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Before ezemaduka Anastasia Ngozi arrived in China in 2004, she was convinced that the east Asian country was full of “short guys.” She also took care to keep her distance from Chinese airport employees – in case they unleashed their kungfu on her. But as the years unfolded, living in China made her realize how ridiculous her former impression of the country had been. The eastern giant wasn’t as mysterious and scary as she had assumed from watching television at home in Nigeria.
But ezemaduka, who is now pursuing her doctorate at China’s prestigious Peking University, also knew the misunderstanding was a two-way street: Chinese people also lack knowledge about Africa. Many prefer to see Africa as a whole and cannot differentiate between its countries; some have no idea it’s populated with people of all races besides black Africans; and others only associate the words “poor” and “backward” with the continent.
“It’s because most of them believe what they see on TV,”says ezemaduka. “But that’s not the true Africa. Channels like National Geographic show animals, which may be correct. But some reports about Africa on both Western and Chinese TV don’t show the Africa that I know.”
recent years have witnessed a significant rise in the number of African students coming to study in China. Most are already well educated and using their time at Chinese universities to pursue master’s or doctor’s degrees. Unlike stereotypical images the Chinese are accustomed to seeing in the mass media, these young Africans represent a new kind of Africa for the 21st century.
erfiki Hicham, a Moroccan friend of ezemaduka, believes that the situation on Chinese university campuses may be better. “Many Chinese scholars have a mature understanding on Africa issues,” he says, “but common people know little about Africa.”
Still, Hicham and ezemaduka have been surprised by the interest around them. Chinese locals on the street are keen to talk with the students, trying to confirm their impressions about African dance, food, habits and the landscapes they see on television. Most of them believe Africa is a beautiful continent and are eager to visit.
“We really find it’s a task to explain all these questions, because the Chinese are already open to knowledge about Africa,”says ezemaduka. As the president of her university’s African students association, she feels obliged to impart her knowledge of African cultures to more Chinese people.
This task will evolve as more African students flock to China for degrees. They are reaching out with their cultures and languages, trying to build new connections between the two regions. Though their effort begins on campus, the students hope their influence can travel further.
Two sides
International cultural festivals are popular on Chinese campuses. Peking University has its international festival in the autumn, which is the busiest and most exciting time of the year for ezemaduka. When it opens its doors to the campus, every African student shows up to represent his or her culture. They dress in traditional clothing, play traditional games, and teach fellow Chinese students how to master African hairstyles or make African scarves and food. They also invite those who are less shy to partake in traditional dances.
for most Chinese people, Africa boils down to wild nature and beautiful landscapes. Africans are proud of these treasures, but ezemaduka believes it’s not enough, “I would like the Chinese to know more about living in Africa, just as we here know about living conditions for the Chinese.”
Although the festival is just a campus activity, ezemaduka is very confident about its influence and reach. “We believe the students that we have taught can as well go on to tell others about what they learn here,” she says.
recently, her students association held a seminar called “China-Africa educational Cooperation: Which Way forward.” An African ambassador, scholars and students from both China and Africa were invited to attend. The topic of Sino-African cooperation in education was discussed. During the seminar, the campus conference hall was filled with laughter and applause; passionate African students were cheering aloud at inspiring speeches. The Chinese students in attendance smiled in silence. In spite of their different habits, the communication proved successful.
“They are doing these wholeheartedly,” says Huang Lizhi, an interested Ph.D student who attended the seminar. “The activities,” says Huang, “not only provide us Chinese students with opportunities to communicate with Africans face-to-face – more importantly, we can realize the appeal of their culture, which we cannot learn from books.”
According to Hicham, the seminar marks the first time for the association to hold this kind of activity. ezemaduka believes that unlike “entertaining” activities like the international cultural festival, the seminar will have more profound influence in promoting African culture.
“I hope people can see that Africans are not all dancers,” she says. “We also have intelligent people who can talk about development in Africa, about how far Chinese and African cooperation has gone, about our advantages and expectations. It’s an opportunity just to share ideas and think.”
Still, the association plans to hold another African Cultural Day to promote the continent through food and games. “They will learn about us from two sides,” explains ezemaduka. “Both would make Chinese see fully that Africa has potential. We have a lot of educated people and we also have a lot of culture.”
The same world
Vallai M. Dorley is a Ph.D candidate from Liberia. Always dressed in colorful, traditional garb, he and his African friends command the center of attention on campus. They believe that it’s an effective way to promote their culture. He also carries materials about his home to share with Chinese students.
He, like many other African students in Chinese universities, attended classes at a Confucius Institute before coming to China. The courses help him to learn Mandarin and build a knowledge base to further understand the culture he was about to encounter. once in China, this background allows students to promote African culture even as they become effective promoters of Chinese culture.
“We hope China can do the same,” says Dorley. “They need to send some Chinese students to African universities to do this kind of program, not only as volunteers, but to gain experience and learn about our culture. When they return to China, they will have a real picture of Africa.”
He also hopes African governments can send more African scholars to teach in Chinese universities. After these lecturers return home, they will be able to teach students there about the China they encountered. It’s a “win-win approach,” he says of the prospect.
Many African students are dedicated to introducing their home to others, but in doing so also discover similarities between Chinese and African cultures.
“Human beings all around the world, despite different skin color, we are the same,” says ezemaduka. She believes all societies are composed of rich and poor, educated and uneducated, and hopes people can abandon their stereotypes of Africa and instead see its true development.
