Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Too spicy food, unintelligible speech of market vendors and a tennis lesson in Chinese. All these are bits and pieces of impressions of RUDN economics students who went on a two-week language internship at Beijing Language and Culture University.
There were more than 60 people who wanted to go to China from the Faculty of Economics and the Institute of World Economy and Business, so the students had to go through a selection process. In the end, 19 people went on the trip in July, and another 20 will go in August. Preference was given to those who are third-year students in additional education programs, as well as the most active and successful students. Three weeks before departure, the internship organizers held an organizational meeting, where they told the students about the rules of conduct in the country and answered their questions.
"Before the flight to Beijing, we were afraid that there would be problems with communication and with paying for purchases in stores, since we read contradictory information on this matter on the Internet. In the end, the connection worked fine for everyone – we bought Chinese SIM cards on the spot for 100 yuan. The Internet worked from them, and with the VPN turned on, we could also use the usual social networks. Purchases were paid for in cash and with the Alipay app," – Maria Kurevleva, Faculty of Economics, RUDN (Economics and Management, 1st year bachelor's degree).
Competitive method
When the students got to the university, they were met by a local teacher who gave the entire group badges. They simultaneously served as a pass to the university, a personal password for Wi-Fi, and a card for paying for food in the cafeteria. Representatives of the Chinese side did not leave the students until the evening, until they had settled all the issues with the students’ accommodation, their registration, and other nuances.
The next day, the opening ceremony of the internship took place, after which Chinese teachers tested and interviewed each student to determine their language level. And finally, on the third day, the students began their classes. Classes were held every morning from 08:30 to 12:10. One teacher taught for two hours with a ten-minute break – it was a combined lesson on vocabulary, grammar and reading. Then the students were given a 20-minute break, and after that they had two hours of oral speech practice with another teacher.
"The teachers were very nice and explained everything well and in detail. We were not bored in class, we learned new words and repeated them in a playful way, without noticing that we were studying. I would like to memorize the material in this way in all educational institutions," – Maria Kurevleva, Faculty of Economics, RUDN (Economics and Management, 1st year bachelor's degree).
The teachers actively used the competitive method. Stickers were given for correct answers and role-played dialogues, at the last lesson all the points of each student were counted, and the three most active children received a souvenir from the teacher. The following game was used to repeat words: it was necessary to explain as many words as possible to the group in Chinese in a certain time, the one who guessed also received sticker points.
“The students remembered best the words that described cultural realities, the names of local flora and fauna, and words that helped them navigate the area: 北海公园 — Beihai Park, 荷花 — lotus, 熊猫 — panda, 线 — metro line, 路 — street, road. Such words are remembered well when immersed in another linguistic reality,” says Alina Ognyanova, head of the student group, senior lecturer at the RUDN Institute of World Economy and Business.
Instead of a question – a kiss
In their free time, the students also practiced Chinese. And English, which helped them communicate with the locals. According to the students, the Chinese almost always understood what they were saying, but at the market it was sometimes difficult because of the fast, unintelligible speech of the sellers. There were also some cute linguistic curiosities.
"I once said to a Chinese guy instead of 'Can I ask, can I kiss you?' We laughed for a long time!" – Maria Kurevleva, Faculty of Economics, RUDN (Economics and Management major, 1st year bachelor's degree).
In everyday life, the students did not have any particular problems; the group leader came to help when needed. The only thing the students did not expect was that the food in China was so spicy. And even if you asked them to make it not spicy, the Chinese “not spicy” still hit the taste buds noticeably.
Day of the sky
In addition to their university studies, the students immersed themselves in Chinese culture and explored its landmarks. For example, they visited the Temple of Heaven, a park and temple complex built in the 15th century where the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, performed rituals and prayed for a good harvest. This place is also famous for its acoustic wonders. One of them is the Echo Wall. If someone speaks on one side of the wall, even very quietly, they can be heard on the other side. There are three special stones near the landmark: when you clap your hands at the first one, you hear an echo once, at the second one – twice, and a triple echo at the third stone. These are the sound attractions. By the way, it is symbolic that the excursion here took place on Sunday, which literally translates from Chinese as "Day of Heaven".
"We also visited the Forbidden City, saw the Great Wall of China and the Summer Palace of Empress Dowager Cixi. But we studied more than just Chinese architecture. We had master classes on fan painting, we were told about kung fu and Chinese medicine. We were also taught how to brew tea correctly and were given six types to try, including white, yellow, red and flower tea," — Maria Kurevleva, RUDN University Faculty of Economics (Economics and Management major, 1st year bachelor's degree).
Dreams of Tennis
During her internship, another RUDN student was able not only to improve her language skills and learn about local traditions and habits, but also to realize one sporting dream.
"There are many sports grounds on our campus: three tennis courts, two basketball courts, two small tennis courts, a football field, and a volleyball field. As soon as we moved in, I realized that I really wanted to play tennis. On the fourth day after classes, we approached the teacher and agreed on a game. And voila – here we are already playing tennis, a Chinese teacher is giving us a lesson, they support us and rejoice in small victories with us! It was a very touching and unforgettable moment," – Daria Barinova, Institute of International Economics and Business, RUDN (International Management major, 3rd year).
Group leader Alina Ognyanova is pleased with the students’ results and notes that they have definitely overcome the language barrier.
"Chinese teachers noted the high motivation of our students, as well as their warm and respectful attitude towards local teachers. The guys showed themselves to be independent, diligent students, in two weeks they managed to bring grammar to a new level, develop reaction speed in different communication situations. They learned new speech cliches, synonyms, which increased their receptivity to audio material, the students began to perceive Chinese speech by ear more effectively," – Alina Ognyanova, head of the student group.
About Beijing Language and Culture University
Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) is a higher education institution founded in 1962.
The university teaches foreigners the Chinese language and culture, and in the summer, students and teachers from 189 countries of the world undergo internships here. It also accepts Chinese students who specialize in foreign languages and other subjects of the humanities and social sciences, and trains teachers of Chinese as a foreign language. The university campus is located in the Haidian district of Beijing. The territory has everything for living: shops, markets, restaurants of Chinese and European cuisine, cafes, student canteens, ATMs, sports grounds, a library.
RUDN has been cooperating with the university for the first year. This was the first trip of our students to Beijing Language and Culture University, but both the Chinese educational institution and RUDN hope for fruitful cooperation and strengthening of friendship between the two universities.
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