising the knowledge we got for the whole semester, we made our last effort and passed it very successfully. The teachers treated each student with respect. They never refused us any kind of help if we needed one. However, the university always strictly controlled students’ attendance, and only a very good excuse could be a reason to skip the lesson.
Living conditions were another thing that made a good impression on us as soon as we arrived at the destination. In the dormitory we could find all the conveniences, such as the air conditioner, electricity, hot water and central heating, that made our living there very comfortable. We lived in spacious rooms, two people in each, and spent a lot of time together. We are extremely happy that this trip gave us the opportunity to meet many new wonderful people and make friends with them. We never regret the time spent in China. “This opportunity gives you invaluable experience in communication with people, lots of emotions and guaranteed improvement of your language skills,” said Anastasia Abdrakhmanova, “After one semester spent in China we feel more confident when it comes to speaking Chinese.” We fully embraced the spirit of the country and felt engaged in its culture more and more every day. We left Russia being just group mates and returned home being something more. We have become closer to each other and revealed new aspects of our personalities. We can call ourselves “a small Chinese family” that brought from China many bright and warm memories which will stay with us forever.
Now we are getting ready for coming back, packing the luggage again. We hope that this time we will get twice as much knowledge and emotions as we have got during the previous visit. Our “small Chinese family” is open to new adventures and sure that China is a country that is worth visiting by everybody at least once in their life.
