From China to Chino, students make cultural exchange

By Neil Nisperos

Staff Writer

 

CHINO--About three dozen elementary and middle school-aged students from China spent two weeks living and learning with young people in Chino.

For two weeks in late January and early February, the students, from Peking University grammar school in Beijing, stayed at the homes of local host families while supplementing their English studies at Chino Valley Christian Schools, a campus on the northeast corner of Riverside Drive and Pipeline Avenue.

Among the students is Celia Xu, 12, from Beijing, who like many of the visiting Chinese students, speaks English as a second language.

"I learned more about American culture and the history of America, and I made some friends," Celia said of her trip to California.

Conversely, Christian Lansang, a student at the Chino school, said it was interesting to discover the affinity the Chinese have for the NBA.

"Students from China know the same things we do," Lansang said. "They watch the same Basketball even though they're in China, so they know all of our players. Not just Yao Ming, but they know players popular in the U.S. like Lebron (James) and Kobe (Bryant)."

The cultural exchange visit is part of an annual program, at the Chino Valley Christian Schools on the corner of Riverside Drive and Pipeline Avenue. Every year, the school invites students from abroad to learn American culture and share their own culture with local students.

"Having the kids over to stay at home was really fun," said 4th grader Jordan Djeu, whose family hosted some of the visiting students. "It's just like having a bunch more brothers. I'm an only child so I really don't know what it's like to have brothers."

 Yvette Taylor, principal of the elementary level portion of the schools, hosted three of the visiting Chinese students at her home.

"They've been learning our American culture," Taylor said. "They've been interacting with our students, learning our academic excellence in our classroom, and they're being taught English in their (English as a Second Language class) time. They're also going into our classes, interacting with our students, and are working with our students and our curriculum."

Anna Chai, an English teacher at Peking University who accompanied the children on the trip, said Chinese young people have had more opportunities to come to other countries and learn from other cultures than in the past.

 "We can make friends with other students and they can learn their history and another language," Chai said. "You can see another world that's beautiful. Our students learn English, go outside to see what the Americans do, and what the Japanese do, and what the Koreans do. We go to other countries so that other people know about China, and we introduce our culture to them."

Chino Valley Christian Schools board president Eugene Huang said the event helps reinforce the school's global philosophy for students.

"Having the international students come really builds that sense of a global vision with our students," Huang said. "It increases their cultural awareness and appreciation."

Huang's idea of learning was evident when Chino Valley Christian Schools student Mackenzie Taylor, 7, displayed the knowledge she learned from the visiting Chinese students.

 "Yi, er, san, si, wu," Mackenzie said demonstrating her skill of counting from one to five in Mandarin Chinese.