International students in China: Graduation, reluctant to say goodbye to China
(Source: "People's Daily Overseas Edition" July 10, 2020, Page 11)
I received Chinese essays from international students in China. Some of them surprised the editor. Some of them started learning Chinese at the age of 19, and some did not speak Chinese at all when they first came to China to study... Now, they are the winners of the "Chinese Bridge" competition, learners who can take courses taught entirely in Chinese with Chinese students, and actors who promote exchanges between different cultures.
In 2020, they ushered in a different kind of graduation season. Looking back on their time studying in China, they feel reluctant to let go and even more eager to continue writing their story with China.
The biggest gain is friendship
Ke Luhan
Five years ago, Chinese was a completely unfamiliar language to me at the age of 19. Apart from the simplest "Hello" and "Thank you", I don't know anything else about Chinese. As a sophomore in college, I was still in a very confused stage of life, until one day when I was looking at the professional training program, I discovered among the many required economics courses that there was a requirement to take two semesters of foreign language courses. As an economics major at the time, I didn't take this request seriously, so out of curiosity I signed up for a Chinese class. But what I never expected was that after two semesters of Chinese classes, I would still want to continue learning. I can’t tell you what specifically attracts me the most about Chinese. Maybe it’s the unique writing system of Chinese, or maybe it’s the long history behind the language. But no matter what, I decided without hesitation at that time to declare Chinese as my second undergraduate major and go to China to continue my studies after graduation.
In May 2018, I graduated from college. In July, I was fortunate enough to go to Changsha, China, to participate in the 17th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students. After rounds of knockout rounds, I finally won the championship of the American group. In August, I was admitted to the w88 casino. In September, I came to Beijing and started a two-year master's program in finance. Although most of the courses I took during my two years at the University of International w88 and Economics were finance and economics courses, some of them were courses related to China and Chinese language. It was these classes, such as Overview of China and Advanced Business Chinese, that sparked my interest in learning. When I was taking an overview of China, the teacher talked about ancient Chinese historical figures such as Confucius and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, as well as modern Chinese history, modern scientific and technological development, reform and opening up, etc. I always listened with interest. When taking Advanced Business Chinese, it takes 15 minutes to study the textbook and 1 hour to chat with the teacher. We students learn about China by communicating with the teacher and listening to the teacher tell stories about life and stories in China decades ago.
China has a vast territory and rich resources. Just staying in Beijing alone cannot satisfy my passion for exploring China. Whenever w88 casino holidays come, I stare at the 12306 website and prepare to buy train tickets and high-speed rail tickets to other places in China. From Harbin in Northeast China to Shangri-La in Southwest China, every time I go out to see the culture and customs of various places in China, it is an eye-opening and unforgettable experience.
However, in the past few years in China, the biggest gain is not the scenery I have seen or the things I have learned, but the good friends I have made and the people I have come into contact with. Everyone says that Chinese people are warm and hospitable, and I know this very well. During the Chinese New Year last year, a friend invited me to his home to experience the lively New Year atmosphere in the countryside. And this friend is just one of countless enthusiastic Chinese friends.
At the w88 casino, I also met foreign friends from all over the world. You can hear several languages in just two steps on campus. Not only are the languages diverse, but the experiences of international students are also very interesting. For example, I have a Russian friend who went to elementary w88 casino in China and speaks very good Chinese, and a Saudi friend who speaks English to a native level but claims that he learned all his English from watching foreign TV channels when he was a child. They make my life richer.
Although study and life have been affected by the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. But I, a fresh graduate in 2020, am still actively looking for a job in China and am full of hope for the future.
(The author is an American student at the w88 casino)
Attachment: Original report link
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2020-07/10/content_1996649.htm
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/images/2020-07/10/11/rmrbhwb2020071011.pdf
