Lanzhou, November 11 (Wang Muyu) "To be honest, I don't remember most of the things when I was a child, but I remember those Chinese uncles clearly. Yan Qing, an international student majoring in teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages at Lanzhou University from Sudan, said that it was the exchanges with her Chinese uncles when she was a child that buried her love for China.
In September this year, Yan Qing won the first prize in the finals of the 9 "Chinese Character Yuan" International Story Conference. Recently, on the campus of Lanzhou University, Yan Qing was interviewed by reporters from China News Service and Chinanews.com.
In 2004, when they heard that Chinese were coming to build a school for them, Yan Qing and her brother couldn't wait to watch it, timidly trying to talk to their Chinese uncles. "I was pleasantly surprised that they spoke a little Arabic, and that's how we met, and I enjoyed communicating with them, and after that, I would go to see my Chinese uncles with my brother every day." She recalled.
In Sudan in 2004, Yan Qing and her younger brother met two amiable Chinese uncles (second and third from left). Photo courtesy of the interviewee
Yan Qing's father was an engineer and would come into contact with many Chinese people at work. In her father's eyes, the Chinese are rigorous, kind and tolerant, and her father likes to deal with Chinese people very much. Since seeing the Chinese building hospitals, schools and stadiums for them as children, Yan Qing has truly felt the friendship and help from this distant country.
After going to university, she majored in psychology in Sudan and still couldn't let go of her obsession with learning Chinese, and she studied Chinese on her own after returning home from school. The Confucius Institute is located opposite the school she attends, and whenever there is a Chinese language test, Yan Qing will sign up for the competition. In 2019, with her own efforts and the support of her family, Yan Qing came to China to study in Lanzhou.
Before coming to China, Yan Qing would worry about whether she would be able to adapt to the new country. "After coming to Lanzhou, no matter what problems I have, I can get help from the teachers and classmates around me, and now I feel that this is my second home." Yan Qing said happily.
Talking about Chinese food, Yan Qing excitedly said that she had gained a lot of weight when she came to China. Dumplings are her favorite Chinese delicacy. Large plates of chicken and beef noodles are also Yan Qing's favorite dishes, she likes the soft potatoes stewed in the large plate of chicken, and she also likes the tempting red peppers in the beef noodles. Yan Qing hopes to learn how to cook more food in China, so that she can show off her skills in front of her family and friends when she returns home.
In October 2023, Yan Qing, who is studying at Lanzhou University, is studying in class. Photo by Wang Muyu
"I know that China is developing very well, but after coming here, I was still shocked by the beauty and prosperity of this place, which is more convenient than I imagined." At first, Yan Qing would also get lost in the subway station, but now when she shuttles freely through the city, Yan Qing is full of praise for the convenient transportation.
When it comes to online shopping, Yan Qing gushes endlessly, "I like shopping very much, and China's developed online shopping simply doesn't make me too satisfied." Now, Yan Qing has mastered all kinds of shopping software, buying clothes, buying electrical appliances, and shopping for gadgets.
In October 2023, Yan Qing read ancient poems on the campus of Lanzhou University. Photo by Wang Muyu
Yan Qing said that her mother is a teacher, and after coming to Lanzhou University, she felt the charm of the teacher's profession, so she also said that after graduating from the bachelor's degree, she will continue to study for a postgraduate degree in teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages, and after graduation, she hopes to return to Sudan as a Chinese teacher, not only to teach Chinese, but also to bring what she has learned about Chinese culture to the Sudanese people. (ENDS)