BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Wang Xiaoxi received an offer from an overseas university one year after her retirement at age 56.
She was admitted to the University of Athens for a four-year bachelor's program in ancient Greek archaeology, history and literature, on condition that she submit a qualified IELTS score within three months.
As a rare silver-haired student on campus, Wang recently became an online sensation after her daughter shared her journey of studying abroad on the Chinese social networking platform rednote.
"Over fifty is the perfect age to take on new challenges!" commented one netizen, referencing a recent popular internet catchphrase in China.
While enthusiasm for studying abroad has waned among younger people, some middle-aged and elderly individuals in China are bucking the trend by pursuing education overseas.
Some language training institutions have even launched special study-abroad programs targeting such people. Statistics from these organizations show that in 2023, people aged 50 and above accounted for 20 percent of study tour participants, up from just 3 percent in 2019.
A quick look at social media platforms suggests that more Chinese women than men are studying abroad after retirement. Some of these women have traveled to the likes of Paris, London, Bangkok and Sydney to either attend short-term programs or pursue degrees.
Like many women, Wang's earlier life was filled with work and responsibilities.
Born in Xinjiang in northwest China, she excelled academically and earned a spot at East China Normal University in Shanghai. She then taught at a prestigious high school in Shanghai and also spent some time teaching Chinese in Singapore. Later, she led a team at an advertising and media company before eventually retiring after a spell at a publishing house.
"When my son entered university and my daughter settled into a stable job, my time finally became my own," Wang said.
While browsing the internet one day, she came across an admission notice for an undergraduate program at the University of Athens. The program, designed for non-EU students, is taught entirely in English.
The subject matter reminded Wang of her graduate thesis, which was titled "God, Man, and Their Fate." At that time, she received a B for her thesis -- with the professor telling her the topic was too broad and that she would need another 30 years of life experience to complete it fully.
Over 30 years later, the admission notice reignited Wang's dream of improving her thesis. She decided to study abroad as the starting point of the next chapter of her life.
"When the idea of studying overseas first crossed my mind, I was startled," she admitted.
She considered the challenges -- learning English and Greek, dealing with her physical condition, and memory decline -- but quickly opted for optimism by thinking to herself: "Who knows if I can make it? I've overcome so many challenges in my life already."
"I was fortunate that, despite some concerns, my family offered me great support," Wang continued.
Her husband supported her decision, while her daughter applied for a year of remote work so that she could accompany her mother in Athens and help her prepare for the IELTS exam.
"My father was an unconventional dad," Wang revealed. "When I was a child, he repeatedly told me never to think I couldn't do something just because I was a girl."
Though age-based discrimination still exists in society, Wang refuses to be constrained by it. "Age may not limit what I want to do spiritually, but I do have to face the reality of physical aging," she acknowledged.
She admits that learning at her age requires more effort than it does for younger students, especially when it comes to reading, memorizing and using digital facilities.
The program Wang is enrolled in allows students to complete the degree within six years. "I think it would be great if I could finish this 'study abroad marathon' in six years," she said.
"If I graduate at 60, perhaps I'll take the exam for an EU tour guide certificate and work as a museum interpreter, becoming a cultural ambassador," Wang added. Although obtaining the certificate will most likely be quite difficult, this is the goal she is now pursuing.
Though the retired women studying overseas like Wang may be a small group within the broader population of elderly women in China, they demonstrate that more women are seeking personal fulfillment and have the belief that it's never too late to enrich one's life. ■
