“Memories from Pakistan” by Sheraz Anwar
Proud class, holding our recognition awards.
My name is Sheraz Anwar and I am from Pakistan. From 2013 to 2019, I obtained my Master’s degree and Ph.D. in China. I made many Chinese friends, and we were always learning from each other and supporting each other. China gave me an amazing learning environment. I started learning Chinese after I came to China. Everyone offered me many suggestions, which helped me to improve my Chinese. Harbin Engineering University and Xiamen University also provided me with an excellent learning environment, and my teachers believed in me, which gave me great confidence and helped me a lot in my studies.
Learning from the experts in Harbin.
Life in Harbin: Last year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. When I saw the news, I thought I might write a story looking back on my time in China. For me, living in China for a few years was very interesting. The picture above was taken at Harbin Engineering University. During my time there, we participated in various cultural activities to strengthen China and Pakistan’s friendship. On the last day of the activities, the school presented us with a prize. I am very grateful to my teachers for making the effort to learn about our cultures, and for giving students an opportunity to introduce the unique customs of their nation. We also had the teachers and our classmates try some classic Pakistani dishes. I was only at HEU for three years, but it had a great impact on me. I hope that our two countries’ friendship will become stronger and we will have more opportunities to communicate with each other. I’d like to thank my teachers at HEU for their trust in my ability and their appreciation of my Chinese proficiency!
Photo taken from the Xiamen University Siming campus, with the iconic towers in the background.
Life in Xiamen: This photo was taken when I first started at Xiamen University at the iSTART Outdoor Activity for New International Students. The event was a gift from XMU to new students, and it gave us the opportunity to make new friends. Xiamen University is a famous and beautiful school in China. I feel very lucky that I got my Master’s degree in the snow-covered city of Harbin and afterwards directly entered Xiamen University on this beautiful sunny island city. I am grateful to the Chinese government for giving me two scholarships. In addition, I received other scholarships by publishing papers at XMU. I have a deep appreciation of China and I have made many Chinese friends, so I hope to return to China soon.
Charity concert and cultural exchange activity in Kulangsu.
The picture above was taken when I participated in a charity concert, a cultural exchange activity between China and Pakistan at Kulangsu Community College, and the Xiamen Cultural Industries Fair. I am grateful to my Chinese friends who always invited me to participate in various exciting activities. I will miss my days in Xiamen.
During the pandemic: In the midst of this pandemic, I would like to thank our university, our college, and our teachers, and I would especially like to thank China. We have known since childhood that China is a friend to Pakistan, and personally I have always seen China as our best friend. Whenever we run into trouble, China and Pakistan help and understand each other. The pandemic has changed our lives a lot, but our friendship will never change. This is true friendship. Our college and university protected our lives and health, giving us a sense of security. I really appreciate their efforts. The pandemic has dramatically influenced our life and studies, but it will eventually pass. Quarantine presents humanity with an opportunity to reflect on its mistakes. We can recover lost wealth, but not lost lives. The pandemic offers us a good chance to examine human behavior and realize that we must take action and help each other to pull through this difficult time together, and that we must work together to protect the world.
With my dear professors.
However, I am lucky. I have been accompanying my family in Pakistan during the pandemic, and in the meantime I completed my PhD. I have to thank my teachers, college, and most importantly, the Chinese government for the scholarships it provided to me.
Pakistan: I am from Pakistan, a country in South Asia. I currently live in northern Pakistan. Pakistan has five provinces and many ethnic groups. The majority of the population where I live is Pashtun, but I am a member of the Baloch ethnic group. Because there are many ethnic groups, there are many unique customs and delicacies.
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