31. Unforgettable Moments in China by Abid Hussain

31. Unforgettable Moments in China by Abid Hussain

My name is Abid Hussain, and my Chinese name is 邱纳庇. I am from Pakistan. I did my bachelor’s degree in Pakistan from 2015-2019. From 2019 to 2021, I completed my master’s degree at Xiamen University in China. Now I am doing my doctoral research at Tianjin University. There have been some unforgettable moments in my life in China that I want to share with you.

When I came to China, I only knew a few Chinese language words, like 你好, 谢谢, 再见, and 对不起 (hi, thanks, bye, and sorry). However, within two years, I learned the Chinese language from my Chinese friends, shopkeepers, and teachers, although my spoken accent is still foreign. However, I am quite sure that at this time, my level of Chinese language is HSK 4, which is not bad, and I am still learning the Chinese language and culture, which I love.

This photo was taken when I first started at Xiamen University in 2019. This was my first trip with some international students where we met a lot of Chinese friends. We greeted each other warmly. I felt like we were a family. Whenever someone asks where I am from, I say I’m from Pakistan, and I get a warm greeting and welcome to China, 巴铁. It was the greatest moment in my life. The name of this place is 东门坊. It was an unforgettable day for me.

 

Xiamen University is a famous and beautiful top-ranked university in China. I feel very lucky that I got my master’s degree in this beautiful sunny island city. One of my great professors once told me the slogan of Xiamen University, which is 自强不息止于至善, meaning constant self-improvement, striving for perfection.

During my stay in China, I made many good Chinese friends. I learned the Chinese language, Chinese culture, Chinese tea culture, calligraphy, oil painting, etc. On December 22, the Xiamen University School of Information and Hongshan College jointly held a Chinese painting experience class for Chinese and international students, so that we could experience traditional Chinese culture and feel a sense of belonging.

For me, this was also an unforgettable day. There were 10 international students and 5 members of the Overseas Department of the Graduate Association of the School of Information. Through this activity, the international students gained a preliminary understanding of traditional Chinese painting, the treasure of Chinese traditional art, and we learned about 5000 years of Chinese civilization.

On the morning of the event, under the leadership of Associate Professor Qiu, students came to Hongshan Park and took group photos in front of the park. There was fresh air in the park and warm sunshine on the ground.

From 2019 to 2021, I volunteered actively as a member of the team for epidemic prevention. I helped take people’s temperatures and direct them to testing sites, and I also distributed masks to the community, with the assistance of the international student organization. The virus isolated many people, but it will not break the love between me and my Chinese friends, teachers, and students.

As part of my story, I would like to recognize the outstanding Professor Qiu. I learned many things from him, like Chinese culture, Chinese tradition, how to treat the elderly, and more. My dear professor gave me moral support, and helped greatly with research-related problems, for which I am forever grateful. May he have a long, healthy, and happy life. Professor Qiu also gave me a Chinese name, 邱纳庇. Thank you so much, Mr. Qiu.

 

 

I have made many Chinese friends. We always learn from each other and support each other. China has given me a great learning environment. Everyone gave me a lot of suggestions, which helped me improve my Chinese level. Xiamen University also provided me with a good learning environment. My teachers trust me very much, which gives me great confidence, and they have helped me a lot in my studies.

 

This picture was taken during a Chinese and international student get-together. We had dinner, and one of our German friends brought her homemade cake. We enjoyed this day a lot. We also discussed different cultures, and our Chinese friends told us great stories about China. I hope all these international friends and Chinese friends are safe and enjoying their life happily. One of them, Kevin, who is from the US, even got married in China. Congratulations!

 

This was a great moment in my life. Whenever I lost my friends on the Great Wall, some Chinese people would come up to me and ask me where I was from after we introduced ourselves. They were very friendly. They not only took a picture with me, but also invited me to eat dinner with them!

Thank you, China, for all the academic and personal opportunities this place has given me. I wish the best to China and to all the friends and professors I have met here. I love China!

 

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