On November 25, 2021, SDU-ANU Joint Science College held the 5th Coffee Time Academic and Cultural Exchange Event with the theme of "Gratitude" in Chinese and Western Cultures in the Reading Room, Dianzi Building. More than 30 students of the 2020 and 2021 cohorts participated. Chang Xiaomei, Vice Dean of the SDU-ANU Joint Science College, Zhou Junxia, Head of the Academic English Group, Zou Jialin, Coordinator of Teaching Division and Brad Milner, a foreign teacher of Academic English Group attended the activities. Ms. Yu Qing, a teacher of the Academic English Group hosted the activity.
At the beginning, the students wrote sincere thanksgiving greetings on the gratitude cards and shared them in groups. Then Mr. Milner introduced the origin and history of Thanksgiving in the West to help the students to have a better understanding of the Western culture of Thanksgiving. After that, the teachers of the Academic English group shared the moving stories of gratitude in traditional Chinese culture bilingually, and introduced China's long-standing gratitude culture, which is a traditional virtue of the Chinese nation.
Chang Xiaomei suggested that students should learn English well, tell Chinese stories well, spread Chinese culture, seriously think about the people they would like to say “Thank you” to and the things they felt grateful for, and act promptly.
By comparing and contrasting the two cultures, the students have had a deeper understanding of the development history and characteristics of either culture as well as the foundation of excellent Chinese culture so as to build stronger cultural confidence and deeper love for the country, and carry forward the fine cultural tradition of the Chinese nation while absorbing the essence of the Western culture.
