Source: SYSU News Center
Written by: Wu Xiaohong & Wang Dongmei
Photos provided by: Ampasri Siriyakornnurug
Edited by: Ian J. Heuer

Ampasri Siriyakornnurug (nicknamed Sungsung) is an MBA student in Lingnan (University) College, Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU). “I decided to study in China because my grandparents were born here, and I wanted to find out more about my roots”, said Sungsung, who is herself from Thailand.

Sungsung obtained her Bachelor’s degree in economics from Kasetsart University in 2012. She worked for a year in Thailand before coming to SYSU in 2013. She found the environment here beautiful and peaceful; the Chinese students hardworking and enthusiastic; and the core courses intensive and interactive.

When asked about the difficulties she encountered in her studies, Sungsung told us an interesting story. She took an optional course called "Entrepreneurship and New Enterprise Creation", attended by both full-time and part-time students. She was randomly assigned to a group with some part-time students to make a business plan for one month. “They talked in Chinese only. I didn’t know what they were talking about!” Sungsung said, “This was a problem for me. I went to the MBA Center and asked for permission to change to a group with full-time students so that I could join the discussions in English. When I went back to tell my part-time team leader, he was shocked and asked me why. Then he said he was sorry for not noticing my problem. He talked with the other team members and asked me to stay with them. They set a rule for the discussion: if you speak Chinese, you have to pay 5 RMB for each word. Finally our team completed the project, and I became friends with them.”

This experience and others prompted Sungsung to register in a one-year Chinese language program in the School of Chinese as a Second Language at SYSU. Now she’s at elementary level 4. “It’s too hard. I have thesis to do, and I also have to focus on Chinese courses”, she said, smiling.

Last year Sungsung joined the Lingnan International Dragon Boat Team, which was made up of international students and Chinese students, including four girls: two Thai and two Chinese. She practiced three times per week for three months. “At first, my arms hurt. But after a lot of training, my body got used to it,” said Sungsung. “The practice made me feel very tired and I wanted to give up sometimes, but the team spirit brought us through that hard time.” Their efforts paid off and the team won the second runner-up prize in the college group of the 2014 Guangzhou International Dragon Boat Racing Tournament.

"Funny, easy-going and friendly" are the three words used by her classmates in the Marketing Management course to describe Sungsung. Looking back at the nearly two years in Guangzhou studying for her MBA, Sungsung told us: “I’ve gained more experiences, learned more about the culture and known what's what. Thanks for all the supports around me. I will graduate soon and start the next chapter. I'm sure that what I got from here will secure my life in the future.”