Scholarship leads to life-changing adventure

For British student Ivan Smith, he would not have thought that checking his email during a holiday last year would lead him to a life-changing adventure in China.

When Smith clicked on his inbox, he found a poster advertising a scholarship program that piqued his interest. This helped shatter his preconceived ideas about China.

At a young age, Smith's father helped nurture his interest in China.

"From a young age, my father insisted that I try to engage with China as much as possible for the sake of building business ties with a newly emerging global power," the 16-year-old said. "He emphasized the importance of securing future opportunities in a changing world."

Smith is among 10 British scholars who took part in an A-Level scholarship program established through the partnership between Wycombe Abbey International School Changzhou, or WAISCZ, and United Kingdom educational charity Engage with China.

After three months in China, Smith found his preconceived ideas about China to be vastly different from what he had experienced. His expectations of the education system, influenced by the portrayal of the gaokao, or China's national college entrance exam, were shattered.

"I've found the opposite to be true," Smith said. "The education here was more relaxed and friendly than any secondary school I've seen in the UK. WAISCZ's focus on holistic education and the general culture in Changzhou (of Jiangsu province) have proven otherwise, which goes to show how different reality can be from stereotypes and the imagery portrayed on mainstream news."

The wide variety of extracurricular activities became a highlight of Smith's life in China. Basketball, in particular, became a passion for him.

"By far, the most enjoyable activity for me is basketball," he said. "Through which I have not only vastly improved in basketball skills to the point where I have secured a place on the team, but also vastly improved in terms of physical fitness, losing roughly 10 kilograms in 3 months."

Smith expressed his anticipation of several benefits that lie ahead after finishing the scholarship in China.

"These unique experiences, such as assembling and flying model aircraft and studying global perspectives and Chinese courses alongside my A-Levels, have added depth and diversity to my CV. They have broadened my horizons and made me a more well-rounded individual," he said.

Smith emphasized the importance of international student exchanges in building bilateral relations.

"International student exchanges are essential for building bilateral relations," he said. "They foster understanding and bridge gaps between cultures. They open doors to a world of opportunities and create lasting connections."

Calista Ajibola, another scholar in the program, shared similar sentiments.

Besides her developed proficiency in Chinese, Ajibola said her newfound perspective on Chinese culture, acquired through interactions with Chinese students and trips to places such as Suzhou and Nanjing, has given her an advantage over her peers in the UK, as she has become familiar with a country she would have previously considered foreign.

"I believe the global outlook I now have is one necessary for long-lasting connections to be made, and only through such relationships can unity be built," Ajibola said. "Unity between nations is an undeniable asset in today's unpredictable world, and I believe I can now play a part in this movement."

H-J Colston-Inge, director of Engage with China, said: "Our 10 scholars are discovering China for themselves, enabling them to make up their own mind about what it is like and what makes the Chinese people tick. They will grow their global perspective and outlook and I hope that they will become fantastic China-UK ambassadors in the future."

wangmingjie@mail.chinadailyuk.com