X:Xu Hao   J:Joe

 

X:Where are you come from?

J:I come from Ireland. For Chinese people, Ireland is a very small country. The population is around five million, which likes a Chinese city that is not very big. So, there is a big difference between China and Ireland about population.

 

X: Joe, when was the first time you came to China?

J: The first time I came to China was about five years ago for an international education fair where different universities came to present their courses to Chinese students to go abroad.

X:What is the most amazing thing you have seen?

J: Well, so many things. Let me see…I take the thing that strikes me so much is how really nice Chinese people are. I don’t say that, but it is really true. I think it is a different thing between the Western people and the Chinese people, because people are nicer here. They are friendlier and they help me a lot.

 

X: Do you like Chinese food?

J:I like a lot of Chinese food that I get in BGD, because the cooks here who making food are very good. For me, I would have a problem with food which is with spicy, so the cook here are very nice, because they make food for me which is not very spicy. The food here are various and from different regions, so it’s very interesting to eat Chinese food. I know the food is important in China, and people are used to eating together.

X:What do you think of the BGD students ?

J:Okay, I think they are so nice. I also teach first-year students in Ireland. In many ways, they are very nice people. But the BGD students are much friendlier when they told the teachers or professors. It is very easy to work with them, and they are usually very exciting when we are doing things together. They work hard, but they also enjoy themselves. We enjoyed our time together very much. So, I absolutely love my students here.

 

X: Do you enjoy Chinese culture?

J:Chinese culture is not only very interesting but actually very important. As a teacher, my very strong inspiration is a Chinese man called Kongzi that we called Confucius in the West, and his attitude to teach can inspire me. So, I want to do similar things that he was doing. After him, there are many other important Chinese philosophers that I like very much. I like Chinese philosophers that they told me about how we should live together and how we should relate to each other, and I think that is very important. In the West, at the same time we are not very good at relating to each other. So, Chinese people are related to each other in a better way, that’s why I like Chinese culture.

X:I really want to hear something about your travel experiences. How many countries have you visited?

J:Many people know that I like traveling. I like to spend a lot of time in many cities. I stayed in China for four months. It also gave me a very good opportunity to understand Chinese people. I visited America about one year, and that is very interesting just like China. It is a very big country! There are many different places and people in different regions. I have been in some cities in Europe: France, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Spain and so on. Now I live in a small Island called Tenerife which belongs to Spain. I love here, because different countries have different ways of getting along, which is not the same as I thought before. So, you should learn to live in harmony with different people.

X:You have so many experiences about travelling and living in different countries. Do you have some suggestions for young people who want to travel or live in other countries?

J:I strongly encourage everyone to travel. It has many good things about it. One of the good thing is that you will learn more about your own country when you are traveling. Because when you go to another country, and then start talking to people in that country. Then you start to think deeply about our own life and own country. People often travel because they think they will find the better country than their own. But actually, when they go to another country, they will realize that their country is very good. That is much better than they go before. Finally, I offer some advice for young people. One is: Far way hills are green. The other one is travel broadens your mind.

Written: International Office

Edited by: International Office