This article entitled foreign languages and intercultural communication talks about foreign languages learning in the U.S.

Report says that China’s population will peak at 1.5 billion in the mid-2030s and the it will begin to gradually drop after reaching the peak.

China is trying to do more in education export. Annouonced by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) on May 29th that China is to become the “most attractive destination” in the Asia-Pacific region for overseas students.

Statistics from the CSC show the number of foreigners studying in China hit 140,000 in 2005, including 40,000 from the Republic of Korea, 14,000 from Japan, and 8,000 from the United States. The total had risen by 32 percent from the figure of 1998.

Student exchages is seen as one of the most effective ways for educational impact which usually leads to higher intercutural awareness of the participants. Attracting more international students into one country not only helps to build mutual cultural understandings among young people, it also has significant economic implications. Higher Education export earnings are worth about £3.6 billion in UK out of its total worth of £45 of higher education institutions, and education is the fourth largest export industry in Australia in 2004.

Over the years, China has benefitted from sending students and researchers abroad. Undoubtedly it has contributed to its current economic growth and development. Therefore, China is going to fund more, despite the number of self-supporting students going abroad is ever increasing with the rising-up of the general living standards.

Meanwhile, the increasing popularity of Chinese language in recent years and a maturing service environment for foreign students has in fact lent more confidence to the country for making it a most attractive destination for education in the Asian and Pacific ragion.

To promote, practical enough and before other things, as an international student, you can get some cultural experiences at a discount.

5月10日《新周刊》发表了一篇题为《中国人的新旅程》的文章（新浪网转载），其中写道：“1980年代中国人可以涉足东南亚；1990年代可以去波斯湾支援建设；2004年香港不再遥远；当欧洲和美国相继示好之后，2006年的旅程无限延长。”文章中有一段关于文化差异的有趣描述：

实际上，由于文化背景和社会状况的迥异，中国人的境外游往往阻难重重。巴黎红磨坊的经理曾经公开抱怨中国游客在观赏歌舞时吵着要求更换更好的座位，让此前 没有领教过类似状况的领班手足无措。但形象问题不是唯独中国人才有，1970年代美国人嘲笑来自北欧的游客，他们总是结伴穿上恶俗的运动服；法国人蔑视来 自德克萨斯的美国农民，将物品乱放被人偷了才哭诉无门，他们甚至评价日本游客整齐的队形像流水线上的待装产品。既然旅途是一次跨文化体验，本地人面对异质 文化往往会有防备反应，就像泰国人看待欧美游客，认为他们眼中只有 “Pussy and Elephant”。不仅仅只有文化差异能够造成本地人和异乡客的格格不入，不同阶级和身份也会让中国游客在境外的土地上不知所措。2004年的香港人乐 于对在兰桂坊里凑堆的自由行游客评头论足，而其实另一边，皇家加勒比邮轮上的欧美游客则对在甲板上喧哗、对晚宴衣着规条熟视无睹的香港人抱以不屑。

中国人开始走向世界。这不仅显示了一种经济能力，它还表明了一种意识 －全球意识，或国际意识。中国的普通公民开始走出去，在了解世界的同时也了解自我，在国际范围的比较中发现自己、发展自己。具有了一定的经济能力的同时， 中国这个民族开始从盲目地仰视外界变得更加理智，开始以更为开放平和的心态平视四周，开始发掘自身的比较优势和弱势。与此同时，世界开始希望更多地了解中国。汉语正在成为国际语言。中国需要让世界了解。因为曾经落后而挨打，因为曾经固步自封，中国在向外界展示自己的时候，需要一种既符合自己的文化传统与心态，又能为其他文化所接受的方式，而这种方式需要这个民族具有自我超越和文化跨越的能力。

Helen is showing us the Art of Tea Tasting in A Taste of Good Life.