What is it really like for foreign youth to study in Dongguan？This was exactly what a group foreign youth, members of the Ricky family, had been eager to find out. After spending a full day immersed in a local school, they began to understand what's driving China's growing "internationalization."
As part of their cultural exploration in Dongguan, these young foreigners visited Dongguan Foreign Language School for one-day school experience. They learned that Chinese students typically spend 40 weeks annually on campus with a daily schedule running from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — which is quite different from their own countries' schedules. To genuinely experience the nuances of Chinese education firsthand, the Rickys participated in the school’s featured course.
Featured classes
Their first stop was an Oral English class. Observing how international instructors taught English, the foreign youth saw students divided into small groups dissecting articles before role-playing characters. Defying online stereotypes, every student demonstrated remarkable confidence in speaking, a sight that resonated with the young observers. Michael, a 10th grader, noted, "What impressed me most was how good they are at English. Some are really skilled speakers."
Next came the Chinese class. There, the teacher unraveled traditional Chinese culture with approachable clarity, aided by student assistants who gifted the foreign guests Chinese names and practical situational phrases. During the Chinese lesson, the warmth of the local students surprised them—especially Kadyah, who said: "Talking with students here is so interesting! It was my first time interacting with real local Chinese students, and it is a really nice experience."
The math class proved challenging but revealing. Unlike previous sessions, this mirrored a true Chinese student's daily routine. Though language barriers hindered the foreign youths' full understanding, they could still feel the classroom's intense concentration and discipline. Madison later reflected, "Math here is much more advanced than in the US." As Kadyah summarized, "They put in more effort than students in the U.S. It was cool to see their learning style."
Elective classes
The afternoon introduced them to elective courses. The young visitors tried Chinese Martial Arts, woodworking, and Chinese painting—and even sparred with the fencing team. Kadyah beamed after her fencing match with the coach, "The match was fun! I scored 2 or 3 points... maybe the teacher let me, but I’m happy."
Michael appreciated the variety of the elective courses, "Elective classes have a bigger range of options than ours, and the classes here are way better behaved than ours."
Despite demanding schedules, local students carved out joy on campus. When the bell rang, crowds surged toward the gym to release academic pressure. The foreign youth joined eagerly, and through spirited teamwork on the court, they found camaraderie with their new peers.
Though one day hardly replicated Chinese students' true academic intensity, the school's environment—its scholarly atmosphere, and especially the students’ open-hearted welcome—struck the visiting youth profoundly. Pupils initiated conversations, shared meals, played sports with them, invited them for dormitory tours, and filled hallways with cheerful greetings.
These students completely shattered the stereotype of shy, quiet Chinese learners. They were vibrant, confident, hardworking, and incredibly generous. Just like Madison smiled and said, "Students are so active and nice! I made a lot of new friends today and hope to come back."
Perhaps the essence of education is love, something that transcends time, borders, and cultures. And in that single day, as friendships blossomed across nations, these young visitors caught a glimpse of the spirit behind modern Chinese education.
