ST. GEORGE – Among developing traditions at the Huntsman World Senior Games is a mutually beneficial relationship between the Games and a Chinese youth delegation that comes to volunteer in score keeping and other services to the Games.
Kyle M Case, CEO of the Huntsman World Senior Games, said that a 2010 Friendship Volleyball Tour to China left him feeling so impressed with the student volunteers that he and Chinese Volleyball Official Dewei Tang decided to invite students to visit America and help with the World Senior Games event.
For the past two years, the Chinese students have come to assist with expectations that they will in turn receive better life prospects.
Her family and friends know 24-year-old Joanne Wang as Wangzhuoran in her hometown just north of Shanghai. She’s a graduate student studying media, and she’s confident that her time in America will help set her apart from the nearly 1.35 billion Chinese who are or will be looking for careers.
“It was not easy to be selected to come to the Huntsman Games. We had to pass basic language skills, show an aptitude for sports, and prove to the selection committee that we would adjust easily to a new environment,” Wang said. “And even though equality is getting better now in China, girls must work hard to show they are as able as boys.”
“We had to show the selectors that we had enthusiasm, that we could get the required visas, and that we could afford the trip,” Shixian said, known here in the States as Kevin. “My father is a doctor and my mother is a professor.“
Kevin’s parents believe that any time spent in the U.S. improving language skills and learning to bridge cultural differences will help him move into a successful career in China. Whether it’s business, government jobs or professional positions, English and an understanding of the West — particularly America — is a key component in the eyes of many Chinese to being able to build that successful career.
“I like the American style,” Zhangshuai said. Zhangshuai is known here as David; many students take on American names because of the difficulty Americans have with recognizing and remembering unfamiliar Chinese names.
“The U.S. style is good because they are so friendly. There are so many people in China, and they are so busy, that it would be too hard to smile at everyone,” David said. “We would get too tired smiling all the time. But here the people are always smiling.“
David said that some highlights of his trip here so far have been the volleyball competition at the Huntsman World Senior Games, seeing the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park, and singing Moon River with Utah County musician James O’Neil Miner.
“It was so amazing,” David said. “Everyone stood up and clapped for us. They liked it!”
This is the second year we have welcomed a Chinese student delegation to assist with the Games,” Case said. “We really love to have them here and hope they return year after year.”
Case said the students are enjoying interacting with the athletes and are very dedicated and competent in their assigned roles.
All of the Chinese students who were interviewed agreed on a few things, namely: America is beautiful and different, bread and jam for breakfast is not as good as noodles and rice, and improving their language skills and world knowledge by spending time at the Huntsman World Senior Games will be a huge score on their résumés.
Chinese student delegates this year are: Shi Xian, Wang Zhuoran, Sun Aoming, Zhang Shuai, Yang Zihui, Yu Yang, Yin Haiqin, Boulu Qing, Liu Yongtai, Ghang Mingming.
For more on Huntsman World Senior Games 2012:
Senior Games: Week 1 photo gallery
Senior Games: Week 2 photo gallery
Senior Games: Santa Clara’s golden boy chases tennis three-peat with faithful partner
Senior Games: Barbadian athletes cast a ray of Caribbean sunshine on St. George
Senior Games: Global Cup men’s volleyball, veritably world
Senior Games: Women’s softball teams triumph after tragedy
Senior Games: Santa Clara’s golden boy chases tennis three-peat with faithful partner
Photo Gallery: Senior Games opening ceremonies bring pride, grandeur to St. George
Senior Games begin with 10,000 athletes battling for gold
Gold to go around, Marathon and Senior Games come to town
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