Storms and Challenges - Insight on Young Students Abroad

By Luke Zhang

The growing trend of studying abroad

Since the Chinese government reform and open up of the late 1980's, there is a growing trend of Chinese students going overseas to study. According to incomplete statistics, by the end of year 2002 there were approximately 580,000 Chinese students scattered among many institutes of higher education in 103 countries (1). This number does not include those studying in language schools, or students companions who subsequently changed their visa status to students. Therefore, the actual number of overseas Chinese students exceeded the above number by a large margin.

According to a report in the U.S. in 2002, China has contributed the most foreign students in the last three years. From 2000 to 2002, there were 20,000 student visas issued per year to Chinese students. The number of overseas Chinese students in the US has already exceeded 150,000.

In recent years, there is a gradual increase in the number of Chinese students studying at Great Britain, so much so that it may take the lead. In 2001 alone, Britain issued 17,000 student visas to China; in 2002, there was a 70% increase in this number. Currently, there are approximately 60,000 Chinese students in Britain (2).

There was a 50% increase in the number of Chinese students in Australia and Canada, from 2001 to 2002.

Aside from the traditional countries such as Britain, USA, and Canada, other countries where students have to study a new language, but the expenses are comparatively lower, such as Germany, France and Ukraine, are also becoming popular. In the current wave of overseas studying rush, countries such as Russia, South Africa, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea, are the new hot spots. In Russia alone there are now over 10,000 Chinese students. South Africa, which inherited the former British educational system, has attracted over 10,000 Chinese overseas students.

The so called 'Jade Island', Ireland, has about 30,000 Chinese overseas students, the majority of whom study at language schools. In the Northeastern provinces of China, it has become fashionable to send children to Ireland to study. Among the 50,000 overseas students in Singapore, those coming from China accounted for over one third, numbering nearly 20,000.

In Thailand there are 954 Chinese students studying in her universities, and is the largest group of overseas students there. In the tiny island of Cyprus, her best school Cyprus College has attracted over 300 Chinese overseas students.

The new wave of young overseas students

Following the popular trend of studying abroad and in comparison to previous times, there are two obvious changes in the Chinese students studying abroad: first, a rapid increase in students who provided their own finance and studying at different levels; second, the phenomenon of young overseas students, with a marked decrease of their average age.

These young overseas students are usually below 25 yrs of age. Many are still in junior high school with age from 16 to 18. Recently, 50% of the 20 to 30 thousand self-financed overseas students are in this category.

In November 2002, the Xin Jiang province established a Service Center to help students who wanted to study abroad. Their "business" has been exploding. They received tens of phone inquires every day, sometimes the number of calls was over 100. In the first two months, they helped 17 high school students obtain their visas, and with nearly 50 still pending.

According to a survey held in Uygur, an autonomous region of Xin Jiang, 29% of the families in the city of Urumqi plan to send their children abroad to study. 33% of the families there will make their decisions depending on the cost of sending students abroad, and only 38% of the families have no plan to send their children abroad (5).

When we look into the prevailing wave of studying abroad, we discovered the following reasons:

1. The parents hope that their children can receive advanced education abroad, and become fluent in foreign languages;

2. The parents hope to facilitate their immigration status through studying abroad, to change their status for the betterment of their future;

3. The parents hope that their children can better adapt to international environment through foreign study, attain an understanding of different cultures, and become competitive international talents.

These three reasons are widely recognized as "the three advantages of high school students who study abroad" (6).

In fact aside from these honorable reasons, there are a few unspoken ones, such as:

1. Students try to avoid the high-pressure college entrance examinations taking place annually in the so-called "black July". As of now, the percentage of high school graduates getting into college is rather low. Many children cannot pass the entrance examination. The competition for employment is so fierce that many families just decie to send their children overseas.

2. The disappointment with the current education model. They think the schools have not created a student-centered environment, and schools seem to lack caring of students' needs. Many students choose study overseas because they feel that they do not have the space to express themselves in Chinese schools.

