Second-year students of Derzhavin University majoring in Foreign Philology – Daria Kolodina, Arianna Oganesyan, Ekaterina Popova and Alina Shestopalova returned home after completing their studies at the School of International Education of Hainan University (PRC). During their internship, the girls improved their level of key competencies, deepened their knowledge of the Chinese language, immersed themselves in the cultural environment of China, and gained significant experience in language practice.
– For me, this was my second internship at Hainan University. Thanks to my acquaintance with the city, campus and the format of the classes, I was able to fully concentrate on learning Chinese, which was also facilitated by the comfortable environment – a new dormitory with a convenient work area, proximity to food outlets with tasty and affordable food, healthy sea air, – says Derzhavin University student Daria Kolodina. – The curriculum became more complex, another subject was added in the second semester, so it took much more time to study. However, studying is interesting: the teachers are new every semester and each has their own approach to the subject taught, an original way to make the curriculum understandable and exciting. At the end of the internship, we were able to independently establish communication with native speakers and solve life problems related to communication in Chinese, which can serve as an indicator of the quality of the training received.
In addition to the curriculum, students of Derzhavin University got acquainted with the sights of China, became participants in national holidays. Among the most striking events is the Dragon Boat Festival, which is included in the UNESCO list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. During the event, Derzhavin University students watched with great interest the rowing competitions on stylized boats, and were also able to taste a traditional treat - zongzi - rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves.
– The unique opportunity to do an internship on Hainan Island, provided by Derzhavin University, became a real chance not only to hone my linguistic skills, but also to immerse myself in the very heart of Chinese culture. Every day spent in China gave me invaluable experience, rich and multifaceted. This is not just studying grammar and hieroglyphs, but a complete immersion in the unique atmosphere of this ancient country, with its incomprehensible wealth of traditions, customs and philosophical views, – noted Derzhavin University student Arianna Oganesyan. – This year, studying has become much more difficult than last year. The transition to a higher level expanded my horizons, setting new complex tasks for me. The teachers are true professionals in their field – they helped not only to master the intricacies of Chinese grammar and vocabulary, but also shared their invaluable experience, revealing to us the amazing world of Chinese culture. During my internship, I actively looked for opportunities to practice the language, communicated with local residents, Chinese students and teachers. Gradually, my vocabulary expanded, which added to my confidence and gave me the opportunity to actively communicate with native speakers.
