"The Little UN" Where the Official Language Is Chinese

By Staff Reporter ZHANG XIAOHUA

Name: Adam Ruf Nationality: American Major: Chinese

Celebrated as "the Little UN," in 40 years the Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) has trained some 60,000 international students from 167 countries. As the only international university in China teaching Chinese language and culture to foreign students, it has more foreign students than Chinese. Korean students have formed a Korean community in a district near the university, where they rent apartments and stage their own activities. There is a special Ten-thousand-country Wall inside the campus, on which are engraved the names of foreign students' countries. Even though the university is flooded with different peoples, languages and cultures, all speak Chinese as well as the natives. In the Little UN, Chinese is the official language.

Curious Adam Ruf

Adam had had little knowledge of China or its people until he made Chinese friends on the Internet. He then became so curious that he studied Chinese language and calligraphy, and took three trips to China. "When I walk on the street in China everyone looks at me because I'm a foreigner, which makes me feel special. Nobody notices me in America!" In September 2003, Adam came to BLCU to study Chinese.

"I think being in China is about the opportunity to practice Chinese, and I am very happy with the courses here."

There are some differences between universities in China and America. "I feel much safer in a Chinese university. In America, schools are set up within the city. There is no gate and no security guard. People outside the school can enter the campus freely." However, he thinks the regulations are too strict in some aspects. For example, students have to show their ID cards to enter the dormitory buildings, and it is hard for Adam to have his friends from outside the campus come to his dorm. The Chinese teaching style is also different. In America, teachers use stories and examples outside of the textbooks that students read themselves after classes. However, Chinese teachers teach things straight from the textbook. "I am used to the teaching style now," says Adam. Chinese teachers are amiable and considerate. In October, Adam fell ill and was hospitalized for a week. He felt lonely in bed with nothing to do, and it touched him deeply when his teacher, Miss Zhu, visited him and brought flowers and fruit juice whenever she was free.

Adam studies here on a state scholarship, and is satisfied with the accommodation and services provided by the university. Its various canteens offer Western, Chinese, and halal food. Students greatly appreciate the basketball, volleyball, tennis, football and baseball facilities. The new gymnasium has a swimming pool, several badminton courts and space for table tennis, bowling, recreation and working-out. Adam had heard that there was no hot water at Chinese universities, but at BLCU, it is available 24 hours. Adam would like to see more open classrooms for students to study in at the university, as the library is often crowded.

There are about 20 students representing six nationalities in Adam's class. "It is very interesting to be with so many people from different countries. I can hear different languages and music and learn about different cultures. The most interesting thing is that we all speak Chinese." Adam finds making friends with Chinese people very easy. As a matter of fact, he has so many friends that he is too busy to meet more. They do the kinds of things all young people like to do.

Adam will go back to Minnesota in two years. "But after my graduation in America, I will come to Beijing to find a job," he says. "As I can speak English and Chinese, it will be easy for me to find a good job. I want to find work in human resources with an international company here."

Independent Evelyne Schmidt

Name: Evenlyne Schmidt Nationality: Austrian Major: Chinese

Evenlyne Schmidt from Niederoesterreich, Austria, is an independent student of Chinese. Yi Wen, as she is known in Chinese, only had access to six hours of Chinese classes a week in Austria, which was far from enough to practice her oral Chinese. Unlike the other foreign students who like living in the international students dorms, she prefers living outside the campus with her three cats and local Chinese neighbors. "I think Chinese culture is very interesting," she says. "As China's economy becomes stronger and stronger, the Austrian government encourages its citizens to learn Chinese to enhance economic cooperation between our two countries. I think BLCU is the best university to learn Chinese and Chinese culture."

Evelyne likes the Chinese teaching style. "Many students sit in a classroom and practice oral Chinese. It reminds me of the happy life of my primary and high schools." For those who know nothing about Chinese, teachers are very patient as students slowly make progress. Evelyne has a good time with her international classmates at school, but outside classes prefers associate with more Chinese people. This helps her learn about Chinese culture, and practice Chinese more than she could if she stayed on campus. She loves the healthy Chinese food, and plans to travel to all of China's provinces during vacations. But two years will not be enough. She wishes that she could skip her heavy homework so as to see more interesting things and meet more Chinese people.

Evelyne is not sure whether she will stay in China or not, but to become an ambassador to China is her long-held dream.

According to a university official, more than half of the foreign students of BLCU want to stay in China after graduation.

In 2002, there were some 8,000 foreign students from 144 nationalities studying at BLCU. Because of the impact of SARS, the number declined to 3,486 in 2003, but that year 92 foreign students received master degrees and five their PHDs. The top three countriesthat foreign students come from are Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.

Related link:

Admission Office for Foreign Students

Beijing Language and Culture University

15 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100083

Tel: 0086-10-82303086 0086-10-82303088

0086-10-82303951

Fax: 0086-10-82303087

E-mail: zhaosh1@blcu.edu.cn (for long term)

Zhaosh2@blcu.edu.cn (for short-term)

Zhaosh3@blcu.edu.cn (for short-term)

Zhaosh4@blcu.edu.cn (for culture study)

Web-site: http://www.blcu.edu.cn/

Please log on http://www.studyinchina.net.cn/ to find out more information.