A PetrSU Student Spoke About Studying in the People's Republic of China
“I won the International Teacher of Chinese Language Grant (国际中文教师奖学金) at Liaodong University. It covers tuition, dormitory fees, and insurance. A monthly stipend is also provided.
I learned about this opportunity through the Academic Mobility Department at PetrSU. There was a post about the program on social media. The grant attracted me because of the opportunity to travel to China and experience Chinese culture and immerse myself in the language.
Naturally, there were certain requirements for applicants: a good level of Chinese proficiency (at least an HSK 3 certificate) and letters of recommendation from their institution and the host institution. A motivation letter in both Chinese and English was essential. I also had to provide a high school diploma or bachelor's degree. I supplemented my application with a letter of recommendation from my place of employment as a Chinese language teacher and various certificates of completion of Chinese language courses. The actual paperwork was fairly quick and simple; most of the time was spent writing the motivation letter and translating it. By that time, I already had my HSK certificate.
The Institute of Foreign Languages supported me, and I am very grateful to the institute's administration and all the teachers for this opportunity. Together, we developed an individualized curriculum and exam schedule.
Before the trip, I had virtually no fear, as my Chinese language skills are quite good and I was able to resolve any issues that arose independently.
Studying at the university was quite challenging (4 hours of classes and 7-8 hours of self-study), as I was transferred to an advanced group and had to master a huge number of words every day. There were also classes on Chinese culture, master classes, and creative pairings on painting, calligraphy, and singing in Chinese. I especially enjoyed the interview assignments. We had to interview Chinese students on campus, process the collected data, and then present it to the instructor. There was also a wonderful class on folk tales from different countries (we had to tell a tale in Chinese).
I really liked the teachers. They were moderately strict, but there was plenty of room for humor in class. They also integrated the Chinese worldview into the lessons – explaining cultural phenomena or how certain words or phrases were formed. My classmates were very friendly, and it was interesting to interact with them, as all the students in our programs were from different regions of Russia or from different countries.
Studying took up a lot of my time, so I didn't have the chance to visit many cities until the end of the semester. However, it was hard not to immerse myself in Chinese culture; it's a completely different world, and you see it everywhere. I was able to visit museums, stroll around the city, and experience the local cuisine. By the end of my studies, I had saved enough money to travel to two cities – Dalian and Beijing. This also provided me with unforgettable experiences.
After six months of studying in China, my language skills definitely improved, especially in listening. My perception of Chinese culture also changed; it was very interesting to "experience" everything I'd once read about in textbooks, especially Chinese holidays. I also began to better understand the components of Russian cultural code. I began to communicate more with people and learn information through conversation. I feel like in Russia we now rely heavily on apps that provide all the contact information, opening hours, prices, services, and so on. In China, such instructions aren't readily available, and sometimes you just need to ask someone you pass by.
For other students planning to apply for this grant, I would recommend that they begin participating more in clubs and conferences related to China. They could also conduct mini-research on the Chinese language or its teaching; all of this can be reflected in a motivation letter or mentioned in an interview. As for me, I plan to further develop my skills and abilities. I may even apply for a master's degree in China.
The PetrSU Academic Mobility Department thanks Anastasia for sharing her experience studying under the grant; it's important and invaluable. All of our students' feedback is not just stories about themselves, but an inspiration to others to believe in themselves and take advantage of the opportunities available!
