Recently, the International College organized a two-day cultural experience activity for international students in Songyang County. Hosted by the Lishui Municipal Foreign Affairs Office and the Lishui Municipal People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries under the theme “Walking into Lishui to Understand China,” the event combined site visits, tech experiences and cross-cultural exchanges to help students appreciate the historical heritage of traditional Chinese villages and the innovative vitality of modern rural areas. During the trip, the students also engaged in face-to-face cross-cultural dialogues with translators from the United States, Sweden, Italy, Mexico, Turkey and South Korea, who were residing at the “Translators’ Home” in Youtian Village, Songyang.
At the “Window of Songyang” urban culture exhibition hall, students gained an immersive understanding of the millennium-old county’s conservation journey and its blueprint for a smart city. The international students then experienced driverless smart transit shuttles on real roads, witnessing cutting-edge technologies such as vehicle-road coordination and intelligent dispatching. Afterwards, they visited the century-old Huang’s Mansion. “Here, I can feel the perfect integration of traditional culture and modern technology—it’s truly breathtaking,” said Lou Jia, a student from Gambia.
Later, at the “Translators’ Home” in Youtian Village, Songyang, the international students sat down with translators from various countries for an in-depth exchange on language, culture, and life choices. During the discussion, the translators shared heartfelt stories of how they first became involved with the Chinese language and sinological translation. Their fluent Chinese and deep passion for Chinese culture resonated strongly with the students, who listened with admiration and empathy. The translators also earnestly encouraged the students to cherish their opportunity to study in China, work hard on their Chinese language skills, deepen their understanding of Chinese culture, and take on the role of cultural ambassadors in the future. “International students come to China to study their majors, but they also learn about Chinese culture and China’s contributions to the world,” one translator said emotionally. “They will all become cultural messengers, presenting a multi-dimensional picture of Chinese culture to the world.”
Guo Weihao, a Portuguese international student representative, expressed sincere gratitude to the organizers during his speech. He shared his experience learning Chinese and his practice of documenting daily life in China and telling Chinese stories through new media platforms. “I use my phone to capture the roads I’ve traveled and the people I’ve met, so that friends back home can see the real China,” he said. He also expressed hope for more opportunities to participate in face-to-face exchange activities, adding that he wants to “read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles,” turning what he sees and feels into truly moving stories about China.
The International College will continue to build more platforms for such practices and exchanges, helping international students understand the true, multi-dimensional, and comprehensive stories of China on Chinese soil, and contributing their youthful energy to promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and other countries, as well as mutual learning among civilizations.
