On April 13th, at the invitation of the organizing committee of Rongjiang Village Super League, the College of International Education of Guizhou University organized 118 international students from 38 countries to participate in the “Super Saturday Football Night” of Guizhou Village Super League. They have experienced the charm of Guizhou Village Super League in an immersive way.

 “Ladies and gentleman, a unique and exotic team have arrived on the runway. Welcome them!” Accompanied by the host’s enthusiastic commentary, the international football team composed of faculty and students from Guizhou University and their cheerleading squad appeared at the venue of Village Super League, sparking enthusiastic cheers from spectators. “Crossing mountains and seas, joining hands with Rongjiang! Youth of Guizhou University shine brightly in the Village Super League!” “Village Super League, we are here!” The team of international students holding up placards and shouting slogans, not only expressed the enthusiasm of faculty and students of Guizhou University towards the Village Super League, but also vividly portrayed the deep friendship between Guizhou University and Rongjiang County.

The international students who held the flag of their own country and wore traditional costumes, attracted the spectators to take photos with them. At the same time, students constantly received warm and friendly greetings, such as “Where do you come from?” ,“Welcome to Guizhou!”, “Welcome to Rongjiang!”. The international students had prepared hometown delicacies and distributed them on-site, which include Thai milk tea, Laotian salad with eggs, and Vietnamese pudding. Wu Meijia, an international student from Sri Lanka, said excitedly, “The locals are particularly enthusiastic, and Rongjiang is so fun. It’s really unforgettable!”

The atmosphere at the venue was lively, with cheers and continuous applause. On the green field, players emphasized passing and local coordination, engaging in intense transitions between offense and defense. Despite the fierce competition, Guizhou University’s international student football team unfortunately lost 2:4 to the Shaohuaixi Jiangxi Rice Noodle Team. Throughout the game, “excitement” was the deepest feeling of Alpha, a player from Guizhou University International Student Football Team: “It’s so much fun, and people are very enthusiastic. Playing football here makes me very excited. I will come again!”The team’s head coach Chen Xianrui said, “This is the first time for our team to come to the Village Super League. We just want the foreign students feel the atmosphere here and learn more about Chinese culture.”

At halftime, cultural performances from both sides elevated the atmosphere to new heights. Traditional dances and songs from Indonesia, Africa, and Vietnam, presented by Guizhou University’s international students, including the song “I’m Waiting for You in Guizhou,” received continuous applause from the spectators. “It’s quite novel for me, because it’s the first time I’ve seen so many foreigners, and their performances are also great!” said Yang Chuyuan, a spectator.

On the 14th, faculty and students from Guizhou University visited Lexiang Village in Zhongcheng Town, Rongjiang County, and had cultural exchanges with the local people. They deeply experienced Dong culture and the vibrant vitality of rural areas of China.

 “Guizhou Village Super League manifests local flavor and boasts unique cultural charm. Taking Rongjiang Village Super League as an opportunity, we provide a window for international students to understand Chinese rural culture, ethnic culture, and sports traditions.” said Gan Xiaoqin, Secretary of the College of International Education of Guizhou University.

Rongjiang County is pairing-off assisted by Guizhou University. For many years, hundreds of faculty and students have been sent to assist Rongjiang, supporting the development of its key industries such as high-quality fruits and vegetables, tea and traditional Chinese medicine. They have carried out targeted measures for rural planning and construction, leading the joint construction of provincial-level characteristic pastoral villages, demonstrative traditional villages, and beautiful villages of revolutionary culture.

Editor: Pang Aizhong

Chief Editor: Zhang Chan

Senior Editor: Li Xufeng

Translator: Wang Xiaomin