COUNTRY HIGHLIGHT: CHINA Celebrations and traditions in China bring families together, says two BYUH students BY LAUREN GOODWIN
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amily is at the center of Chinese culture, traditions, food and celebrations. For example, Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, brings extended families together to decorate their homes, enjoy time away from school and eat family favorite foods, said two BYU–Hawaii sophomores from China. They said spending time with family during holidays is a highlight of life in China. Kefei Yu, a communications major, and Fei Liu, an accounting major, shared as a nation, they love Spring Festival traditions, like the dragon dances and exchanges of red envelopes for good luck and prosperity. Yu said the Spring Festival is “like Christmas in the U.S. Most of the people will make
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dumplings together and spend time together as a family,” and this lasts up to two weeks. What is it like to attend BYUH as a student from China? Compared to her high school experience in China, Liu said BYUH feels a lot more laid back. She explained in China “we only have three years to study [in high school], and it’s very hard to take the college entrance examination at the end of the year.” The exam is competitive, she said, and causes a lot of stress for high school students. Although the exam is somewhat catered to what they studied in school, it is very exhausting, she added.
Yu said she has noticed many differences in the classrooms at BYUH compared to the classrooms in China. In China, she said people stand up to answer questions instead of staying seated. The education system in China uses standardized testing to meet national standards, she explained, and individual creativity was not encouraged. At BYUH,Yu said she feels she can share her opinions on subjects and the professors learn from the students just as much as the students learn from them. She expressed her appreciation for the relationships she has with her professors and said she feels respected when she shares her thoughts or opinions in class.
