International students get in on festival fun

International students studying in North China's Shanxi province are being given a taste of the Spring Festival atmosphere this year, taking part in activities specially aimed at involving them in what the celebration is all about.

In the Shanxi city of Datong, a cultural activity inviting international students to get into the holiday spirit was held recently, attracting some 200 students from more than 50 countries to take part.

"This year is the third time we've held the event. We hope that students from overseas can be a part of the festive atmosphere in Shanxi, a province that is undergoing transformation and development," said Li Wenbin, a teacher with the school of international education and exchange at Taiyuan University of Technology.

On Lunar New Year's Eve, which fell on Jan 24, a group of international students went to Yangjiayao village in the southern suburbs of Datong to take part in a variety of festivities including a typical reunion dinner, a live gala, writing couplets and paper-cutting.

Student Devin Grace O'Sullivan from the United States thoroughly enjoyed the new experiences.

"It was a very interesting experience for me to celebrate Lunar New Year's Eve with local families. It's the most important day for family reunion in China," she said.

O'Sullivan visited families in the village, ate dumplings and gave out lucky red envelopes. She also learned some essential Spring Festival customs.

"I learned that getting a haircut would be considered as unlucky during the first month of Lunar New Year," she said.

Libyan Waled Yahya Mussa, who has studied in China for three years and is now a PhD student in mechanical engineering at TYUT, said the activity helped him connect more with Shanxi and China.

"I learned to make dumplings and cook them myself. During my stay here, I can eat fast with chopsticks and use vinegar with every meal," he said."The elderly are respected here. Shanxi people are very friendly and have helped me a lot."

Another city in the province, Pingyao, is encouraging tourists from home and abroad to take part in its Spring Festival celebrations.

David, a student originally from the US, said that Spring Festival decorations are rarely found in big cities, but in Pingyao cultural elements of the festival are everywhere.

"I used to celebrate Spring Festival in other parts of China and I found people use the holiday to spend time with relatives and friends, or to travel. But in Pingyao, there are many vibrant activities to choose from, including lion dancing, yangko dancing and guessing riddles."

Taylor, who has traveled with David around Shanxi, said: "Almost all places in Shanxi accept mobile payment services. And Shanxi has protected the environment well by controlling pollution over the years."

Li Yali and Wang Chaojun contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at yinruowei@chinadaily.com.cn