On the afternoon of April 5, 2022, the College of International Education and the International Exchange Association held an ExChat Hometown Tasting Online Meeting for international students from all over the world. The event invited Chinese students from our university to tell international students about their hometown's scenic spots, cultural heritage, food, cultural specialties and local dialects, spread Chinese culture and enhance friendship between Chinese and foreign students through online communication. At the same time, as the host, we also sent an invitation to international students, hoping that after the epidemic, they can visit the different cities of China to learn about local culture and taste local food.
The online exchange, which used the food of their hometown as a starting point, students from China volunteered to introduce the characteristics of their hometown. Xu Nan from Jiangsu Province showcased famous attractions in various cities in the province, such as Nanjing Xuanwu Lake, Confucius Temple, Yangzhou Slender West Lake, Suzhou gardens and famous snacks, including Crab soup dumplings, Beggar's Chicken, Yangzhou fried rice and Xuyi thirteen-spice crawfish. Gan Yuan from Anhui Province introduced the characteristics of various cities in the province, including Hui Opera, Huangmei Opera, Lao Jiao liquor, and tea. Chen Yefan, Guo Huanyu, Li Kecheng, Xu Lixian and other students also introduced their hometowns like Shanghai, Guizhou, Sichuan and Dongbei.Through PowerPoint and video presentations, everyone has a more intuitive understanding of the colorful culture, intoxicating scenery and different dialects of various Chinese cities.
NZOUNOU JEFFERSON PRINCE AMOUR, an international student from Republic of Congo, said after the meeting: "I was very shocked after participating in this sharing session. I found that there are so many beautiful cities in China, and I want to travel to these places after the epidemic is over." Other international students also said that after the activity, they learned about major cities in China on the cloud, felt the vastness and profoundness of China, and deepened their love for China.
The successful holding of this event not only enhanced the friendship between the international students and Chinese students, but also enhanced their understanding of China. Helping international students to understand Chinese culture through the introduction of China's beautiful cities is an important part of the implementation of the "Study in Shanghai" plan. In the context of Shanghai's epidemic prevention and control, the cloud-based communication not only strengthened the closeness of hearts and relieved the psychological pressure during the quarantine, but also enhanced the understanding and emotion of international students about China.
Written by: Zhang Ruyi
Photos by: Xu Nan
Reviewed by: Chen Wei
