Wednesday, July 23, 2014

HNC Online Admissions Chat- Tuesday, July 29

The next online chat will take place next Tuesday, July 29 from 10:00AM to 11:00AM EDT Chatting with us will be admissions representatives Lauren Szymanski (HNC '12) and Sallie Ly.  Join us to hear firsthand experience and valuable advice, and be sure to bring any questions you may have about the application process, academics, or student life.  At the scheduled time, click here to join the chat and sign in as a guest.  We look forward to speaking with you!

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Tips for Incoming Students: Maintaining Your Chinese Over the Summer

As you prepare for your time at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center by applying for visas, making packing lists, and booking flights, it’s also important to maintain (or improve!) your current Chinese level, especially for those who are not currently living in China and don’t use Chinese in your day-to-day life.

Below are several activities and resources to help you practice reading, listening, speaking, and writing in Chinese:

Reading:
Newspapers
Southern Weekend < 南方周末>  
Xinhua <新华>  
Chinese Literature
Books in translation If you’ve already read the book in English and know the plot, this can help you practice vocabulary and grammar.  For example, most students have read this book in English.
Movies with Chinese subtitles

Listening/Speaking:
Chinese films/TV shows- Netflix has a selection of Chinese movies.
Language exchange partners

Writing:
Keep a journal in Chinese
QQ
  
For even more ideas, check out the American Mandarin Society’s page on language study.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Nanjing Sites: Librairie Avant-Garde

HNC admissions coordinator and 2012 Certificate alum Lauren Szymanski reflects on one of her favorite places to visit during her year in Nanjing:


One of the most unique places I ever visited in Nanjing was the bookstore Librairie Avant-Garde. Located next to Wutaishan Stadium, the bookstore is within short walking distance of the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, and was always a fun place to visit for a short study break, or to sit and read for hours.
The first time I ever went to Avant-Garde, my friend and I actually walked by it about two times before we finally found the entrance. The fact that this bookstore used to be an old underground car park adds to the difficulty of finding it, but also enhances the overall uniqueness of the store. When you first walk through the entrance, it is somewhat unassuming. You see a variety of different postcards for sale, and some unique artwork, but it isn’t until you walk up a rather steep incline that you see how vast extraordinary the bookstore truly is. 


As an avid reader, I found Avant-Garde to be a quiet slice of paradise in an otherwise huge city teeming with traffic, bicycles and pedestrians. There was one particular section of the bookstore which I thoroughly enjoyed. It contained practically all of the classic novels of Western literature, from Pride and Prejudice to almost anything ever written by Charles Dickens, but it included both the English and Chinese versions of the novel. If you are trying to find materials to practice your Chinese by reading a book you might be a bit more familiar with, then Avant-Garde is the place to go.
Aside from my favorite section of the bookstore, Avant-Garde also includes a coffee shop, sections on almost every topic imaginable, and couches where you can simply sit, read and not be bothered. Another section of the store includes a creative workshop where you can find designs made by local artists. It seems that Avant-Garde has a little bit of everything to appeal to almost anyone. If you are looking for a unique way to spend an afternoon in Nanjing, then you won’t want to miss out on this bookstore which is unlike any other I’ve ever visited. It’s so big that you can’t really appreciate all there is to see in just one visit. It’s a place you’ll want to go to again and again.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Office Hours and Online Chats

The Hopkins-Nanjing Center Office of International Admissions will be closed on Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.  We will return any emails when the office reopens on Monday, July 7.

Please also mark your calendars for the first online chat of the next application cycle!  Get a head start on the application process by joining us on Tuesday, July 29 from 10:00-11:00am EDT.  Can't make that chat?  Don't worry!  We'll be hosting monthly online chats between July and February.  More information on how to login will be posted in the coming weeks.

Have a safe and relaxing holiday!


