Forty-four students from an international trilingual school in Warsaw, Poland, embarked on a journey that stretched over 8,000 kilometers — a twenty-hour flight across sky and sea to the mountainous heart of China: Chongqing.
There, in the hum of daily life, they stepped into a world of new sounds, tastes, and stories during the seven-day "China-Poland Cultural Exchange Week". During seven days of shared moments, what unexpected spark bloomed between Polish kids and the families who welcomed them in China?
First meal woven with laughter and tears
Exhausted from the long journey and overwhelmed by the unfamiliar surroundings, Misia — the youngest among the group — sat down to her first dinner with the host family. Despite the feast lovingly prepared for her, she could only manage a few bites before tears welled up and began to fall.
Sensing her homesickness, the parents of her Chinese partner, Xinxin, quickly comforted her. They gently wiped her tears, handed her tissues, and helped her connect to Wi-Fi so she could call her parents back in Poland — easing her nostalgia across continents.
With her feelings soothed, Misia returned to the dinner table. Xinxin's parents gently introduced her to Chinese dishes she had never seen before, all while giving her a thumbs-up, praising her as so young yet so brave to come so far from home.
To help her feel even more welcome, Xinxin's mother opened a translation app and, through smiling eyes and digital words, invited Misia to hold hands and be family. Thus, between laughter and lingering tears, Misia's Chinese journey quietly bloomed.
"This is fish, shredded potatoes, stir-fried beef cubes…"
"And duck head — people in Chongqing love it. Are you scared?"
Julia's first dinner in China was lively from the start. The two sisters from her host family eagerly introduced the dishes laid out on the table to their Polish friend. Worried she might not be used to chopsticks, they thoughtfully handed her a knife and fork.
After the meal, the older sister took Julia's hand for a cheerful room tour, while the younger one picked up her violin and played. Julia looked a little overwhelmed at first — but before long, friendships began to take root.
Thirteen-year-old Leon has been learning Chinese for nearly a decade, and this marks his second visit to China. "I love the food here — especially chuanchuan," he says, referring to the skewered delicacies Chongqing is famous for.
For Leon, this trip feels more like a culinary adventure through the flavors of Chongqing. The moment he arrived at his host family's home and spotted roast duck on the table, his eyes lit up. He wrapped the duck in a piece of flatbread with ease and devoured it in one swift bite — savoring it so much that he just couldn't stop.
Immersive dive into Chinese culture
When asked why the exchange program arranged for the children to stay with host families rather than in local hotels, Chinese language teacher Kimmy — who led the group — explained that the intention was to give them a firsthand experience of everyday life in China, which included not only the home environment, but also how parents interact with and educate their children.
As the only school in Poland offering Chinese language courses from kindergarten through secondary school, providing students with an immersive language environment has always been Principal Anna's guiding vision.
"We don't just play games or teach a Chinese song for fun," Anna explained. "We truly want our students to express themselves fluently in Chinese."
Back in Poland, all eight Chinese language teachers — including Kimmy — had been creating as many Chinese cultural experiences as possible for their students: making jiaozi to celebrate the Spring Festival, crafting snow-skin mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival, visiting Chinese cultural exhibitions, and touring Chinese companies. Through these activities, the children were gently immersed in a language-rich environment.
Now, with this seven-day exchange in China, the Polish students had the chance to step into it for real — experiencing authentic Chinese classrooms, exploring ancient towns from the Ming and Qing dynasties, riding the Yangtze River cableway, and sharing moments with cuddly pandas at the zoo.
Whether chatting with their Chinese host siblings at home or bargaining playfully with street vendors during excursions, the children communicated in Chinese throughout — living out the language they'd spent years learning.
The seven-day exchange flew by quickly, and as the time to part arrived, the Polish children had already formed deep bonds with their host families. On the final day, hugs were exchanged with heartfelt reluctance. One host parent shared, "Though it was just a week, it truly felt like sending off our own child." Plans of reunion in the following summer or winter holidays were already being made.
Why choose Chinese?
Anna shared that each year, the school has 16 students who opt to study Chinese, and currently, there are 120 students learning the language.
"Interesting" — When asked why they chose to learn Chinese, this was the phrase the children used most frequently, though in somewhat imperfect Chinese. Principal Anna's own son, Elias, also took part in this exchange program.
According to Elias, his mother Anna had him start learning Chinese from the age of one. Under her influence, he communicates in Chinese with his siblings at home, speaks French with his mother, and uses Polish with his classmates.
"Chinese is a global language. So many people speak it, and the rich Chinese culture that comes with it is incredibly captivating." Anna hopes to provide children with the opportunities to experience China firsthand, to use the language, and to be immersed in its culture.
However, it's not easy for Polish children to master Chinese, a tonal language. For most speakers of European languages, Anna noted, mispronunciation or a noticeable accent during communication doesn't influence understanding in most cases. But in the context of Chinese, things can be quite different.
Leon, who began learning Chinese at the age of three, shared his experience. He noted that Chinese contains many homophones—words that sound alike but carry different meanings—and he is often confused by Mandarin's four tones. Although imperfect pronunciation doesn't seriously hinder communication with native speakers, it can occasionally lead to misunderstandings due to tonal ambiguities.
Anna pointed out that because of these distinctions, children learning Chinese need to engage more deeply with sounds and tones, which, to some extent, enhances their musical perception. Since students at the school are typically required to learn three different languages simultaneously, they must associate three separate words with the same object—an exercise that fosters abstract thinking skills.
Anna also revealed plans to open a new high school and organize more student trips to China in the future. These experiences, she believes, will grow not just language skills but genuine bonds between Polish youth and their Chinese peers.
(Reporter: Tracy, Frank; Cameraman: Sammi, Qian; Editor: Sammi; VO: Jason Yang; Translator: Anson Lin; English Editor: Darius; Producer: Tracy)
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