Gansu Fellows Testimonials
Sister District Activity
Gansu Fellows from Selwyn District
Annually the Gansu Province has offered a young person from Selwyn the opportunity to spend a month in Lanzhou with representatives from Lanzhou with other Sister City representatives. In 2020 Covid interrupted this most worthwhile programme.
Testimonials
Blake Aston
Through the Selwyn District Council, I was fortunate enough to participate in the 2018 Fellowship hosted by the Gansu Province. When I first met with the Selwyn District Council I had little knowledge of the Sister City Committee and their values. When I asked the question, the very pertinent reply was “it is about people meeting people and making a connection”. That really resonated with me and I made it my goal to meet as many people in China as possible, to understand them on a personal level and gain an understanding of their culture. The fellowship provided an excellent platform for me to do this, with a balance between lectures and visits – giving numerous insights into the real China. A personal highlight includes the lectures on the Culture of Chinese Language by Dr Jin Cao which introduced us to some of the cultural differences between Western and Chinese dialects. He stated that Western is linear, where Chinese is cyclical. Chinese thought patterns are spiral, emotional and obscure – where Western thought patterns are more linear, rational and accurate. This should not be taken as a negative towards Chinese language and dialect, but used to increase understanding and provide a framework that can be used to help form relationships.
Phil Millar
A highlight of my time on the Gansu International Fellowship Programme was the week long tour of North Western Gansu. We were fortunate to visit incredible attractions and amazing landscapes including the Magao Caves and Crescent Lake in Dunhuang, the Rainbow Mountains in Zhangye Danxia and the Western end of the Great Wall of China in Jiayuguan. The history and landscapes made a great impression on me. I also really enjoyed meeting many interesting people from China and from all around the world.
Charlotte Wilson
A highlight from me “The people of Gansu are so kind and welcoming, I’ll never forget trying to navigate a very busy street with more cars than lanes and a very elderly gentleman walking me across the road, to get me to the other side safely.” “there was also the added benefit of meeting lifelong friends from other countries which also enriched the experience, we still reflect on our time in Gansu fondly”.
Callum Davidson
The experience I had in Gansu was magnificent. The area is so vastly different from my NZ and to have such a great opportunity to experience the real China was terrific. One lasting memory will be how friendly people in Gansu are. Even though we had language barriers, the people are very accommodating and extremely happy to try and help, I never feel unsafe, and at times felt a bit like a movie star with people wanting to have photos with you. I was also amazed by the contrasts within the province, ranging from the highly westernised parts of the cities through to the subsistence farming communities in the rural areas, it is a very fascinating place. If the opportunity arises, I highly recommend a visit to Gansu.
Robert Love
Over 30 days the Gansu Fellowship covered lectures in language, history and culture, accompanied by many visits in Lanzhou and surrounds, including an excursion to one of many highlights, the Tibetan Plateau.
The city of Lanzhou and the Gansu Province in Northwest China was historically the entry point into China along the Silk Route. In recent years The Belt and Road initiative, is a vital transport corridor to West and Central Asia, and into Europe. It is subject to massive investment.
To experience a culture with over 5000 years of civilisation was humbling. Some of the majestic Mogao Grottos date back over 1500 years.
The trip provided me with a fantastic opportunity to experience this unique part of China and develop and understanding of its society and realise that water has an important role in both our societies.
