美国报纸<Sierra Star> 对2009中广国际美国夏令营的精彩报道.
At this moment a group of Chinese students are planning their summer in Oakhurst. Last year, 28 students from Canton Province in China arrived with a cultural exchange program. According to those who worked with the program, it wasn't just the Chinese students who learned from the experience.
Robin Suderman and her family volunteered their home to two female students last year and plan to do so again. "We had so much fun with the girls and learned so much. Our own girls learned so much about the world also," said Suderman.
"They (the Chinese students) were truly sincere about learning our culture and asked amazing questions," said Suderman. She has two daughters ages seven and 11 and said, "They are so excited about this summer. It was difficult for them to say goodbye (last summer)."
Last summer Shirley Bailey also volunteered her home to a young boy and his mother with the exchange program.
"It was a really neat experience and I highly recommend it," said Bailey.
Baily taught the boy gin rummy and the mother taught Bailey some Chinese recipes. She said the mother thanked her for letting them see how a real American lives.
Bailey said the boy still keeps in touch by phone and sometimes sends a fax reading, "Bailey, this is your friend forever!"
This is the second year for the cultural exchange program here. Lori Howard, administrator for the program, said this is the first time that a group of Chinese students has been allowed to come to the United States.
Exchange students are usually between 14 and 16 years old. Some will be accompanied by parents. Last summer students came for one week but this summer they will be staying two weeks.
"Families and students wanted more time for the cultural experience.
The students want to live the life of Americans, see what we enjoy, meet young people and establish the similarities and differences between the cultures," said Howard.
Students will arrive in San Francisco on July 20 and tour the city, Stanford University and University of California Berkeley and will come to the mountain area July 22 and leave August 4.
They will visit Yosemite National Park and attend daily classes in English Language and American Culture.
Afterward, the group will continue to Los Angeles where they will visit Disneyland, Universal Studios, University of Southern California and University of California Los Angeles.
"In our economy we all can't take trips. When you host a student, meet them, or get involved, it's a way of getting away and sharing with someone else," said Howard.
Howard said she was expecting around 60 students this year but due to the swine flu scare only about 30 students will be coming.
Volunteer families are expected to provide meals for the students and transportation to and from the Oakhurst Study Center.
For more information contact Sheila Adams at (559) 642-4329.
http://www.sierrastar.com/104/story/49091.html
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Last Thursday the old school house at the Fresno Flats Historic Village was filled with a group of teenage students from China. They were busy learning about traditional American holidays as part of their American culture curriculum.
The students are spending two weeks in Oakhurst and another two weeks visiting San Francisco and Los Angeles.
"We like to bring the students to learn American culture with the host parents. We want them to have a wonderful experience with American life," said Jane Sui, director of Academic Asia China.
While in Oakhurst, the students attended American cultural classes and visited a winery, a coffee-making company and Yosemite National Park.
"Mostly the students -- not the parents -- choose to visit America. Some students hope to attend American universities," said Sui. The students will also visit a number of universities while in California.
However, there were some culture shocks experienced by the students. Ye Weimang, 17, said, "Burritos are very weird. They taste like Chinese medicine." Weimang also said he saw differences in school and families. In China, most families only have one child. Weimang's host family is a bit larger. "My host family has nine kids. It's crazy," he said.
Sui said the Chinese students were surprised at how independent American teens are. The foreign students seemed to find more positive than negative about America. Ming said youth here seem to be more outgoing, relaxed and friendly.
Quin Weixuan, a 16-year-old student, said, "It's different from China. I like it. But the food is very different. People are very friendly and nice. American school is easier than Chinese school."
Katelyn Suderman and CeCe Garcia, whose families are host families, said it was fun to host the students and get an opportunity to learn about China.
Su Jaiwen, a 17-year-old female student, said she liked the air, the forest and the animals.
Sui said the students were surprised by the abundance of wild animals. "People here have strong environmental protection. We have only animals in zoos," said Sui.
This year 60 Chinese students were expected on the tour but due to the swine flu only 10 ended up making the trip. Sui said the program will continue next year, hopefully without a flu scare.
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