080610 - Day 1

# our first meal in Shantou!

Visit to Shantou University Library

# Asia's largest library - Shantou University

The library was completed in 2008 and it is very spacious and quiet. The students there are hardworking and serious in their studies. Most of them hardly converse while studying. There is also an area in the library where the bamboos are planted. These bamboos are said to be able to remove toxic air from the atmosphere. They also give inspiration to the students to write poems, and remind them that books were once made of bamboos.

# Eleanor thanking the teacher who guided us around.

Dinner

Mdm Ma Ju Zhang, a government official, invited us to dinner to welcome us to Shan Tou. The dinner was very grand and many courses and dishes. We got to try different kinds of Teo Chew food. For example, there was pumpkin soup with frog’s organs and a type of rice cake that was sweet, but similar to carrot cake from Singapore. Also, there were people from the press and the TV station who came to interview Mr. Chua. Several reporters dined with us and tried to learn about the Singapore culture. We are looking forward to the great day ahead.

# Formal dinner with Mdm Ma Ju Zhang.

Several random observations

- Some roads have a special lane for motorcycles!

- Drivers of the cars here are on the left side of the car, compared to Singapore, where the drivers are on the right side

抵达汕头已是中午时分。午餐过后，我们来到汕头大学，参观了据说是亚洲区最大的图书馆。汕头大学的图书馆建于2008年。那里的环境非常宁静，空间 宽敞 。学生都能保持肃静，各自埋头苦读，没有和朋友交谈。在图书馆的顶楼还有一座竹子花园。那些竹树不只能静化空气，消除空气中的有毒气体，它也能启发学生们的写诗灵感。同时，它也能让学生联想到古时候的书本都是用竹片做成的。

当天晚上，汕头市外事侨务局局长马逸丽女士设宴款待我们，以示欢迎。晚餐非常丰富， 餐桌上摆满了各式各样的潮州美食， 例如南瓜雪蛤汤， 还有和新加坡的萝卜糕很相似的甜米糕。许多媒体记者们都来到现场访问我们新加坡潮州八邑会馆的副会长，蔡纪典先生。还有一些记者一边和我们用餐，一边问我们许多关于新加坡文化的问题。晚餐过后，同学们都抱着愉快和兴奋的心情回到华侨宾馆，临睡前，我们整理了今天所拍的照片，也把今天的所见所闻和感想都记录下来。