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Special Editorial Announcement:
There will be a major change for our Newsletter format from last quarter of 2010.
We are not going to use current format for Newsletter from now. The contents will be
re-organized into a few new sections on the web index page. New topics include
"News and Events", "Chinese Language & Cultural Center" and "Students Forum".
New contents will be updated more frequently. Global Exchange Center on Dec. 2010. |
Global Exchange Newsletter May - September 2010 We are glad to present you our 2010 first issue Newsletter and hope you enjoy it.
In This Edition:
What is new in Global Exchange?
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Chinese programs for the kids 2010 |
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New course on Erhu, the most beautiful and haunting
sound in Chinese music instruments |
Current Students Interview
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Mr. Filippo Fasulo from Italy |
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Mr. Marcos Roberto Fagundes from Brazil
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Connecting with Alumn
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Ms. Laura Demurtas from Italy |
Get to know Global Exchange
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Teacher interview: Mr. Gao Feng |
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Chinese programs for the kids 2010
Once again, our center offers Chinese kids programs in summer time with the flexibility and fun. |
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Some families took the kids to Beijing to arrange tours for themselves at same time request to have tailor made Chinese course for kids in their hotels. Some parents book the private or semi-private classes for the kids in our center. Like in prior years, the key concern for kids Chinese programs are to enhance the motivation for kids to learn Chinese in long terms. So the programs combine characters learning, short stories telling, and daily conversation training plus Chinese chess and some games playing. |
New course on Erhu, the most beautiful and haunting sound in Chinese music instruments
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The Erhu ¨C ¶þºú£¬itself was first described in the Tang Dynasty(618-907).
The sound body of the Erhu is a drum-like little case usually made of ebony or sandalwood and snake skins. It usually has a hexagonal shape with the length of approximately 13 cm. The front opening is covered with skin of python (snake) and that of the back is left open. The functions of this case of resonance are to amplify the vibrations of the strings. The neck of the Erhu is about 81 cm long and is manufactured with the same materials as the drum. The top of the stem is bent for decoration. The two strings of the Erhu is usually tuned D and A. The two tuning handles (pegs) are found close to the end of the stem. |
The instrument is played by moving the bow horizontally through the two vertical strings. The bow is 76 cm long and is manufactured of reed which one curves during cooking, and arched with horsehair in the same way as the bow of violin. However, in the case of Erhu, the horsehair runs between the two strings. In another word, one cannot take off the bow from the instrument unless one of the two strings is taken off or broken.
The Erhu is mainly a instrument for melody in a sense like voice. The left hand slides up and down the instrument while fingers pressing the strings to create desired pitch and "sliding" effects. The right hand pushes the horse hair against this or that string while moving horizontally, to create the sounds on either of the two strings.
Our part time Erhu teacher: Felicia Gao
Felicia started to learn Erhu when she was 12 years old and her first Erhu was the gift from her grandfather. While in the university, playing and teaching Erhu has been her passion. She has Erhu students from many countries around the world. Felicia joined Global Exchange team to offer Chinese traditional music course recently. |
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If you are interested in Erhu or Erhu course, please contact us
Current Students Interview
Name: Mr. Filippo Fasulo
Country from: Italy
Education: Master degree
Work history:
Languages spoken: Italian, English, Chinese |
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| 1. |
Could you tell us a little about your background and what you did before coming to China?
I'm master graduated in International Relations. My dissertation was about chinese politics and chinese economy. |
| 2. |
What are main reasons for you to decide to come to Beijing to take Chinese course?
I've already had two language experiences in China and I'm studing chinese to know better China |
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Do you have a special hobby or passion?
I just like to travel and to read newspapers |
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Tell us breifly what you are doing in China?
I'm studing Chinese |
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Tell us a few memorable experiences in Beijing? How do you compare life in Beijing to your home country?
My favortite place in Beijing is the olimpic park where i often go for running. In China you can find quite places next to crowded areas |
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What are your best memories of living here in Beijing?
Parks, scenic spots and time spent with friends |
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Has your experience here in China changed you?
Yes, now i know a world that before coming to china i was not knowing |
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Did your time in Chinse program in Beijing help you reach your professional and personal goals?
I still have to get my personal goals, but my knowledge of chinese language and of chines culture could be useful |
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Is there a particular experience you can tell us about that was personally important to you?
Many companies in Italy asked me some advice to work with China |
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What do you find most interesting in Beijing?
Beijing is the political center of China |
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What advice would you give for those thinking of coming here?
To somebody coming to Chine i will advice to be ready to have a great experience. |
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Name: Mr. Marcos Roberto Fagundes
Country from: Brazil
Education: Business Administration and Ceramic Technician
Work history: Oxford S/A - Porcelain and Ceramic Tableware
Languages spoken: Portuguese (from Brazil), Spanish, English and student of Mandarin Chinese
Hobbies: Travel and passion for CHOCOLATE...
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| 1. |
Could you tell us a little about your background and what you did before coming to China?
In fact I am brazilian, living in a small city located in the South of Brazil, in the city of S?o Bento do Sul. I have 36 years old, 3 years married and no child yet. I¡äm graduated in Business Administration and
working in a Porcelain and Ceramic Tableware Industry (plates, cups, saucers, mugs) as a Ceramic Technician, specializing on technical controls for raw materials and final products. |
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| 2. |
What are main reasons for you to decide to come to Beijing to take Chinese course?
I love study languages and Mandarin Chinese is going to be the business language in the next few years so I want to be prepared for this. Beijing is a good place to international visitor because of its
structure and services, otherwise Beijing has a good combination of the ancient chinese cultural tradition and the fast growing way of China for business. |
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Do you have a special hobby or passion?
