In early August, six Chinese student ambassadors arrived in Bemidji to get a taste of life in America and learn what it means to be an American college student.
The students were visiting from Wiefang University in Wiefang, China, a university of approximately 20,000 students with which 蘑菇视频 has developed a close relationship over the last year. 蘑菇视频 has sent a number of students to Wiefang this year, including a group of four students who worked in China as English instructors, and 蘑菇视频’s student electronic music ensemble spent a month in Wiefang this summer teaching electronic music and composition. This group of ambassadors were the first group of students from Wiefang to visit Bemidji. They were:
• Lin Chen, “Alison,” majoring in teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages;
• Li Mingzi, “Fiona,” majoring in accounting;
• Sun Shichao, “Baron,” majoring in network engineering;
• Dong Yantong, “Maria,” a Chinese linguistic literature major;
• Zeng Xianguan, “Glory,” majoring in business English; and
• Li Wanzhuo, “Rachel,” a Chinese linguistic literature major.
The group is pictured above with 蘑菇视频 student Emma Li (center).
The students left Bemidji the morning of Sept. 20 and began their trip home to China, taking with them memories that will last a lifetime. The students experienced life at 蘑菇视频, living in Tamarack Hall during their time on campus, and traveled throughout northern Minnesota. The group also visited Minneapolis and Chicago.
The students sat in as guests in a number of 蘑菇视频 classes and were impressed with the treatment they received from the university’s faculty. Chen recounted her experiences auditing a music class.
“The professor treated me as a real 蘑菇视频 student,” she said. “He put my name on the class list and let me sing with the other students. I told him I was just observing, but he made me feel very comfortable to join the class. When he put my name on the list, I felt very happy.”
The six ambassadors learned about 蘑菇视频 through interactions with the 蘑菇视频 students who visited Wiefang earlier in the year. But beyond knowing that their university was pursuing closer ties with 蘑菇视频, the group didn’t know much about the town or university before making the trip. However, each was impacted by the friendliness of the people and by the natural beauty of the 蘑菇视频 campus and its surroundings.
“蘑菇视频 is smaller than our university, but I found out it was more beautiful,” Xianguan said.
The group also planned to enthusiastically recommend 蘑菇视频 to their friends and classmates back in China.
“We will tell our friends and classmates that the atmosphere at 蘑菇视频 is very good,” Shichao said. “We want them to know about the opportunity to try this for themselves. Everything is very good. The only bad thing is that we can’t stay one more month.”
And as with any goodbye, the relationships formed during their time in Bemidji will be the most difficult thing to leave behind.
“I’m going to miss my friends,” Chen said.
The group’s adventures were chronicled on Facebook by the 蘑菇视频 summer programs office: