Listen to this articleYulia from Russia is a doctoral student majoring in comparative education in the Ministry of Education of Northeast Normal University. She has a beautiful Chinese name – Xia Xuan.
“The university I attended is in Northeast China, and I have also been exposed to rural areas locally, but my understanding is not deep enough. This time, I participated in social practice activities in Guizhou, which to some extent refreshed my understanding of rural China, “Xia Xuan said.
Xia Xuan discovered that Chinese rural areas have profound cultural connotations. “For example, one stop was to investigate the village of Zenlei in Sandu Autonomous County, Guizhou Province. There, I not only felt the breadth and depth of traditional Chinese rural culture, but also felt the enthusiasm and simplicity of rural people. Their sincerity has narrowed the distance between people, as well as between culture and culture.“
The rural schools in Guizhou also left a deep impression on Xia Xuan. She joined them, singing and dancing with the students, and introducing her country’s culture. In her words, this is her “happiest memory” of participating in this event.
“The simplicity and cuteness of students, as well as their tolerance for different cultures, have deepened the understanding of China among international students participating in the event. I hope to share the beauty of Chinese rural culture with more people, “Xia Xuan said.
In fact, Xia Xuan became attached to China more than 10 years ago. In her opinion, encountering China is both a coincidence and fate. In 2010, Xia Xuan traveled to Beidaihe District, Hebei Province with her parents, marking her first trip to China. “During my trip, I felt the profundity of Chinese, determined to learn it well, and looked forward to meeting China again.” Later, Xia Xuan, after completing her university studies in Russia, won the Chinese government scholarship to Northeast Normal University to start her study abroad career in China.
“The considerations for choosing to study in China include future development and the hope of gaining a closer understanding of China through living in China and deep communication with Chinese people, “Xia Xuan said, “Before coming to China to study, my friends around me, including myself, did not have enough understanding of China. When I first arrived in China, I found that the real China was different from what I saw in books. ‘Vitality‘ and ‘modernization‘ were my first impressions of China after studying abroad. Therefore, a new understanding of China is a dynamic process of deepening my understanding.”
This year is Xia Xuan’s seventh year of studying in China, and she said that China’s development has been integrated into her life. “I feel the speed of China shown by bullet train high-speed rail, the efficiency shown by online payment, the environmental protection shown by Waste sorting, and the Chinese responsibility shown by the the Belt and Road initiative.”
The trip to Guizhou provided Xia Xuan with an opportunity to further understand China. “China has a long history, rich resources, and diverse natural background, which has brought a variety of cultures. My biggest gain from participating in this trip is to feel the richness of culture. I hope to build a bridge for cultural exchanges in the future, and help Guizhou’s rural culture move towards the world.“
