[Nigeria] Fawas Omogbolahan Matanmi, Chang’an University
“Life is a long journey with a few critical steps especially for people who are young,” Liu Qing, a famous Chinese writer, once said. The turning point in my life comes from a choice three years ago when I decided to study in China. Looking back, with gratitude to my bravery and determination, I encountered the most beautiful China in my blossom youth.
Time flies like an arrow quietly before anyone notices it. In the blink of an eye, I have studied in China for three years. I have become a senior student. During the past three years, I visited Shaanxi History Museum, admiring the 5,000-year-long history of China; I tasted various kinds of local food in Muslim Street; I also witnessed the vigor and vitality of Chinese young people in the busy and bustling fairs of Great Tang All Day Mall. However, what strikes me most are the rapid development of Chinese economy and the kindness in Chinese humors.
China has developed so fast that it has gone through profound changes even in only three years. It will be much more developed in the future. You can feel her progress every minute when you are in China, from daily life to nationwide anti-poverty efforts. With the rapid development of Chinese economy, life in China has become more convenient. For example, transportation in China has developed significantly and the old-styled, slow and time-consuming transportation has become history.
No matter where you are in China, day or night, you can start your trip any time with simple figure-tip operations in some apps in your mobile phone. Mobile navigation can take you wherever you want without getting lost. Any transportation you can imagine, such as buses, taxies, subways, high-speed railways and airplanes can be paid with mobile payment. You can travel across China with only one mobile phone in your pocket.
My major in university was civil engineering. In October last year, I went to Lueyang county, Shaanxi Province for an engineering field trip. It was in that city I became to understand the kindness and humor of Chinese people. They looked at me with kind eyes and greeted me with warm “nihao” (hello). I once ate popcorns given to me in kindness in a print shop and tried to speak local Chinese that almost twisted my tongue.
One day I met a Chinese boy at a super market. He looked at me and asked me suddenly, “Can I ask you a question?” I smiled back and said, “Of course you can.” He then asked, “Why your skin is dark?” I said, “You can have a guess.” He thought for a while carefully and said gladly, “I know the reason now. You must have had too much chocolate!” What a lovely boy! I laughed and replied him, “You are right. I have had too much chocolate. So, don’t eat too much chocolate. Otherwise you will be as dark as me.” The clever boy laughed with me and said an unforgettable sentence to me, “Our skins are of different colors, but our inner hearts are the same.” Yes. Though we have different skin colors, we are all kind and lovely, with zest for life and peace.
One day I was having my “Yangzhou fried rice” at a restaurant. I noticed that a little girl kept staring at me. I smiled to her and said, “Nihao.” She was shy and surprised. Then she asked, “Why your hairs are so curly? Why are they so different from mine?” I wanted to tease her and asked her to guess. She said firmly, “You must have had an electric shock by accident.
Hairs of those having an electric shock in animation cartoons all look like this. You must be very careful. Our teacher told us not to play with electricity because electricity is very dangerous.” I could not help laughing. Funny stories like this happen always during my stay in China and Chinese people are so lovely.
Economic development facilitates and enriches people’s life, and kindness between human beings leads us to find our original inner being. A famous Chinese writer, Bing Xin, ever wrote a poem: “Love on the left, passion on the right. Sow on both sides of life, and there will be blossom along the path of life. There will be no misery or sadness for those passing along because they are accompanied in their life journey with love and passion.”
With love and passion, I will not get lost even when I am confused, will strive more when in difficulties, and I get to know that kindness between human beings can make ice and snow melt and can relieve people from their distress. Kindness is more precious today when the world is developing so rapidly. I will convey the kindness from Chinese people to the world and light up the lamp of friendship in my life.
The story is from "My Beautiful Encounter with China" Essay Competition organized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchanges (CSCSE).
