Officials from the United Nations visit an international community service center in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, July 21. [Photo/jschina.com.cn]

Soad Sommereyns, an Egyptian working as the director of the United Nations (UN) official website, recently embarked on a language learning journey to Jiangsu, East China.

Visiting China for the 14th time, Sommereyns is not only fluent in Chinese but also an old hand at Chinese culture, eagerly sharing her obsession with Nanjing salted duck, a distinctive dish whose briny aroma has made many Chinese people flinch.

Sommereyns was part of a group of 62 UN officials, who, at the invitation of the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban), visited Nanjing and Suzhou from July 8 to 27, learning Chinese, practicing folk customs, and tasting local flavors.

Sommereyns' interest in Kunqu Opera was sparked during a visit to Zhouzhuang, an ancient water town sitting quietly near Suzhou. A huge fan of traditional Chinese music, Sommereyns said she was lured by the melodious tunes of Kunqu Opera, a distinctive genre exclusive to Zhouzhuang, and knew she would visit China again.

Her colleague even acted as a live-in bridegroom in Zhouzhuang, experiencing authentic water town weddings.

He Yong, director of the program, spoke highly of the training, saying it offered an efficient solution to enhance the officials' Chinese proficiency, while retaining their passion for learning and creating possibilities through cultural immersion.

"The training, or its edutainment mode, is irreplaceable," He said.

Organized by Hanban in 2004, the program has been run 15 times, inviting over 700 UN officials to create their own unique China memories.

Soad Sommereyns, director of the UN official website, shares her ideas on Chinese music with local TV reporters. [Photo/jschina.com.cn]