As the world casts its eyes toward Beijing for the summer Olympics, a group of Eden Prairie students can offer their own unique perspective on China. Nineteen Eden Prairie High School students along with four district staff members recently returned from two weeks in the country, seeing the sights of Shanghai, Beijing and Loudi, a city Eden Prairie has forged a partnership with over the past couple years.

As part of that partnership, last summer Eden Prairie families hosted a delegation of Loudi high school students. This summer, it was Loudi’s chance to return the favor.

Janet Pladson, director of teaching and learning for Eden Prairie Schools, was one of the staff members to go along on the trip.  She said they were treated royally by their hosts.

 “They are people of generous hearts,” Pladson stated.

She noted that the group first flew into Beijing and did two days of sightseeing there, then traveled to Loudi, a “small” Chinese city of about 4 million, for a five-day stay. From there, the group visited Shanghai before returning home.

Since 2006, Eden Prairie has taken a number of steps in forging a partnership with Loudi.

Officials from Loudi have visited EP on several occasions and EP officials including Principal Conn McCartan, School Board member Jan Eian and former Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens have, in turn, visited Loudi.

But this July was the first time Eden Prairie students participated in an exchange.

“Both school systems are really interested in ensuring that all of our students are really prepared to be global citizens and to be successful in this world that is really changing,” Pladson said about the effort.

She noted that it was opportunity for Eden Prairie students to learn about customs, culture and language while it was an opportunity for Chinese students to become more fluent in their English and learn about American students as well.

Pladson said the trip provided many insights into the education system of China.

She noted that students graduate high school, then  take “the big test.”

“That really determines your future,” she said. “There’s a lot of stress and tension and years of preparation.”

The families really put everything into their child so they can get into best university, she added.

Students arrive at school in 8 in morning, they take a midday break. They do homework at school. They’re generally at school till 10 p.m. six days a week, she said.

New culture

A “key piece” to all of this, Pladson noted, is that they are housed in family homes. There you really get immersed to language culture and “real Chinese life,” she said.

One of the students, John Moen, described the trip as a “life-changing experience.”

He said he knows a lot more about different cultures now.

The biggest difference he noticed: people are a lot friendlier.

 “It was a really good experience.”

The trip is further documented on a EP/Loudi cultural exchange blog. There, other students make comments as to the friendliness of Chinese hosts. One student wrote: ”The hospitality that has been shown towards us by the Chinese people has been absolutely astounding given the language and cultural differences that we share. People everywhere of all ages are eager to talk with and discuss our lives and share about their lives. The sense of community that exists here is unparalleled anywhere in the United States and is very refreshing!”Student Jasvinder Singh has visited India before and was expecting something similar on this China trip.

 “But it was actually really different.”

The streets were clean in an anticipation for Olympics and there were posters about it all around Beijing, he recalled. Additionally, they drove past the Olympic site as part of their tours.

“They seem very excited about that,” added Jasvinder.

He said they struggled with the language, noting students in successive trip who know Chinese “will have a much more thorough experience.”

Speaking of the visit in Loudi, he said they’d do something different every night. The highlight of the trip: “Just walking around the streets of Loudi at night was really fun.”In contrast to the staid evenings of Minnesota, the streets of Loudi had a lot of people, and were really busy.

“You just get thrown into a different world altogether,” said Jasvinder.

The food was one thing that noticeably different. Pladson said they were served traditional Chinese food. Breakfast could include noodles in a broth with beef or vegetables, small dumplings, porridge, and soy milk, “a lot of wonderful delicious fruits.”

Pladson noted that eating is a wonderful social event in China. It’s not like here where you take a plate, eat and are up and gone.

There is a rotating table that keeps moving, you take a piece here and there with your chopsticks and there’s great conversation; “probably a more healthy way to enjoy a meal,” she added.

At the same time, Jasvinder noted that they craved Western food during the trip. In Shanghai, their last stop of the trip, he noted they ordered four pizzas.

“Only after a week and a half we were craving American food again.”

 

 

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