A live international video conference allowed students at Sias International University and Northern Michigan University (NMU) in the United States to interact with each other and exchange ideas in real-time. Dr. Alex Carroll, a professor of Anthropology at NMU, hosted the conference in NMU's Socio-Cultural Anthropology class on October 8. The exchange was co-hosted at Sias by Fort Hays State University English Composition Instructor, Jason Harper.

Jason Harper selected nine of his students to participate in this live exchange - Li Jin, Gao Meng, Dai Weina, Sun Zhong, Jiang Jiang, Li Tianrui, Fan Yibing, Ma Xiaolong, and Li Ran. The video conference focused on socio-linguistics, specifically the interrelatedness of language, culture, and thought, as well as the challenges and opportunities associated with learning new languages in an academic atmosphere. "It was exciting because I love to talk with people from different countries," Davina, an International Finance major, said. "It was a way to help American students to learn more about China, the true way of China. The direct way, not the indirect way like in the news." The discussion led to an exchange of colloquial expressions and words, such as "Yooper" (a resident of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan) from the U.S.; and "Ni hao" (hello) and "Mian" (noodles) in Chinese. The students on both sides expressed an interest in meeting again for a follow-up conference tentatively scheduled for November. "I'm looking forward to the next time," Davina said. "We're all excited to know the other side of the United States and what they think about China."