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Office
of News and Information
July 11, 2005 |
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Students from China Visit Tyler and UT Tyler
Six students and two professors traveled from Qujing Normal University, which is southwest of China, to visit the state of Texas. Through classes at UT Tyler, interaction with American host families and traveling to large cities in Texas, they experienced American life and improved their English speaking skills. Their American experience culminated with a ceremony on June 30 during which they received certificates to commemorate the visit. While here, each student attended classes corresponding to their majors. “I have attended biology classes. The teachers are very interesting and the atmosphere is interactive,” said Shirley, a biology major. The students had a homeroom where they could ask questions or receive clarification about anything they did not understand. Dr. Marianthi Coroneou, a volunteer coordinator, served as a mentor for the students and taught idioms and slang terminology used in everyday conversation. Tyler families hosted the Chinese visitors and every eight to 10 days the students changed families to get a varied view of American culture and everyday family life. “Our host families take very good care of us. They speak slowly, and use words they think we will understand better,” said Amy, a political science major. “They cook American food for us and we cook Chinese dishes for them. We like them very much and we want to say thank you to them.” Among the American dishes they tried, the students enjoyed BBQ, tacos and ketchup. They were not fond of pizza, pudding, cheeses and fruits, and acknowledged a notable difference between Chinese and American food. “In Qujing, the meats, fruits and vegetables are very fresh. They do not come frozen. We can buy fruits and vegetables from the market the day they are picked. We are even nicknamed the kingdom of plants and animals,” said Mrs. Mo, professor and vice dean of the English department for non-majors at Qujing Normal University. The weather is also different in Qujing, which is located in the province of Yunnan. “It is very hot here,” said Simon, an English major. “In Qujing, the weather is very cool. People even live without air condition.” The students were also surprised to see so many trees and so much of the sky. “In Qujing, we have tall skyscrapers and not many trees. Most of the buildings here are two or three stories, and it is hard for me to tell the difference between a grocery and clothing store,” said Candy. To add to their American experience, the students also attended events and visited several cities in Texas including Dallas, San Antonio and Austin. “We have gone to the Caldwell Zoo, the Gladewater rodeo, Six Flags and a Rangers baseball game. It has all been very fun,” said Simon. Their visit was sponsored by the Tyler Qujing partnership. In February 2002, the Tyler City Commission adopted a “friendship-city” relationship between Qujing and Tyler. Business, government, education, medical, arts and sports leaders from both communities have exchanged visits and cooperated on various projects.
Contact person: Lisa Buchanan, (903) 565-5769
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