In her opinion, the relatively small city of Zhanjiang is more suitable for her than a larger metropolis in China, where she would waste valuable time commuting.

"It is not a huge city so I have time to focus on the things that matter to me, like spending time practicing piano and enjoying time with my family," she said.

She is also pleased with the rapid changes that are taking place in the city. She admits that when she first arrived in Zhanjiang, she thought she would struggle to adjust to her new environment.

She remembers the central area being old with some of the buildings in very poor condition. But she is impressed by how fast things have improved in the city.

"A large number of hotels are being built and the streets are much cleaner. I can see there is an interest to develop green areas in the city. Zhanjiang overall looks more beautiful now," Jurova said. "I think it is going to be very interesting to see what the city will look like in 10 years."

Like Jurova, 24-year-old Vietnamese student Nguyen Trong Tinh first arrived in Zhanjiang five years ago.

He came to Lingnan Normal University as an exchange student for part of an academic cooperation program with his university in Vietnam. Now that Tinh has graduated with a degree in Chinese language, he aspires to become a Chinese-language teacher in his home country.

However, before Tinh returns home for good, he will relocate to Beijing to start a master's degree program.

He said he will be sad to leave Zhanjiang as the university has provided him with an excellent education and many friends that he will miss.

"I think Lingnan University is a very good place to study Chinese because it has a very good language department. I also like that the university has many squares and green areas where you can socialize with other students," Tinh said in flawless Mandarin.

Tinh said because there are not many international students in Zhanjiang, he had the opportunity of making many Chinese friends and improving his Mandarin-language skills.

Xiao Jianchun, deputy director of the office of international exchange and cooperation, Lingnan Normal University, said the center expects to receive 113 international students this year, mainly from Thailand, South Korea and Japan.

"Foreign students that study here choose Lingnan University because of the academic syllabus. But also because of the good weather and its air quality," Xiao said.

The official said the university expects to see more foreign students and teachers joining the school in the coming years.