Summer School in Anshan: Learning Chinese and Hiking in the Mountains

INRTU students completed their studies at the Summer School of the University of Science and Technology Liaoning. They studied Chinese, explored temple complexes, and went hiking in the mountains within the national park

The University of Science and Technology Liaoning (USTL) is located in the city of Anshan, the center of China's metallurgical industry. The university was founded in 1948. It mainly trains students in engineering professions. The university has over 20,000 students. In July of this year, USTL organized a Summer School for Russians. INRTU students joined the two-week project. Arsenii Skarupke, a second-year student of the "International Economics and Business" program at INRTU, shared his impressions. According to Arseniy, the educational part of the trip included classes in spoken and written Chinese. The lessons were held in the mornings. The students were divided into groups that included learners with advanced and almost zero knowledge of the language.

"I believe that the internship was very useful from the point of view of my professional development. Nowadays, knowledge of Chinese with a focus on economics opens up great opportunities, and who, if not a native speaker, can better share the nuances of pronunciation? The Chinese language attracts me with its writing system. During my studies, problems arose only with tones, but all of this is developed over time. I am sure that in 3-4 years I will definitely pass the HSK exam," 

the student said. 

The participants of the school managed to see quite a few sights. These included Tianshan Park, the jade Buddha statue, and the scenic area of the Benxi Water Cave.

"The thing I remember most is the hike with the group in the mountains. Tianshan National Park seemed to me a beautiful place with fascinating temples and magnificent nature. During my time in China, I managed to try a lot of local food — from the most famous dishes to ones that are unpopular even among Chinese people. What pleased me was that food in China is quite affordable: without a big budget, you can try almost anything you want," 

said Arsenii.

The students were accommodated in the campus dormitory. They lived in spacious double rooms equipped with air conditioners. There was a canteen near the dormitory. The participants of the program paid for meals, as well as plane and train tickets, at their own expense. Polina Zorina, a student of the Baikal School of BRICS, left a vivid review of this trip for the VK community  of the International Office. She was especially impressed by the rich cultural program:

"Everything was very diverse: hikes in the mountains, temple complexes, tea workshops, museums, as well as calligraphy and Chinese folk-art lessons. The climate turned out to be a bit unusual, as it is much hotter than ours. I believe that the summer school is a good place to understand China and life inside the country, rather than 'the picture we often see on the Internet.”

For all questions concerning international exchange programs, you can get a consultation in room I-303b, as well as by phone +79086609773 (Telegram, MAX), or by email: mobility@ex.istu.edu