My hobby is travelling and everything related to that. But, I really have a huge passion for CHOCOLATE... |
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Tell us breifly what you are doing in China?
Well, my purpose is to study chinese with native speakers focusing in the correct learning of the language tones. I need to improve listening and speaking. |
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Tell us a few memorable experiences in Beijing? How do you compare life in Beijing to your home country?
To be in Tian¡äanm¨¦n square full of people on a Sunday. It¡äs fantastic to at a place with so many peolple and families together. Life in China is good as is also good in Brazil. |
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What are your best memories of living here in Beijing?
Beijing as a big metropolis looks to me well organized and clean, as being a good example to several other cities around the world. |
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Has your experience here in China changed you?
Yes, but not just with me, there are several things that China doing that will influence the whole world. |
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Did your time in Chinse program in Beijing help you reach your professional and personal goals?
I stayed just one week for classes but totally reached my goals. |
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Is there a particular experience you can tell us about that was personally important to you?
Everybody treated me very well here in Beijing. |
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Could you give us some comments and feedback of your home staying in Beijing? How this help you
understand Chinese people and cultures?
In fact I stayed in a Hotel, but the environment and staff was really good. |
| 11. |
What do you find most interesting in Beijing?
I found very interesting the combination of new skyscrapers of Beijing that are futuristic and the old chinese style construction. This is simply fantastic. |
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What advice would you give for those thinking of coming here?
That you must come, taste chinese cuisine, visit famous tourist spots and study mandarim that is the language of the future for business and tourism. |
Connecting with Alumni
Name: Ms. Laura Demurtas
Country from: Italy
Education:
Work history: Italian teacher
Languages spoken: Italian, English, Russian, Chinese |
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| 1. |
Tell us a little about your background and what are you doing in your country?
I come from a small city in one of Italy's biggest Islands, Sardinia. The city's name is Cagliari,a nice place in the center of the Mediterranean sea. I studied in Milan, but after graduation I came back to Cagliari, where I still live at present. |
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Tell us more about the city you are in?
The city I live in is Sardinia's major city. It is quite small, but it is a nice place and it has a seaport , so we have lots of tourists and foreign traders. |
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What have you been doing since left Beijing in our programs? what effects of your study in China last year on your current career?
Since I came back from Beijing I've been looking for a job.....and I've found one thanks to my experience in China!Now I work as "cultural and linguistic mediator" in a local administration of a city close to my hometown. In details, I help chinese students in schools, teaching them italian or helping them studying difficult certain subjects. I have many students of various age, in different schools, with different levels in italian language; I'm supposed to act as a "bridge" in order to help them to attend italian schools.
If I hadn't been in your program, and lived in beijing for 3 months, I'd never be able to do that. It is a job I like very much, and I'm grateful to my "chinese experience" for having found it! |
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Today, when you look back your study program and experiences in Beijing, Do you have any suggestions to our center on how to improve our program and to better service to our students?
I have a very good impression of my experience in your program; I could say that sometimes transportation from the dorm to school had been a bit difficult, or that at the dorm they had too few english speaking employees. On the whole I have to say that all these are only minor details, sometimes they even caused funny situations, and I've been really satisfied. |
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Do you have any comments to someone who is considering to take our program in near future?
I would suggest to carefully consider your many options and chose the program which best fits one's attitude: I did it, and I've had a really good experience with the school, with teachers and school mates, and with the city in general. |
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We are trying to provide more valuable services to all students after they left China? such as some online programs to connect them with Chinese students. Do you have any suggestion on how we can connect our alumni better?
A newsletter or a social network would be a very nice way to "keep in touch" and to exchange impressions and suggestions |
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any other comments
Thanks to your program I've found some good friends from all over the world, with whom I'm still in touch.....and we all hope to meet again in Beijing! |
Get to know Global Exchange
| 1. |
Tell us a little about your background?
My Chinese name is Gao Feng,and English name is David. I'd like you to call my Chinese one. I'm from Inner Mongolia, but I am a Han Chinese. (of course, it's a part of China. It's not Mongolia.) so, I am not that tall and strong. |
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Why do you like to teach foreigners Chinese? What you have enjoyed most in your teaching?
I like to teach Chinese as second language, because I like to communicate with people who are from the different parts of the world and I can learn something different from my culture as well.
I also make a lot of friends. This is also what I enjoy. |
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What was the most difficult part of it?
The most difficult part of teaching Chinese is: j q x z c s zh ch sh r and the tones. Because some students can not distinguish them or some pronunciations don't exist in their languages |
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Do you feel that Chinese is a difficult language to teach?
yes, the pronunciations and the subtle differences between the words |
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What is your hobby or passion?
I like running (but I can't run fast)
I like swimming (but I am not able to swim)
I like playing basketball (but I am not tall)
I like singing (but I am always out of the tone) |
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Where did you go to university, and what did you study?
I graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University, my major was English |
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How long have you been in Beijing? What do you think of it?
I've been in Beijing for four years, and I like it, because it's not that morden like other cities in China. It's a sort of morden and classical combination. You can feel the culture. |
| 8. |
Do you think Chinese or English is harder to learn?
Any language is difficult to learn, but when you are really in it, I think you don't care about the difficulties |
| 9. |
If you could travel for two weeks for free, where would you go?
Tibet |
| 10. |
During the teaching, what is the most impression on you?
Every time when I have to say goodbye to my students who I have taught for a long time |
| 11. |
During the activities, what is the most interesting thing?
When we drink beer together, I can¡¯t drink too much, but they always want to make me drunk. |
| 12. |
What the students do is the most movement for you?
When the students go back to their countries, they still remember to writer letters to me
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| 13. |
When you are exhausted what would you like to do?
When I am exhausted, what else can I do? Of course nothing, nor can it.
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