Theophilus Aperkor from Ghana is very optimistic about that possibility. “In the very near future, all these stereotypes and lack of understanding are going to stop,” he says. “People will look at you and not judge where you are from, but what you have contributed.”
But ezemaduka, who is now pursuing her doctorate at China’s prestigious Peking University, also knew the misunderstanding was a two-way street: Chinese people also lack knowledge about Africa. Many prefer to see Africa as a whole and cannot differentiate between its countries; some have no idea it’s populated with people of all races besides black Africans; and others only associate the words “poor” and “backward” with the continent.
“It’s because most of them believe what they see on TV,”says ezemaduka. “But that’s not the true Africa. Channels like National Geographic show animals, which may be correct. But some reports about Africa on both Western and Chinese TV don’t show the Africa that I know.”
recent years have witnessed a significant rise in the number of African students coming to study in China. Most are already well educated and using their time at Chinese universities to pursue master’s or doctor’s degrees. Unlike stereotypical images the Chinese are accustomed to seeing in the mass media, these young Africans represent a new kind of Africa for the 21st century.
erfiki Hicham, a Moroccan friend of ezemaduka, believes that the situation on Chinese university campuses may be better. “Many Chinese scholars have a mature understanding on Africa issues,” he says, “but common people know little about Africa.”
Still, Hicham and ezemaduka have been surprised by the interest around them. Chinese locals on the street are keen to talk with the students, trying to confirm their impressions about African dance, food, habits and the landscapes they see on television. Most of them believe Africa is a beautiful continent and are eager to visit.
“We really find it’s a task to explain all these questions, because the Chinese are already open to knowledge about Africa,”says ezemaduka. As the president of her university’s African students association, she feels obliged to impart her knowledge of African cultures to more Chinese people.
This task will evolve as more African students flock to China for degrees. They are reaching out with their cultures and languages, trying to build new connections between the two regions. Though their effort begins on campus, the students hope their influence can travel further.
Two sides
International cultural festivals are popular on Chinese campuses. Peking University has its international festival in the autumn, which is the busiest and most exciting time of the year for ezemaduka. When it opens its doors to the campus, every African student shows up to represent his or her culture. They dress in traditional clothing, play traditional games, and teach fellow Chinese students how to master African hairstyles or make African scarves and food. They also invite those who are less shy to partake in traditional dances.
for most Chinese people, Africa boils down to wild nature and beautiful landscapes. Africans are proud of these treasures, but ezemaduka believes it’s not enough, “I would like the Chinese to know more about living in Africa, just as we here know about living conditions for the Chinese.”
Although the festival is just a campus activity, ezemaduka is very confident about its influence and reach. “We believe the students that we have taught can as well go on to tell others about what they learn here,” she says.
recently, her students association held a seminar called “China-Africa educational Cooperation: Which Way forward.” An African ambassador, scholars and students from both China and Africa were invited to attend. The topic of Sino-African cooperation in education was discussed. During the seminar, the campus conference hall was filled with laughter and applause; passionate African students were cheering aloud at inspiring speeches. The Chinese students in attendance smiled in silence. In spite of their different habits, the communication proved successful.
“They are doing these wholeheartedly,” says Huang Lizhi, an interested Ph.D student who attended the seminar. “The activities,” says Huang, “not only provide us Chinese students with opportunities to communicate with Africans face-to-face – more importantly, we can realize the appeal of their culture, which we cannot learn from books.”
According to Hicham, the seminar marks the first time for the association to hold this kind of activity. ezemaduka believes that unlike “entertaining” activities like the international cultural festival, the seminar will have more profound influence in promoting African culture.
“I hope people can see that Africans are not all dancers,” she says. “We also have intelligent people who can talk about development in Africa, about how far Chinese and African cooperation has gone, about our advantages and expectations. It’s an opportunity just to share ideas and think.”
Still, the association plans to hold another African Cultural Day to promote the continent through food and games. “They will learn about us from two sides,” explains ezemaduka. “Both would make Chinese see fully that Africa has potential. We have a lot of educated people and we also have a lot of culture.”
The same world
Vallai M. Dorley is a Ph.D candidate from Liberia. Always dressed in colorful, traditional garb, he and his African friends command the center of attention on campus. They believe that it’s an effective way to promote their culture. He also carries materials about his home to share with Chinese students.
He, like many other African students in Chinese universities, attended classes at a Confucius Institute before coming to China. The courses help him to learn Mandarin and build a knowledge base to further understand the culture he was about to encounter. once in China, this background allows students to promote African culture even as they become effective promoters of Chinese culture.
“We hope China can do the same,” says Dorley. “They need to send some Chinese students to African universities to do this kind of program, not only as volunteers, but to gain experience and learn about our culture. When they return to China, they will have a real picture of Africa.”
He also hopes African governments can send more African scholars to teach in Chinese universities. After these lecturers return home, they will be able to teach students there about the China they encountered. It’s a “win-win approach,” he says of the prospect.
Many African students are dedicated to introducing their home to others, but in doing so also discover similarities between Chinese and African cultures.
“Human beings all around the world, despite different skin color, we are the same,” says ezemaduka. She believes all societies are composed of rich and poor, educated and uneducated, and hopes people can abandon their stereotypes of Africa and instead see its true development.
Theophilus Aperkor from Ghana is very optimistic about that possibility. “In the very near future, all these stereotypes and lack of understanding are going to stop,” he says. “People will look at you and not judge where you are from, but what you have contributed.”