“What are they doing?” was the question posed to Christine Lai, assistant professor of business, by one of the 15 students who took her course, Chinese Culture and Business Practices, in Beijing last winter.

The student was observing Chinese students who were walking in small circles, reading their textbooks and murmuring key points out loud.

“They are studying for their exams,” said Lai. “And remember, they are your competition.”

The point was not lost on Lai’s Buffalo State students, but their strongest impression, according to Lai, was the friendliness of the Chinese people. Everywhere—in classes, in restaurants, even on the frozen lake at the Summer Palace—Lai’s students encountered not just a friendly demeanor but a genuine effort to be helpful.

The goal of the course is to “confront preconceptions by contemplating China’s reality.” Long before boarding the plane, students begin coursework by watching seven documentaries chosen to help prepare the students for their trip. The two-week course, which centers on a curriculum offered by the Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) in Beijing, includes three classes: basic Chinese language, Chinese culture, and current issues in China.

Of the 25 students who applied for the course, only 15 were selected. Lai said that students who participate must not only be in good academic standing; they must also be flexible and open to differences. “To me, diversity is about creating a culture of understanding and tolerance,” said Lai. Her desire to create that culture, plus her love of China, is what has led her to take undergraduate courses to China for the last three years. Lai, who teaches marketing, is also an expert on international business.

“I loved the trip,” said Marisa Rose Gaiser, a senior in computer information systems. “I’ve traveled to four or five other countries, but China was amazing. We saw and learned so much.” Gaiser especially enjoyed the serenity of the Lama temple.

Besides the cultural sites and the CUFE classes, students enjoyed welcome and farewell dinners and visits to local businesses. They also learned how to navigate the city’s subways and busses. The students each had a business card showing the name of the host institution, so that, if they get lost, they could show the card to a cab driver and return to their hotel on CUFE’s campus.

“I really appreciated the setting we were put in,” said Lenny Betance, a business major. “We saw the same people in the shops and restaurants every day, so we felt like we were part of a community, not just tourists. In the restaurants, we tried to use the Chinese we learned.”

By studying the Chinese economy in Beijing, Betance felt that he gained a deeper understanding. “We would learn in class about China’s growing middle class,” he said, “and then, when we went out to the markets, we could see it happening before our eyes.”

Photo: Marisa Rose Gaiser