Tuesday, July 1, 2014

HNC Legacy Student Laurel Mills Reflects on Her Year at the Center

It's Hopkins-Nanjing Center tradition to feature two commencement speakers (one Chinese and one international) and two student speakers.  The Chinese student speaker gives a speech in English, while the international student speaker provides remarks in Chinese.  At the 2014 commencement ceremony two weeks ago, certificate student Laurel Mills was selected as international student speaker.  As HNC's very first second-generation student, Laurel reflects on her father's experiences in Nanjing and her own time as a certificate student at the Center.


Laurel Mills giving her speech

大家好。我叫宓思,是中美中心本届证书班的学生

1991年,我在江省南京市鼓楼区的鼓楼医院出生了。里很多同学都知道,我爸爸那个候也是中美中心的学生,我妈妈本来就是南京人。你有可能已了南京春天美的,绿树的街道。事实上,正是这些美丽的树成了我爸爸妈妈的红娘。我爸爸在南京的候在上海路自行枝卷进了他的车轮 ,造成了一个自行车事故。然后他的手臂 就骨折了。我妈妈在这个时候本来打算去广州,可后来还是决定要留在南京去医院照顾他。然后我爸爸向她求婚 了。没想到的是,二十三年多后的今天,我也从中美中心毕业了。我觉得这就是我们说的:缘分。

我从小一直听到我爸爸说他在中美中心的经历有多好,长大了以后也能开始理解他在南京的这一年是怎样影响了他的思想和看世界的角度。去年我也决定要申请中心。但是回头看,那时候的我完全不能预想到,这一年经历的那么多的惊喜和挑战。中心真的改变是一个改变人生经历的地方。

我们在中美中心有一个独一无二的机会,来发展自己的学习和事,特是因中心对学 自由和开放的鼓励。每个人来讲,这经历是不一的,但是无论我们毕业后要开始工作或者继续学习,我认为中心的经历对都有很特的帮助。

对我自己来讲,中心的学术和个人经历的交点是让我对中国的理解变的更有人性,这是我在来这里前没有预想到的。我在成长的过程中,有时候很难理解我自己家庭内的文化差异,因为我有时候并不能理解中式的表达情感方式。及时我后来开始学中文、中国社会和政治,也没有对很多问题有深刻的理解。

我认为有机会从这么亲近的角度来经历这种跨文化的关系,同时加深我们的学术理解,是中美中心的一个特点,这是在一个中美家庭里长大的人,也没有的经历。有机会跟我们的同学,朋友,室友一起学习、生活在一个这么紧张,这么有意思的环境中,这就为我们带来了一种很特别的,对对方的理解。我们不是从外国人的角度来看美国或者中国,我们生活在它的缩影中,过对方的角度,看到一个更大的世界,经历一种更丰富的生活。

即使我们离开了中心,我们也会意识到中心的制度将会继续对我们产生深远的影响。我们现在要离开我们的小小的中心——这个上海路和北京西路的角落 。我们现在要去的世界很大很大,但这是我们必须经历的过程。你们每个人的能力和未来都让我感觉很谦卑,因此,我能够在一个礼堂里看到这么多,在未来能力与影响的世界的人,我也感到欢欣鼓舞。

我在斯康辛的一位教授曾经告我,长时间学政治和社会问题会让人很容易变得厌倦和愤世嫉俗。但是不是我们的世界所需要的。在这里,我看到了很理想和同情心,我真心希望你会永远保持着它们。我希望我在中心培育的友谊和对学术的好奇心也一直会跟你在一起。然我们需要去理解现实,理解世界和国交流有多复杂,但我真的认为这种理想主义也是帮助世界发展的重要因素。

文化交流需要我们努力去同情和理解,不仅是对不同国家或者不同文化背景的人,而是每一个人。的确很,需要我们不断的努力。但是我从来没认识过,比你做的更好人。我真心感到这个世界需要像我们这样的人。

中美中心2014年的毕业班,祝。我特,特开心今年有机会回来南京跟你一起经历这一年。我迫不及待地想要看到大家丰富多彩地未来,我会想念你