by Derick Strode

Seven Gatton Academy students are in China this winter term studying with WKU’s Chinese Language Flagship Pilot Program.  The Gatton Academy students join seven additional WKU students from the program and two students from the University of Miami.

The students are studying at Nankai University in Tianjin, China.  Since arriving, the students have settled into the city of 12 million people and have gotten acquainted with the university.

The New Year’s holiday weekend gave students some free time to get out and explore.  “To get adjusted to the city, we got in cabs and chose a random destination that we found on a map or online and then explored the area,” said second-year student Jared Mink.  “We always try to pick a new part of the city– that way we can get a better feel for Tianjin culture.”

Senior Ballard Metcalfe elaborated on the Chinese taxi experience.  “My favorite part about being in Tianjin is conversing with the local taxi drivers.  They are a good resource to practice Chinese with and they like to talk to Americans.  They are always helpful in correcting my Chinese.”

The students live on campus at Nankai University and are being introduced to the student lifestyle of their Chinese contemporaries.  Students are free at meal times to eat where they choose, but the campus dining options are proving popular.  Senior Amy Cordero commented on the Chinese dining experience, “Often times we eat in the Chinese style where we all order a different dish, but yet they are all put in the middle and we share them.”  Students have tried uniquely Chinese dishes, including BBQ squid, seahorse, jellyfish, and of course, Peking duck.

Students attend Chinese language class each weekday and alternate between a second class of calligraphy and shadow boxing.  One special feature of this trip is that every student has been assigned a one-on-one language mentor with a Nankai University student.  Each day, students meet with their mentor to practice speaking Chinese with a native-speaking peer and to use their language in real-world settings.

“My fudao laoshi (one-on-one mentor) and I ate dinner at a student cafeteria on campus where I was able to review the Chinese names of certain food items.  Today, we plan to play ping-pong,” said second-year Samuel Firkins.

Students are looking forward to the next two weekends as well.  This weekend, students will visit the Huangyaguan Great Wall and the following weekend will be spent in the capital city of Beijing.

Gatton Academy students participating in the program and currently studying abroad in China are Amy Cordero (Pikeville), Samuel Firkins (Taylorsville), Jason Ludden (Columbia), Ballard Metcalfe (Eminence), Jared Mink (East Bernstadt), Sarah Schrader (Bowling Green), and Benjamin Venable (LaGrange).

A blog is being updated throughout the trip by WKU Alive Center’s Cheryl Kirby-Stokes at http://cheryl-lostintranslation.blogspot.com/.