Chinese language teachers from China at INRTU: about profession, culture and Irkutsk

A wonderful group of Chinese language teachers from China has been working at the Irkutsk National Research Technical University since October 2024. They are postgraduate students Chen Xi and Suo Mening, as well as experienced teacher Chen Xianjun. They told us about their impressions on working in Irkutsk and about the specific features of teaching Chinese and living in Russia.

Personal information and their way to Russia

Chen Xi, 28, originally from Jiangsu Province, studied at the Hainan University of Technology before coming to Irkutsk. She has experience of working as a translator from English, she took part in several crosscultural projects. Chen Xi had always been interested in Russia and was open to new experiences: «When I was choosing a program for myself, I decided that I wanted to discover Russia, and, frankly speaking, this country turned out to be incredible.»

Suo Mening, 23, originally from Hainan Province, is also a graduate student at Hainan University. Previously a tea ceremony practitioner and traditional ritualist, she came to Irkutsk to try her hand at teaching Chinese: «I wanted to see the world and learn about other cultures. Working in Irkutsk is really inspiring.»

Chen Xianjun, 55, originally from Suizhou City, is a teacher with over 30 years of experience. While teaching English and History in China, he worked abroad extensively in different professional fields: «My work abroad has opened up new horizons for me, and now I want to pass on my experience to students in Russia so that they can get to know China better.»

Why did they choose to go to Irkutsk?

For each of the teachers, the choice of Irkutsk was based on different reasons. Chen Xi noted that she was attracted by the proximity to the Baikal and the atmosphere at the university.

So Mening chose Irkutsk through her collaboration with Hainan University, and she was inspired by the stories of her mentor who visited the city. She watched many videos about the university before coming to Irkutsk and was captivared by the atmosphere.

Chen Xianjun emphasizes the importance of developing Chiniese-Russian ties, and also added that he is very glad about the opportunity to get more acquainted with Russian culture. At first he found some things, especially the climate, a bit unfamiliar.

What do they like about teaching?

Teachers note that students have high interest in the Chinese language and culture. Chen Xi finds a lot of inspiration in her work: «Classes with Russian students make me look at my homeland in a new way. Some of my students have visited China and listening to their points of view makes me think about things I never thought about before. I began to understand China better thanks to their observations.»

So Mening shares warm impressions: «The people here are very kind and responsive. We are not just a teacher and students, but real friends.». As So Mening states, teaching made her view of things deeper. So Mening comments that Russian students are very diligent and always come prepared for class.

Chen Xianjun added that not only students are interested in learning Chinese. Teachers are equally enthusiastic to learn it and are making a good progress. This strengthens his confidence on how important teaching Chinese language is.

Memorable moments

Chen Xi told us that her student invited her to celebrate New Year together, and that they had a good time despite the language barrier.

Chen Xianjun shared his thoughts on cultural festival "Baikal - China", which took place in INRTU in October. Chen Xi noticed that many of Russian students are interested in Chinese culture: «Russian students enthusiastically participated in different festival activities which left a deep impression on me».

Future cooperation

The teachers are confident that their work in Irkutsk is not only an opportunity to transfer knowledge, but also a way to strengthen friendly ties between China and Russia. "We want to introduce students to Chinese culture and language, as well as create strong, friendly relations between people," Chen Xianjun concluded.

For Chinese teachers, INRTU has become not only a workplace, but an important stage in personal and professional growth. Their mission here is not only teaching, but also building bridges between cultures that can lead to mutual respect and cooperation.