A TOTAL of 316 students of Chinese descent, born and raised in eight countries, celebrated their first traditional New Year in Qingdao on Jan. 1. It was their first New Year in China and all the children were excited at the New Year party held at Jiangning Chamber. More than 20 students gave a small performance at the party, expressing their love for Qingdao. Born in Indonesia, Ou Hailun was extremely excited about spending her New Year in Qingdao. “We also set off fireworks during the New Year in Indonesia, but it is the first time I have tried candied gourd and hotpot. I will tell my parents about everything I see in China,” Ou said. Ou learnt a lot about Qingdao and China during her trip. “Qingdao is very beautiful and I like the sea. We also visited the beer museum and learnt a lot about China. I hope I can have the chance to go to high school in Beijing because I want to learn more about Chinese culture and Chinese characters,” said Ou. The Qingdao University winter camp also prepared programs for the students, such as teaching them how to make Chinese knots and Chinese paintings. They also sing Chinese songs to the audiences and organizers. (Wang Yuanyuan, Zhao Jie) |