3. Families tend to compare with one another. There is a growing peer pressure to send their children abroad. Driven by vanity, many parents try to send their children overseas by any means. They think that makes them look good and gives them a good status. According to a survey of the young students abroad done in Fuzhou, 70% of these young students were forced to go overseas by their parents (7).

4. All kinds of agencies for studying abroad are actively advertising their services promoting different overseas studies. Just in Shanghai alone, the annual sales figures of these agencies are over one billion RMB (8). Helping young students to study abroad has become an important means for these agencies to make a lot of money, sometimes by unethical means.

Currently, if one wants study in Germany, one has to prepay the agency a registration fee of 20,000 RMB; once the visa is issued, one has to pay an additional 40,000 RMB handling fee (9). There are other fees as well. For example, in Shanghai, if you are thinking about studying abroad, first you have to spend several thousand RMB to go to English classes; an agency's handling fee of 15,000 RMB; English examination preparation fee of 1,250 RMB. 80 RMB each for certifying birth certificate, transcript, and other items; a passport fee of 200 RMB, a health examination fee of 1,000 RMB and 1,000 RMB for visa. A great deal of money was spent on these 'agencies' even before one leaves home. Furthermore, many countries consider China as a great business opportunity for recruiting students to study there. They even advertise in China and organize seminars for studying abroad. Chinese parents are spending annually several billion dollars on sending their children abroad (10).

5. Many take advantage of 'children studying abroad' as a means to divert illegal money or money laundering. The National Bureau of Foreign Exchange estimates that between 1997-1999, the capital fleeing China amounted to 53 billion US dollars, with a significant amount through the channel of sending their children abroad (11).

All of the above reasons have contributed to the waves of sending young students studying abroad, so that in the last five years the number has increased seven fold (12).

The awkward situation of the army of "only child" abroad

Today in Asia, Europe, Oceania and North America, we are seeing more and more young and immature Chinese student faces. These children born after 1980 are basically the only child at home; they formed the army of 'overseas single child'. They have not received higher education at home, and yet are able to study overseas with financial support from their parents. With an age of nearly 20 years, they are considered by Westerners as adults, but still children without any experience in the world in the eyes of their Chinese parents. In general, they are likely to develop the "army of overseas single child syndrome", characterized by the following:

1. They are always right. Being the center of everyone's attention at home, they are totally self-centered, and spoiled. Once they go abroad and deal with other people, they rarely think of their own shortcomings. They think they are always right. Typical responses are like these: "If you offend me, you offend the entire nation of China." "You just wait; when I return home, my father will take care of you!", or "When I am mad, I will fire the boss!" etc.

2. They lack adaptability. They lack language skill and basic professional training. In a totally different social and cultural environment, these shortcomings make many of them feel inadequate, lacking the ability to adapt.

3. Dependency on others. The consequence of being spoiled at home for a long time is a mental attitude of 'depending on others'. This dependency attitude makes them extremely difficult to cope with independent living in a foreign country.

4. The lack of self-control. Many of these young students do try to work hard and excel in their schools. But there are also many who do not try. They spend all day surfing the Internet; listening to pop music; getting drunk; competing with their peers in their rich lifestyle and in their spending habits; or romantic involvements and living together at a young age and having fun. Some even join the gangs, fighting eon the streets and sink deeper into sin...

The many problems created by these young students studying abroad have attracted the attention of many in China who are very concerned. The Director of the International Exchange Center in Qingdao, Li Yapeng, suggests that those sending young students abroad should pay attention to the following three aspects:

1. The adolescents have not formed their purpose in life, too immature to be independent, and lack self-control. They are easily influenced to take up bad habits and tempted by bad people to take drugs, gambling, and co-habitation. The end result is that the parents spend a large amount of money to let the children cultivate bad habits.

2. The Chinese children should first learn the fundamentals of Chinese culture, traditions and knowledge in China before leaving to study in Western countries. In this way, they may develop a healthier mentality and personality.

