In order to deeply experience the charm of Cantonese New Year customs, convey the urban temperature of "Guangzhou with the most New Year flavor", and allow international students studying in China during winter vacation to experience the authentic Chinese New Year in a foreign land, the International College of Guangzhou Huashang College has carefully organized and carried out the "Guangzhou with the most New Year flavor" series of cultural experience activities on the occasion of the upcoming Chinese New Year in 2026. The event takes various forms such as flower market tours, school leaders' condolences, and New Year's reunion dinners as carriers, leading international students into the festive atmosphere of the streets and alleys of Guangzhou, feeling the warmth and care inside and outside the campus, and spending a Chinese New Year with rich flavor and extraordinary significance through cultural exchange and emotional integration.
Visit Jiangnan Xihua Street and experience the customs of Guangfu New Year
On February 6th, International College counselor Hao Zixiu and office assistant Zhang Rui led 11 international students to Jiangnan Xihua Street in Haizhu District, Guangzhou, to immerse themselves in the lively scene of Guangzhou's traditional Spring Festival flower market. International students stroll through flower stalls, stopping to admire festive flowers with auspicious meanings such as New Year's flowers and oranges, and gaining a deeper understanding of Guangzhou's unique New Year tradition of "Xinghua Street". On site volunteers enthusiastically explained the symbolic meaning of flowers and the customs of Spring Festival decoration. International students not only selected their favorite New Year flowers, but also participated in fun interactive games and recorded lion dance performances and flower market scenes with their cameras. Through personal experience, everyone has gained a more three-dimensional and vivid understanding of the Spring Festival culture in Guangzhou, known as the "Flower City".
School leaders visit and offer condolences, listening to the voices of students
On February 8th, Vice Presidents Lv Junmin and Xu Na of Guangzhou Huashang College, as well as Director Yang Yanping of the Logistics and Security Department, conducted holiday visits and condolences activities, and had cordial discussions with 8 international students who stayed on campus during the winter vacation. The school leaders have a detailed understanding of the students' holiday life arrangements, learning progress, and actual needs, and are concerned about their adaptation during their school years. International students also enthusiastically shared their experiences of studying and living on campus, and put forward suggestions on campus facilities, cultural activities, and other aspects. The Logistics and Security Department recorded feedback on site and introduced service guarantee measures such as campus catering, accommodation, and security during the holiday period. They clarified regular communication channels to ensure that students staying on campus have a safe and convenient holiday life. During the discussion, school leaders presented carefully prepared New Year gifts to international students - New Year lucky bags symbolizing peace and prosperity, and special souvenirs carrying campus memories. Through relaxed and fun interactive games, they brought each other closer, allowing students who were far away to feel the warmth and concern of home in the strong New Year atmosphere.
Welcoming the Spring Festival with a Reunion Dinner, Teachers and Students Celebrate the Festival Together
On February 12th, the Dean of the International College, Hui Yanyan, the Administrative Secretary, Deng Xiwen, and the Office Assistant, Zhang Rui, had a New Year's reunion dinner with 9 international students studying in China. This dinner was specially selected at a Hui Muslim restaurant, where teachers and students sat around a table, sharing traditional Cantonese dishes and discussing the holiday customs of their respective hometowns in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. During meal breaks, international students also enthusiastically shared their respective countries' traditional festival cultures and engaged in in-depth exchanges around holiday experiences. Subsequently, Dean Huiyanyan distributed Chinese New Year red envelopes to international students and explained the symbolism of red envelopes in traditional Chinese culture, which symbolize good luck, good fortune, and good wishes. It is an important way for elders to express their blessings to younger generations during the Spring Festival. At the end of the event, the dean sent sincere New Year wishes to the international students and took a group photo as a souvenir. The camera captures the brilliant smiling faces and the heartwarming moments of unity and mutual assistance between China and foreign countries on campus.
From the bustling crowds on the streets of the flower market, to the sincere expressions of condolences and discussions, and to the laughter and joy at the reunion dinner table, this "Guangzhou with the Most New Year Flavor" series of experiential activities, in a multidimensional and immersive way, allows international students to perceive the warmth of Chinese culture in the Guangzhou New Year customs and experience the warmth of "hometown in a foreign land" in campus care. The International College of Guangzhou Huashang University will continue to use traditional festivals as a link to build a warm and deep platform for cultural exchange between China and foreign countries, helping international students become witnesses, narrators, and disseminators of Chinese stories, and enabling more international youth to understand China through experience and connect with the world through communication.
