This summer, ten students from the University of St. Gallen had the privilege of attending a summer camp organized by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Spanning three weeks, the camp was held in Guangzhou, a prominent port city in China. The program was filled with daily courses and excursions centered around Chinese culture, sports, and science. These activities were particularly fixing, given Guangzhou’s rich history in silk weaving and martial arts, both of which are integral to the cultural fabric of Guangdong Province. The camp included numerous visits to local museums that chronicled the historical evolution of Guangzhou and the Nanjing Empire. Additionally, participants had the unique opportunity to engage directly with the culture by weaving silk from silkworms themselves.
In our classes, we delved deeply into Chinese arts, where we not only learned but also conducted our own Gongfu Tea Ceremony and created our own landscape paintings. The professors, each deeply passionate about their respective fields, conveyed their knowledge with enthusiasm. We received remarkable lessons on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and in-depth explorations of microchip technology. The campus even organized a robot fight tournament, adding an exciting dimension to our experience. All of this was made possible by HKUST’s newly established science-oriented department in Guangzhou.
To ensure we were not overwhelmed by the influx of complex information, some classes were designed to be more relaxed and enjoyable, focusing on language learning in a fun manner. Thus, the camp’s curriculum ranged from reading Harry Potter to engaging in debates about greenhouse gases.
To further ease the intensity, the camp also hosted various sports classes and events. These included martial arts such as Sanda and Wing Chun (founded by Bruce Lee), which are well-known in Guangdong. We also had the opportunity to try other popular sports in China, such as table tennis and badminton. This was particularly engaging as the Olympic Games coincided with our camp, sparking significant interest in these sports.
On some evenings, we had the opportunity to venture out in smaller groups and explore Guangzhou together. These excursions were often the most captivating, as they allowed us to savor local cuisine and immerse ourselves in the local culture, as well as explore areas of personal interest. For many students, visiting the Canton Tower and various shopping districts was a highlight.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the camp was the diverse backgrounds of the participants. With over 350 students from six continents, the camp fostered a rich cultural tapestry. Engaging in conversations with such a varied group was enlightening, as we not only learned about Chinese culture and heritage but also about the traditions and customs of many other places. The bonds formed among the students were remarkable, with many maintaining regular contact and planningvisits when opportunities arise.