On June 25, 2021, SEAIE(Suzhou Education Association For International Exchange) organized a cultural tour themed A Walk into South-China Culture, An Outlook of Suzhou’s Future. Ms. Marien Sarur, our current spoken English teacher, was invited to participate in this activity, together with many other teachers from the US, the UK, Finland, Ukraine and South Korea, etc.

Ms. Marien recalled her experience of this activity:

“I had the honor and pleasure to join a group of foreigners, and be part of a cultural tour provided by SEAIE. The tour took the group through Suzhou's Urban Development Museum, Suzhou's Education History Museum, and The Master of Nets Garden.

I learned much about Suzhou's history and city development, as well as how it has improved the modus vivendum of the people. I had no idea that Suzhou is one of the great Model Cities in China, it is great to be living here! At the Education Museum it was very interesting to see how the thinking about Education in general population changed with times, and how the Education Models and Goals to achieve were born. We were taught about Gardens as well, and how families integrated art combined with education and life goals, to be represented in their gardens through architectural features for everyone to see.

It was a great day filled with learning and culture! It was a good opportunity to reflect and compare to what knowledge I already had, and to be able to see the similarities and differences between our home countries and China.”

This cultural tour enabled foreign teachers in Suzhou to have a better understanding of the city development and education transformation. And the organizer sincerely hoped a true China can be interpreted and exhibited to the outside through them.