Project Details
Description
PhD Student Thomas Quinn-Gregson visited Xidian University, School of Mathematics and Statistics, 3 - 27 September 2015 to collaborate with Dr Dandan Yang (lecturer in mathematics, and former University of York PhD student).
At weekends Thomas explored the vast city and with help from Dandan was able to take a day trip to Mount Hua (one of China’s 5 great mountains), see the Terracotta warriors and visit a number of ancient temples within the city. "This was my first trip to Asia, and Xi'an, being the historical capital of China, seems to have been a perfect place to start. Most people in Xian do not speak English, which made eating out both fun and a bit of a lottery! I enjoyed the challenge of the communication gap between me and the locals."
The ‘International Toastmasters of Xi'an Club' (a worldwide organisation helping business people improve their English speaking and communication skills) encouraged Thomas to speak on the history of York, the University of York, and the reason for his research visit. "Members were very happy to have an English-born speaker to learn from. I made many good friends at the club that I am still in contact with, and it helped make my stay in Xi'an very enjoyable."
"My month in China was a fantastic challenge, both academically and socially, and has helped strengthen my decision to continue in academia. I would like to thank Santander, Dandan and everyone else who helped me."
At weekends Thomas explored the vast city and with help from Dandan was able to take a day trip to Mount Hua (one of China’s 5 great mountains), see the Terracotta warriors and visit a number of ancient temples within the city. "This was my first trip to Asia, and Xi'an, being the historical capital of China, seems to have been a perfect place to start. Most people in Xian do not speak English, which made eating out both fun and a bit of a lottery! I enjoyed the challenge of the communication gap between me and the locals."
The ‘International Toastmasters of Xi'an Club' (a worldwide organisation helping business people improve their English speaking and communication skills) encouraged Thomas to speak on the history of York, the University of York, and the reason for his research visit. "Members were very happy to have an English-born speaker to learn from. I made many good friends at the club that I am still in contact with, and it helped make my stay in Xi'an very enjoyable."
"My month in China was a fantastic challenge, both academically and socially, and has helped strengthen my decision to continue in academia. I would like to thank Santander, Dandan and everyone else who helped me."
| Status | Finished |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 3/09/15 → 27/09/15 |