Midstate students travel to China with MTSU delegation

Aug 26, 2018 at 09:00 am by Voice Wire


HANGZHOU, China — Matthew Smith got to make Chinese dumplings. Alexis Huber didn’t think she’d ever see duck heads on the menu for breakfast. And Justin Reed ate jellyfish.

But these three Midstate youths, who recently returned from China, sampled more than just exotic foods as part of a delegation of Nashville-area schoolchildren, parents and educators participating in an educational exchange organized by Middle Tennessee State University with a top Chinese magnet school system.

The 36-member delegation, in the country for two weeks, visited classrooms, participated in enrichment activities and visited with Chinese families as part of the reciprocal exchange with Dongcheng Educational Group. They also toured sites in Hangzhou and Beijing, including walking a stretch of The Great Wall of China.

It was the fourth trip led by MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and his wife, retired Murfreesboro City Schools teacher Elizabeth McPhee. Other such MTSU delegations visited China in 2012, 2014 and 2016, and Dongcheng students came to Murfreesboro in 2013, 2015 and 2017.

MTSU first lady Elizabeth McPhee, right, a retired schoolteacher with Murfreesboro City Schools, led the education portion of the MTSU July trip to China and conducted workshops with Chinese teachers and students at the Dongcheng Educational Group. (MTSU photo)


 

“This is not a restful trip,” said President McPhee. “The students, teachers and parents who come get up and out early and are always ‘on,’ either engaged in classroom exchanges or representing their schools and our university as part of a high-profile delegation.

“But, almost to a person, every one of them says it’s an experience of a lifetime.”

“My trip to China was an amazing experience and I have met many new friends,” said Helen Smith, 12, of Murfreesboro. “My older brother and sister went to China on MTSU’s first and second trips to this country. They had a great time and I knew I wanted to go someday.”

Alexis, 12, of Franklin, said, “It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. And I have made so many new friends. I now have a better appreciation of the Chinese culture and hope to return to China in the future.”

“Every day in China was a new experience,” said Justin, 17, also of Franklin. “One night, I saw the most amazing and vibrant show I have ever seen – ‘The Romance of the Song Dynasty.’ The colors and dancing were spectacular to me because everything seemed to flow very seamlessly.”

Dongcheng, an affiliate of Hangzhou Normal University, oversees a network of magnet-style schools in and near Hangzhou, located in China’s eastern region. The goal of the back-and-forth exchanges is to share best practices with educators on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

“Next summer, a delegation of Chinese students will come to America and my family will have the opportunity to host students,” said Matthew, 11, of Murfreesboro. “We will get to show them our culture, our customs, our education and many more things! It will be exciting to see both sides of this cultural and educational experience.”

MTSU’s Confucius Institute, a joint effort between Hangzhou Normal and MTSU, oversees the annual exchange. Families paid their travel expenses to China, but most housing and travel costs were covered by the institute and Dongcheng.

Named for the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, the institute is sponsored by China’s Education Ministry to promote Chinese language, history and culture through tours, exchanges and university partnerships. There are more than 440 institutes in 120 countries.

Under the leadership of Director Guanping Zheng, MTSU’s institute has helped teach Chinese language and culture to more than 2,000 students in seven Tennessee counties. It also offers long-distance language training via satellite TV and the Internet.

— Andrew Oppmann (andrew.oppmann@mtsu.edu)

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