On March 15, 2019, entrusted by the Education Department of Jilin Province, Changchun Foreign Languages School (CFLS) provided the ushers for the visiting representatives from the Confucius Institute of St. Cloud State University. The leading group of our school greeted the representatives with friendly handshakes.

　　At 9: 00 in the morning, with the support from Jilin Hanban (the organization that manages Confucius Institutes globally), the opening ceremony was solemnly held in the China Pavilion of International Culture Corridor of our school. Lin Lekun, Deputy Director of Education Department of Jilin Province, Chen Mei, Director of International Cooperation and Exchange Office, Yang Hong, Secretary of Jilin Hanban, Ding Chuan, Deputy Director of Jilin Hanban, and Yan Lei, Project Officer of Jilin Hanban attended the opening ceremony. In addition, American representatives and the leading group and volunteers of our school also attended the ceremony. Li Simiao and Yu Qianzhe from our student union presided over the opening ceremony in Chinese and English. Zhou Sitong acted as the translator of the opening ceremony.

　　The Confucius Institute of St. Cloud State University is an important cooperation between Education Department of Jilin Province and St. Cloud State University. The purpose of establishing Confucius Institutes is to meet the needs of Minnesota locals to learn Chinese, to strengthen mutual understanding, and to lay the foundation for wider educational exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, to create sound conditions for students learning Chinese, to broaden their international horizons. Over the years, the two sides have established a profound friendship through close exchanges and exchange of visits.

　　During the opening ceremony, Lin Lekun, deputy director of the Education Department of Jilin Province, and Wang Hao, principal of Changchun Foreign Languages School, delivered speeches respectively. They introduced Changchun and Changchun Foreign Languages School, and expressed warm welcome to American teachers and students and good wishes for this winter camp.

　　Ms. Kathy Johnson, Dean of Confucius Institute of St. Cloud State University, delivered a speech, thanking the host for their warm reception and looking forward to the activities in the next three days.

　　The representatives walked into the classroom, felt the teaching style of the excellent teachers in our school, walked into the Chinese family, experienced the real Chinese culture, tasted Chinese cuisine and learned Chinese traditional art.

　　In the process of three days of communication, the children of the two countries learn from each other, understand each other's language and culture, establish friendship and improve cross-cultural understanding.

　　After school on March 15 to noon on March 17, 13 American children spent two unforgettable days in the families of their Chinese partners to integrate into the authentic Chinese families and experience the life of real Chinese families. The reception methods of various host families also have their own characteristics. They organize a variety of activities: tasting Chinese food, learning to make dumplings together, learning traditional Chinese arts such as painting and calligraphy, going to the gym to exercise, learning Kung Fu, visiting famous universities, watching movies, going to bookstores, singing, shopping, and so on. It fully reflects the hospitality of the Chinese people.

　At the closing ceremony, Professor Kathy Johnson made a concluding speech, expressing his heartfelt thanks to all departments of the school and Chinese host families for what they had done, and the student representatives share the most unforgettable events of the two days. Jilin Hanban also issued honorary certificates to host family volunteers to recognize children's to positive efforts and selfless contributions to the work of the winter camp.

　　The three-day winter camp for students at the Confucius Institute of St. Cloud State University was a complete success. The close contact between teachers and students of China and the United States has further deepened. We embrace the world with equality, respect and sincerity, treat different civilizations with appreciation, tolerance and mutual learning, connect the world with youthful vitality and goodwill, and build bridges for harmonious coexistence and friendly exchanges among different civilizations.