BEIJING — Karmel Washington walked on the Great
Wall during her trip to China as part of a MTSU delegation, but she said the
trip became real when she learned about the country from kids her own age.
“No matter what all
people say you’re going to experience, you have to basically see and experience
for yourself,” said Karmel, a senior at Siegel High School. “We all have so
many pictures and memories that will last a lifetime.”
Karmel was among a 28-member
delegation, which included Rutherford County schoolchildren, parents and
teachers, that traveled to six cities in China for two weeks in August. The
trip was part of an ongoing cultural and educational exchange between the organized
by MTSU.
It was the third such
trip led by MTSU President Sidney McPhee and his wife, retired
Murfreesboro City Schools teacher Elizabeth McPhee. The visit was part of the
reciprocal exchange with Dongcheng Education Group of Hangzhou Normal
University.
The delegation participated
in enrichment activities, connected with Chinese families during home visits.
They also visited cultural and tourist sites in Hangzhou; Shanghai; Qiandao
Lake; Jiashan and the nearby ancient town of Xitang; and Beijing.
Also, Elizabeth McPhee,
aided by teachers in the delegation, conducted a joint class for Chinese and
American students, then hosted a workshop for Chinese teachers.
“What sets this annual
exchange apart from other programs is our connection to the classrooms,” said
President McPhee. “This is not merely a sight-seeing trip. We engage with
families, attend classroom demonstrations and exchange ideas with educators.”
Rutherford students also
visited China with MTSU in 2012 and 2014, and Dongcheng students came to
Murfreesboro in 2013 and 2015.
MTSU's Confucius
Institute, a joint effort between the Hangzhou and Murfreesboro universities,
oversees the annual exchange. Families paid their travel expenses to and from
China, but most housing and travel costs in country were covered by grants from
Dongcheng and private donations.
Hanban, the
international headquarters of Confucius Institute, also provided funding for
the trip.
Other students on the trip were Sean Eastman; Gabriela Flowers; Michaela Flowers; Micah Owens; Daniel Owens; Emily Priestley; Elijah Rachell; Joshua Rachell; Makena Sanders; Chase Scott; and Megan Scott.
No comments:
Post a Comment