On Campuses

International and Chinese students discover SYSU together

Source: School of Chinese as a Second Language
Written by: Liang Xiexin, Zi Juan, Sun Di’ao
Translated by: Kang Jie
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

This activity was one of the “Outing” series for international students, which was co-organized by School of Chinese as a Second Language (SCSL) and Volunteers Association for Admission Publicity at SYSU. The sites of the orienteering were landmarks on Honglok Campus including Swasey Hall, Statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Martin Hall, University Motto, Eighteen Bronze Statues Square, Library and Scholar Archway. The activity aimed to increase international students’ knowledge about the campus and lay an emotional foundation for their future study.

International students and Chinese volunteers studying the campus map together
 
When the event kicked off, the international students rushed out excitedly. In front of the University Motto, they were not baffled by the complex traditional Chinese characters. Instead, they copied the motto on the paper carefully and asked the volunteers to explain its meaning. The international students learned about the history of SYSU while they were looking for treasures. With the help of volunteers, they overcame the language barrier and accomplished their tasks successfully. After the event, Chinese volunteers also gave traditional Chinese gifts to international students.

The international students enjoyed the beauty of Honglok Campus and had a taste of the history and culture of SYSU. A student from the U.S. said, “The more I know about Sun Yat-sen University, the more I find it beautiful.” He felt lucky and proud because he had an opportunity to study at SYSU. The enthusiasm of international students touched the Chinese student volunteers.

It is learned that this orienteering is the first activity jointly organized by SCSL and a student association. With the biggest number of international students, SCSL plans to cooperate with more student associations to provide a multicultural environment for both international and Chinese students at SYSU.