The Difference Between Visiting and Living in China
Matteo Ricci Exchange is a cultural exchange programme that allows you to live inside China through daily life with a host family and language study. Visiting China often means passing through cities with tourist eyes, admiring skyscrapers or temples, tasting typical dishes, and returning home with thousands of photos. Truly living China, however, requires time, patience, and openness to a culture very different from our own.
The real encounter with China happens in the small everyday habits: shopping at the local supermarket, commuting by metro, chatting at the table, recognising and using your first words of Mandarin. It’s a transformation that begins when you stop observing and start participating.
For example, you might discover that shopping in a Chinese market means not only choosing fresh products but also bargaining with vendors and learning to recognise ingredients that are hard to find in Italy. Taking the metro is not just transport; it’s an opportunity to observe commuters’ daily lives, listen to conversations, and get used to the city’s rhythms.
Why Matteo Ricci?
Matteo Ricci, a 16th-century Italian Jesuit, was a pioneer of cultural exchange with China. He did not merely visit: he learned the language, delved into customs and traditions, and built personal relationships based on trust. His experience teaches that to truly understand a culture, you must enter it, listen, accept not understanding immediately, and allow yourself to be changed by the encounter.
The programme is named after him because it is inspired by this approach: not bringing you to China to look from the outside, but to live Chinese culture from within, through real and daily relationships.
The reference to Matteo Ricci also invites you to engage with the complexity of a distant culture without prejudice, but with curiosity and respect—essential tools to build bridges between different worlds.
Total Immersion with a Host Family
One of the distinctive features of Matteo Ricci Exchange is living with a Chinese host family. It’s not just about accommodation: it’s about sharing a living space, entering a family environment, and taking part in everyday activities. Here you meet the real China, made of gestures, traditions, and ways of thinking that you hardly see in a hotel or organised tour.
A typical day with the family might start with breakfast together, where you could try local green tea and dishes like baozi (steamed buns with filling). Then, you might accompany the children to school and in the afternoon help with their English or do homework together. Dinner is at home, often featuring recipes passed down through generations, such as jiaozi (Chinese dumplings) or mapo tofu.
Sharing life with a family also means helping children with English and learning from their way of life. It’s a daily exchange that reveals deep cultural aspects and teaches you the value of guanxi—personal trust relationships typical of Chinese culture.
For instance, you might take part in a traditional celebration like Chinese New Year, experiencing the preparations, gift exchanges, and rituals that represent a moment of unity and collective memory for the family.
The Role of Language in the Journey
You don’t need to know Chinese before leaving. The included Mandarin course is designed to support you from zero to a level that allows daily communication. Language is the key to entering Chinese society and understanding the local mindset.
Lessons are structured to be practical and dynamic: starting with basic pronunciation and writing, progressing to simple dialogues like ordering in a restaurant or asking for directions. Depending on your level, you can join group classes or individual lessons.
As you learn words and phrases, you begin to grasp nuances and meanings that were previously just sounds. Speaking with the family and people you meet helps you overcome the language barrier and feel part of a new world.
For example, you might learn to recognize street signs, the names of dishes at the market, or polite expressions used by your hosts, enriching your cultural understanding and daily autonomy.
Discovering China Through Daily Life
Matteo Ricci Exchange connects you with real China, beyond the tourist surface. Walking the streets the family takes every day, shopping at local markets, using public transport like a resident, joining family celebrations and traditions—these open a window onto Chinese culture that no quick trip can offer.
Daily life is made of details that tell of values, relationships, and ways of living that differ from ours. Understanding them requires time and presence but makes the experience unforgettable and enriching.
For instance, you might notice how recycling is organised differently compared to Italy or how people use messaging apps for everything from payments to bookings.
Moreover, you could witness community life practices such as tai chi in the park in the morning or groups of elders gathering to play Chinese chess—activities revealing another side of society.
A Taster or a Deeper Immersion
The programme offers two durations: three months with CARPA, for an intense first approach, or six months with DRAGONE, for a deeper immersion. Both options include board, lodging, a small allowance, and all necessary services included in the symbolic contribution of about 700 euros.
This formula was designed to make the experience accessible to anyone wanting to truly get to know China, without the pressure of already knowing the language or organising everything alone.
For example, in three months you might focus on initial language learning and adapting to family life, while in six months you’ll have more time to explore broader social contexts such as universities or local volunteer activities.
Local Support and Safety
During your stay, a Nice Exchange local contact is available to support you if needed. Thanks to Nice Exchange’s non-profit nature, your visa, health insurance, return flight, and Chinese course are included in the symbolic contribution.
This allows you to focus on your experience without worrying excessively about bureaucratic or logistical issues.
The local contact also helps resolve practical difficulties like transportation, communication, or administrative matters, and organises regular meetings with other participants to share impressions and advice.
How Your View of China Changes
When you live in China, your perception changes profoundly. What was once an exotic backdrop becomes a familiar environment, made of faces, stories, and relationships. You discover that China is not a monolithic place but a complex mix of cultures, habits, and ways of thinking.
You learn to respect differences, find common ground, and build authentic bonds. It’s a personal growth process that comes through encounter and dialogue, not just external observation.
Engaging with everyday China also reveals how modernity coexists with millennia-old traditions—from how technology is integrated into daily life to customs passed down within families.
Practical Tips to Make the Most of Your Stay in China
To get the best out of Matteo Ricci Exchange, it helps to adopt some practical tips. First, be ready to be flexible: schedules and habits may differ from Italian ones—for example, meals might be later, or time management less rigid.
Learn to use essential local apps, such as those for public transport, digital payments, or daily communication. Even if you don’t know Mandarin, these apps often have English versions or intuitive icons.
Don’t underestimate the importance of small gestures of respect towards your host family, like helping with household chores or actively participating in conversations, even with few words. This helps build an atmosphere of trust and openness.
Finally, take advantage of free time to explore the neighbourhood, try local foods in small restaurants, visit markets and parks, and observe the social life around you. These details offer a deeper understanding of Chinese reality.
FAQ about Matteo Ricci Exchange and Living in China
- How long is the programme? You can choose between three months (CARPA) or six months (DRAGONE), depending on how deep you want your cultural immersion to be.
- Do I need to know Chinese before I go? No, the included Mandarin course supports you from the beginning of your stay.
- What kind of host family will I meet? Families selected by Nice Exchange will welcome you and share their daily lives, providing a real environment to learn and live Chinese culture.
- Is the programme paid work? No, Matteo Ricci Exchange is a cultural exchange offering board, lodging, and a monthly allowance, but no salary or employment contract.
- What services are included in the symbolic contribution? The contribution covers return flights, visa, health insurance, Chinese course, and local support, thanks to Nice Exchange’s non-profit status.
- What is daily life like during the programme? You live with a host family, join daily activities, use the metro, shop locally, study the language, and experience Chinese culture from the inside, not as a tourist.
Matteo Ricci Exchange is organised by Nice Exchange, a non-profit association promoting cultural exchanges in China for young Italians. To learn more about how it works, you can visit the page how it works.
