Source: School of International Studies
Written by: School of International Studies, CYL Working Committee of Zhuhai Campus
Edited by: Wang Dongmei
On the evening of November 1, the culture salon “College Life We Share, Global View We Bear” was held on Zhuhai Campus. It was the second of the lecture series "Global Idea, New Horizon" hosted by the CYL Working Committee of Zhuhai Campus and organized by the School of International Studies. International students from the UK, Portugal, France, Spain, Germany and Mexico were invited to share their college life in their home countries with Chinese students and interact with the audience. The culture salon was also supported by "International Bridge" 2013, a campus public program of the Students Affairs Office of Sun Yat-sen University.
International students interacting with the audience
The first presenter was Rhian, a beautiful sunshine girl from Liverpool, UK. She described the colorful extracurricular life of British college students. She also talked about the differences between the dormitories in SYSU and the ones in the UK, offering a new perspective for us to view our dormitory culture.
The second presenter was Andreia from Portugal. She talked about her college experience and Portuguese drinking culture. She also compared students’ expectations for university and the reality in Portuguese colleges, and drew a conclusion about the growth of students during the 3-year college life — from indulging in playing to becoming independent and responsible. Her presentation struck a chord with the audience.
The third presenter was Clothilde from Lyon, France. Her PPT, presented in Chinese, prompted a storm of applause. She led the audience in a tour of the beautiful and romantic campus of Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3.
With an upbeat music, Spanish student Miguel stepped to the stage and asked the audience to stand up and dance. He said that although Spain was in financial crisis with high unemployment rate, Spanish people still loved and enjoyed their life as shown in the music and dance.
Then two girls from Germany, Barbara and Simone, introduced the college life in Augsburg. Barbara showed the activities and food in their traditional festivals, while Simone talked about how German students studied — for instance, the attendance check was not as strict as the one in SYSU. Every college student was an adult and should be responsible for their behaviors. Their lively talk impressed the audience.
The last presentation was given by Pepe from Mexico. As he had studied in Spain, the UK and France before, he was able to perceive the topic “Global View, New Horizon” in his unique way. In the UK, he was exposed to the rigorous academic atmosphere in the University of Oxford; in France, he experienced the romantic and entertaining life of Paris; in Spain, he fully enjoyed himself and had a relaxed life. Hence, he said: “In order to have a global view and a new horizon, we need to travel more and experience more.”
During the Q&A session, the audiences actively put forward their questions, ranging widely from study to part-time jobs and spare time plans. The international students answered the questions with humor and patience. One of the questions was: “As the topic for today is ‘Global View, New Horizon’, so what kind of global view do you think we shall bear in mind?” The international students expressed their own opinions towards this question and agreed that only with an open heart, which meant not to define and conclude too early but to explore the reasons behind, can people know more about a brand new culture. Then the international students asked different kinds of questions about the college life in China. Many Chinese students present raised their hands and answered the questions.
This event was not only a culture salon but also a short trip around the world. It promoted communication between Chinese students and international students, fostering a global view and establishing friendly relations.
