On July 14th, the 2024 "Chinese Bridge" Summer Camp of Confucius Institute at San Marino University themed on "Crossing Thousands of Miles to Gather in Beijing City University” came to a successful conclusion.
The 14-day summer camp featured not only HSK3-related Chinese language courses but also lectures on contemporary China, China's world heritage sites, the health benefits of traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese handicraft workshops, traditional Chinese sports, and Beijing local culinary culture. Complementing these activities, field trips provided insights into the architectural aesthetics of the Place Museum, the philosophical concept of "harmony between heaven and humanity" in the Temple of Heaven, the wisdom behind the urban planning and development of Beijing, the residential culture hidden in Beijing's hutongs, and the transformation of Olympic legacies in Beijing. The students personally visited famous attractions and experienced the local customs and culture of Beijing.
During the closing ceremony, the teacher Wang Lijian from the International Affairs Office presented the students with certificates of completion and souvenirs, congratulating them on successfully completing the summer camp. She encouraged the students to continue studying Chinese upon returning to their home countries and to maintain their enthusiasm for Chinese culture.
At last, a Chinese student Liu Junxi, and an international student Chiara (Qiqi), shared their experiences from the summer camp. Liu Junxi mentioned that the 14 days passed too quickly, and he was deeply touched by his international friends’ enthusiasm for learning Chinese and their curiosity about Chinese culture. He hopes to improve his calligraphy and Chinese painting skills so that he can share this knowledge with them in the future. Chiara (Qiqi) said she would miss the teachers and friends here very much, saying everyone as warm and hospitable. She used the Chinese idiom "宾至如归" to express her feelings. She was delighted to use her newly learned Chinese in shopping and asking for directions, and was very much looking forward to her next visit to China.
