Jointly organized by the International College of Xiamen University and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), the Journey to the East trip started on April 7 and came to a successful end on April 11. This time, a total of 13 teachers and students from UCLan visited the International College. This trip allowed Chinese and British students to learn from each other, and provided British students with opportunities to experience and practice traditional Chinese culture, local culture and folk culture in various forms such as courses, topic discussions, practical activities, sightseeing, etc.

Chinese and British Students Come Together and Exchange Ideas

To welcome the members of the Journey to the East group, an opening ceremony was held by the International College in Conference Room A104 on the morning of April 8. Attendees were as follows: Professor Tao Tao, Dean of Overseas Education College and the International College, Ms. Fu Wanli, Deputy Dean of Overseas Education College and the International College, Mr. Jin Kaiqi, Foreign Affairs Secretary of the International College, Ms. Gong Rongxiu and Ms. Lai Jingpin, Lecturers for Hospitality Management, and all the members of the Journey to the East group including the students from UCLan, Ms. Louise, Academic Resource and Portfolio Director of Lancashire School of Business and Enterprise, Professor Kelly for Hospitality Management and Professor Joe at Lancashire School of Business and Enterprise. The ceremony was hosted by Ms. Shi Fengxia, the leader of the Hospitality Management Faculty Team at the International College.

At the opening ceremony, the dean, Professor Tao, gave a warm welcome to the teachers and students from UCLan and introduced that Quanzhou, as the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, was an important channel of China’s external cultural exchange and that the “Journey to the East” group would explore Chinese culture at this starting point of the Maritime Silk Road, which was of great significance. He hoped this trip could enhance the students’ understanding of Eastern and Western cultures, and promote the friendship between two universities and between China and the U.K. Ms. Louise, Academic Resource and Portfolio Director of Lancashire School of Business and Enterprise, expressed her gratitude for the warm reception from the International College and said that Journey to the East was a good opportunity for British students to experience Chinese traditional culture and would be a meaningful experience for them. She hoped this could also promote the communication between UCLan and the International College.

In the following interactive session, students from the International College organized some cultural activities with Chinese characteristics such as Chinese language learning, Chinese paper cutting, wrapping spring rolls, writing Chinese characters with Chinese writing brush, etc. During these activities, the cooperation between the Chinese and British students had made their communication and interaction closer.

The Students Go Deep into the Enterprise and Appreciate the Beauty of Xiamen Island

On April 9, accompanied by teachers and students from the International College, the members of Journey to the East went to the Conrad Hotel to learn about the operation of the hotel. The group received a warm welcome from Mr. Josan, the manager of the hotel, and Ms. Yang Mei, Director of Human Resources Department. Afterwards, Mr. Lin, the manager of Human Resources Department, introduced to the group the brand culture and characteristics of the hotel, and led the students to visit different departments and guest rooms, so the students could gain a basic understanding of how the hotel operated.

In the afternoon, the group visited Xiamen Yingcai School and interacted with the students there. They experienced featured activities like making dumplings and making figurines of Hui’an women out of clay.

Later, the group went to Xiamen University, Cat Street, Zhongshan Road, Shapowei Art Zone and other places with Xiamen characteristics. They also experienced the Cashless Payment activity, and tasted the local food like Fried Oyster, Shacha Noodles (Satay Noodles) and Sea Worm Jelly, etc. The group strolled in the sunshine, conversing pleasantly and savoring the history and cultural heritage of Xiamen island.

The Students Visit Quanzhou, the Starting Point of the Maritime Silk Road

The last stop of Journey to the East” was Quanzhou, the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. When visiting the Quanzhou Museum, the students from the International College tried their best to explain to the British students some terms related to southern Fujian culture, architectural culture, farming culture and folk culture inheritance, helping them understand the history of this unique ancient city.

From the West Street to the thousand-year-old Kaiyuan Temple, the members of Journey to the East were impressed by the bustling scenes, the towering twin towers and the numerous ancient folk dwellings of southern Fujian. They strolled through the streets, appreciated the scenery, and listened attentively to the story of this ancient city.

Later on, the group returned to the college and attended the closing ceremony held at the Yifu Building. Ms. Louise presented certificates and took photos for all the students. This trip had come to a successful conclusion.

It is learned that Journey to the East, as UCLan’s brand project for cultural exchange between Chinese and British students, has received many positive responses from both Chinese and British universities. So far, the International College has jointly held Journey to the East for three times. Through this project, Chinese and British students communicated with each other and enhanced their friendship. This project has also made a large contribution to helping students broaden their horizons, establishing a platform for cultural exchanges and friendship building between Chinese and British students, increasing the interaction between Chinese and British universities and promoting the development of international education.