Foreign students are learning to make dumplings (taken by Li Zhibin)
LNU News Center: “Scooping a mixture of meat and vegetable,putting it into a soft dumpling wrapper, patting it down with the back of a spoon, and then squeezing the wrapper's edges around the mixture…”a total number of 22 foreign students from Rwanda, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Nepal and other countries and regions were instructed to make Chinese dumplings. On January 30, LNU held a Chinese New Year celebration tea party for foreign students and Chinese students chose to stay at school at Youth Home of Zhidao Garden. During the celebration, the teachers and students made Chinese dumplings, wrote antithetical couplet, said new year prayers, and celebrated Chinese New Year.
“I hope you can have direct experience of profound Chinese culture and serve as the envoy for cultural communication”, said Zheng Zhijun, Director of International Exchange & Cooperation Office, noting that LNU will provide more considerate and high-quality service for foreign students so that they can study and grow up in a harmonious environment. Ke Chunming, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the School of Literature and Media, hoped foreign students will be able to improve their Chinese proficiency and have better understanding of Chinese culture. Feng Cailian, Secretary of CPC Foreign Languages School Committee, wished foreign students happy Chinese New Year.
“We have similar food, but it is not called dumpling. This is the first time that I make Chinese dumplings myself”, said Su Nan, a student from Nepal. With the assistance and direction of his Chinese students, Su Nan was excited that he was able to make Chinese dumplings – or something resembling a dumpling. The foreign students were surprised at the difficulty in making dumplings. “When the Chinese do it, I thought it was so easy. When I do it, I was all fingers and thumbs”. “No, I am not making Chinese dumplings. On the contrary, I am making Chinese steamed buns”. The foreign students and Chinese students laughed at each other for their dumplings – or maybe the cousin of dumplings.
“What fantastic culture China has! It is amazing that she has got so many customs for a traditional festival.”The foreign students were eager to have a try when they saw their Chinese students use brushes and ink to write antithetical couplets on red paper freely. David, a big boy from Rwanda carefully learned from Chinese students to write Chinese characters. “The antithetical couplets carry good meaning or messages. This is so nice”, said Viviane in great amazement, “Chinese character is great. Chinese culture is great!”
All people sat in a circle eating the boiled Chinese dumplings. In addition, Chinese students also introduced the cultural connotation and customs of Chinese New Year. Su Nan said that though there was difficulty in learning style, living environment and daily communication, yet he liked the celebration and hoped to learn more about traditional Chinese culture.
“The exceptional experience at LNU has tremendously broadened our vision, and we want to do our best to make the world a better place”, said Kelly, a girl from Rwanda, noting that studying at LNU will have significant impact on her life. “Zhanjiang is a hospitable city. I like seafood here; it is delicious”, commented David, saying that LNU has always brought him pleasant surprise. The foreign students all thumbed up for the event.
Leaders and teachers from the Office of International Cooperation & Exchange, School of Foreign Languages and School of Literature and Media attended the tea party. It is learned that this is the first time LNU has accepted foreign students on such a larger scale. The University has specially established the Business English Program and Chinese Language and Literature Program for international students who will spend four years to complete the study and get their bachelor degrees.
Foreign students are writing antithetical couplets (taken by Li Zhibin)
Teachers and students at the tea party (taken by Li Zhibin)
