Student Stories

At this time, there are more than 30 students studying in Wenzhou-Kean University who come from different ethnic minority groups in China. They are of Manchu, Hui, She, Yi, Miao, Korean, Tujia, Mongolian, Buyi and Gelao decent.

Hang Bai, freshman, Buyi (Interviewee)

“While studying at the Wenzhou-Kean University, students develop friendships with each other, and I have made many friends with people from different provinces. I recently realized that different regions have their own unique customs and cultures.”

When describing the life at WKU, Hang Bai said he likes the food here better than anything else.

“Neither the names of the dishes nor the ingredients resemble the food from my hometown. Sweet is the preferable flavor in Wenzhou dishes, while spicy is not. However, in my hometown, many dishes are spicy. Because of that, I still cannot get used to the dishes here.”

Hang Bai looked frustrated when he talked about language.

“In a mixed environment like WKU, students can only communicate with each other in Mandarin and English. Most of students cannot understand the dialects from different provinces, let alone another language from another minority group.”

Still, WKU is giving Hang Bai a new and exciting life experience.

“WKU is a big family that consists of people of different national and ethnic identities. The cultural diversity here provides everyone the opportunity to learn about other people and their cultures.”

Wanjing Liu, Mongolian (Interviewee)

“I came to the south from the north, crossing hundreds of miles. The vast land that China has is incredible, so many things in the north are different from the south. Therefore, my heart was full of anxiety and worries when I first came to WKU. However, after living here for several months, I have been moved by the kindness and warm hearts of the people at WKU. The friendships I have created here are invaluable. People have come from all over the China, and I have really learned a lot from them.”

For a minority student who comes from the north and has experienced the extreme cold of winter, the biggest challenge is the climate. “The first winter here was not as cold as I thought it would be. This winter might have seemed even warmer, however, the cold snap during the spring felt even colder than my hometown because the air in the south is so humid and weather is so wet!”

Though the weather is cold, her passion for WKU never wanes.

“I love the life here and I have learnt a lot. The World-class education that the school provides helps me to make great strides in my English ability. Most importantly, the harmonious environment here makes me feel just like home.”

By Student Media Center

Translated by Zhu Peiqi and Lou Zongxiang