Immersed in Culture: My Unforgettable Experience at SWUFE's 2024 Global Academy in Chengdu

I was recently fortunate enough to take part in SWUFE’s 2024 global academy in Chengdu, China, from the 8th to the 19th of July.

Around 25 students from Dundee University and 6 or 7 students from ANU (Australian National University) made up our ‘School’. There were, I believe, 6 other ‘Schools’ in the academy, but we had our talks and day trips as a single school; this meant that we became fast friends with the students from ANU, an added bonus to our cultural exchange!

After making our own ways to China from different origins and at different times, it was lovely meeting up with everyone at the Hotel when I arrived on the 7th night and at the Opening Ceremony on Monday the 8th. Two things I noticed immediately at SWUFE are how big everything is and how much effort is put into making your experience perfect; the opening ceremony exemplified this perfectly. The ceremony was very modern: replete with smoke, pyrotechnics, and Breakdancers, it felt more like a nightclub than an auditorium!

Another highlight was the Hanfu Gala (on the 12th), where we were treated to a shadow-puppet show; a photo shoot; a raffle where everyone won something; and different traditional arts and crafts, all while we and our ambassadors wore traditional Chinese robes! The crafts included fan-painting and calligraphy, leaf printing, and sugar-spinning.

Over 2 weeks we had talks from experts on Chinese history and integral parts of China's culture such as Taiji, Traditional Chinese Medicine, the art of tea-making, and Hanfu.
The program leaders, the teachers, and the wonderful student ambassadors at SWUFE made sure that we learnt as interactively as possible - we practised the art of tea-making, Chinese calligraphy, and Taiji, under the instruction of experts. All these activities are things we would have gladly paid to do on a normal holiday, another reminder of how lucky we are to have taken part in this program.

As well as receiving lectures and taking part in traditional Chinese activities, we were taken on day trips to the giant Panda breeding base and visitor centre, the Dujiangyan dam and temple, Sichuan traditional opera, and the Chengdu history Museum. My personal
favourite of all the trips was the visit to Dujiangyan (13th). Here, I set off on a long walk with my friends Inigo, Ana, and Mhairi to the top of Mt. Qingcheng - an ancient Taoist mountain covered in temples and carved walkways. At the top there is a 7-story pagoda from which you can see the whole city, the ancient irrigation system and dam, and the misty mountains across the river.

We were also allowed a full free day to do whatever we wanted. Some chose to go to Chongqing, a dazzling metropolis not far from Chengdu; some chose to explore the old town in central Chengdu; and many, including myself, went on a day trip to Leshan to visit the Giant Buddha - a UNESCO world heritage site. 5 of us chose to pay for a guided trip to the Buddha, the old town of Leshan, and a tea plantation. This trip included being driven from Chengdu and back, lunch, and tea leaves which we had picked ourselves alongside our Guide’s homemade honey, so it was well worth the money.

We also had free evenings with which we went trying Street Food which filled literally dozens of streets near our hotel. We were taken to Karaoke by 3 of the Ambassadors (who could, thankfully, sing). We explored the centre of the city on multiple occasions (the city is so vast it is a journey in itself), but perhaps the most memorable was visiting the Global Centre - the largest building in the world by floor space and home to a stunning water park.

Visiting a country as vast and ancient as China is a wonderful experience no matter how you do it, or how long you spend there. But visiting China and being part of a university community for a whole 2 weeks? Whilst having experts share their culture with you and student ambassadors gladly show you around any monument, park, or restaurant you wish? All while being surrounded by your fellow students who are also experiencing these things for the first time? That is a very special experience and is a testament to the dedication of SWUFE and the program leaders. It also shows how much better it is to travel as part of a program, especially if you can be guided by natives of the country. I would never pass up on an opportunity like this if I got chance again; I expected the program to be good, and it exceeded my expectations many times over.