Feature: Havana's Confucius Institute reopens for in-person classes

HAVANA, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Rachel Alfonso, a 19-year-old Chinese language student, is happy to be back at Havana's Confucius Institute for in-person classes after an absence of 20 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alfonso, who continued studying Chinese while sheltering home, told Xinhua that nothing can replace the direct contact between students and teachers.

"With cases decreasing, I was eager to return to classes. During the sanitary emergency I studied through e-books," she said. "I want to learn more about Chinese calligraphy and culture."

Nestled in the middle of Havana's Chinatown, the Confucius Institute was founded in 2009, having trained thousands of students ever since.

Wearing face masks, students abide by physical distancing protocols and COVID-19 guidance to reduce the likelihood of contagion.

Among them is 19-year-old Joel Dominguez, a first-year Chinese language student at the institute. He sees an opportunity to expand his professional horizon.

"The bilateral relations between China and Latin America have strengthened over the past few years," he said. "I made the right decision when choosing to study Chinese."

In the past few years, learning the Chinese language has gained ground on the island.

Yorbelis Rosell, director of the Confucius Institute in Havana, said that some 250 students are now enrolled at the institute in different courses.

While in class, students and faculty members are provided with disinfectant solutions, as cleaners regularly sanitize classrooms and common areas.

Chinese language professor Raquel Toranzo described returning to face-to-face lessons as "rewarding," saying that "it feels good to catch up with colleagues and students again."

She said that the health crisis has posed new challenges for teaching at the school.

"Whenever I teach a new sound, I remove the facemask and keep at least three or four meters apart from students," she said. "It is part of a new routine, but the Chinese language is here to stay."