3. After establishing a firm educational foundation in China, they can then study professional skills in Western countries. They would be better able to withstand the challenges ahead resulting in better outcome.

Some Beijing newspapers begin to remind these young students who want to study abroad to mind their own safety (14). Even the Chief Consul from the Chinese Consulate in Australia starts to warn these young students, when they noticed numerous incidences involving Chinese students in Australia (15).

To know this people group for evangelism

I attempt to use the following table to profile these young overseas students:

Everyday likes:Favorite songs, Internet.

Self-identity:Not 'value identity', but 'taste identity'.

Attitude characteristics:Feels good about him/herself, lacks self-control, strongly self-centered.

Interpersonal relationships:Lacks direct personal and societal contact, but lives in the Internet.

Thoughts and faith:Emphasizes modern trends and personal choices; does not emphasize conscience and responsibility; lacks absolute standards; lacks a sense of sinfulness.

Effective points to introduce Christian faith:Where can I find happiness? Interesting topics:Hit songs, movies and novels, computer games, fashion.

To share the gospel with this group, we have to make two adjustments in our methodology:

1. Change the concept of evangelism - establish a lasting relationship

* Shift their dependency on Christians to dependency on God;

* From gospel sharing through follow up and edification, it should be a long-term and lasting relationship building.

2. Adjustment of evangelization strategy - meditation method and attitude

* Use conversation, chatting or discussion to introduce Christian faith

* Avoid spoon-feeding or lecturing

* Start by making friends and learn to listen to them; one-on-one personal evangelism is very effective

* understand their needs and hobbies, and approach them by showing concern and guidance, using it as an introduction point

* Be creative in setting up meetings. Do not expect to be able to solve all problems through a single gospel meeting; consider sponsoring gospel tea time, and weekend camps

* Employ the attitudes of kindness, equality, openness, and accommodation

* Strengthen Internet ministry; set up special web sites for evangelism and opinion exchange

* Nurture the Christians among the group and develop them to be models and bridges

Opportunities and Challenges

Facing this mass of young overseas students coming abroad, I sincerely believe that it is another great opportunity for evangelization. Their souls are fertile ground worthy of our cultivation and seed spreading. Their many personal problems and temptations are issues only Christ's gospel can help them resolve and overcome.

Certainly there are also many challenges to evangelize among this group. But I trust the omnipotent God will help us, give us insight and wisdom, so that we can win them over for our Lord. Let them behold what is the true and bright life and become China's blessing for tomorrow.

References

1. (www.peopledaily.com), 2002.9.26; (xinhuanet.com), 2003.8.20.

2. Same as above.

3. (chuquo.org.cn), 2003.7.10.

4. Fei Chuang, Ji Ming, Meng Hua: "Young students going abroad-a joy or worry¡H" 2003. 2.13.

5. (Guangmin Daily), 2003.2.8.

6. (sohu.com), 2002.11.29.

7. Liu Ling: "Young foreign students a sad report from the 'fiery pit'", 2003.3.20.

8. (World Journal), 2003.8.15.

9. Guan Yuqian: "Poor new foreign students", (canews.com), 2003.4.25.

10. (www.peopledaily.com), "Sudden rise of young students going abroad"2002.9.26.

11. Luo Chang Ping: "Studying abroad --- a hidden avenue of money going abroad", (Zhong Guo Ren Magazine), 2003, January.

12. Peng Bing: "Sudden increase of Market to help students going abroad", (Xinhuanet.com), 2003.8.20.

13. (chinanews.com), "Obvious abuse of young children going abroad", 2002.11.15.

14. Jing Ke: "Trying to compare, be careful abroad", (Beijing Entertainment News), 2003.8.18.

15. Mi Dong: "Young students abroad are becoming the target of the gangs", (www.Peopledaily.com), 2003.8.18.

The author came from Shanghai and is presently Director of Chinese Ministry at The Sowers international.

Dear readers: After you read this article, we hope that you will pray for the young overseas students mentioned in this article and their outreach in the next two months.