expats in shandong experience spring festival culture
by fu ying
foreign experts in shandong province gathered to celebrate the 2024 chinese new year. (courtesy photo）
on february 2, the shandong provincial department of science and technology organized a vibrant spring festival event for foreign experts and their families. more than 30 foreign experts from 15 countries including germany, italy, and south korea participated in the event.
the event was a melting pot of international and local talent with the audience treated to a mix of saxophone music, chinese martial arts and traditional comic dialogues, besides lion dances, peking opera performances, and face-changing acts.
the guests tried their hands at chinese calligraphy, paper-cutting, sugar painting and dough modeling, unique charms of traditional chinese culture.
the event not only facilitated a lively exchange among the foreign experts in shandong but also helped them to understand and integrate more deeply into the local community and discover the charm of china and the chinese.
peter monka, a slovakian expert from the qingdao university of technology, shared the story of his five-year journey in china, highlighting shandong's history, natural beauty and forward-looking innovations.
“in china, i have discovered one big secret that cannot be seen in tourist brochures or promotional videos, or found on the internet,” monka said,adding that “the greatest wealth of this country are its wise, skilled and hardworking people.”
pan jun, deputy director of the science and technology department, extended warm new year greetings to all guests and their families, lauding their contribution to the social and economic development of shandong.
