Name: Kondwani Hamanjila (万倪)
Nationality: Zambian
My name is Kondwani Hamanjila, and I studied Electrical Engineering and Automation at Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT) from 2017 to 2021 under the Information Engineering College.
First and foremost, I would like to thank the ZJUT International Office (ICSO) for giving me this opportunity.
During my four years at ZJUT, I participated in numerous outstanding volunteer services. I won prizes in Green Leaf International Service Team, "Hangzhou Asian Games Countdown to the Second Anniversary Theme Activities, "Campaign for Asian volunteers slogans Zhejiang University of Technology, Anti-AIDS publicity volunteers, anti-drug movement, international cartoon festival float parade, and fraud awareness. These are just a handful of the extracurricular activities I can mention. They significantly improved and influenced my life, and I am thankful to ZJUT for the chances they presented.
I've also received mini awards in sports related to ZJUT, such as the beauty run, new balance marathon, shot put, sand ball, and a prize for the cleanest dorm room. In addition, I also participated in the "My China story talk show".
Academically, I have been an excellent student and received scholarships each year. During my graduation in 2021, I was chosen as an outstanding graduate in my major.
Excelling in class and extracurricular activities may appear impossible, but hey, if someone else did it, who are you to say you can't?
With that said, I'd want to share two life lessons I learned and practised while at ZJUT that might be useful to the continous students.
1. Do as the Romans do when in Rome（入乡随俗Rù xiāng suí sú）.
During my China talk show in 2021 and the 2022 freshman opening ceremony, I had the opportunity to reveal a secret ingredient on how important it is to constantly have an attitude of emptying your mind when you enter a door to a new chapter of life. Clear your mind and be receptive to learning about what the new environment has to offer. The only valuable exposure and training you can receive come through the school's extracurricular programs, given how packed our schedules are as students.
This is related to not isolating oneself. As a student, demonstrate your ability and try your best to engage in events. Procrastination is a bad habit to have when it comes to learning. Feel free to connect with others and ask questions, especially your seniors. The earlier you start, the sooner you'll pick up new skills and advance in other facets of your life.
2. Be committed and accept responsibility because the grass grows greener where it is watered.
As a green leaf international volunteer, guiding people during the hot season was a difficult journey that demanded consistency and discipline. Green Leaf taught me proper etiquette for being a professional volunteer who accepts responsibility which means finishing what you started and never making excuses. I would always review my study plan and timetable to see what needed to be done, whether in my projects, experiments, or studies; this helped me stay focused and prioritize effectively.
Some of the outcomes of commitment can be both unpredictable and rewarding. My team and I received an invitation to participate in the countdown to the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou near the end of the green leaf summer program. The 'Asian Games' are a four-year continental multi-sport event. Thus, the excitement was beyond words. Because Hangzhou was the venue for the event, everyone there was thrilled. And being a part of such a famous major event was so exciting.
I am currently an international postgraduate student in Audiology and Speech Rehabilitation at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering. At the same time, I'm working as an intern at the Hui'er Rehabilitation Clinic. Hui'er is a high-tech company that provides hearing products and audiological services to those with hearing loss or hearing difficulty.
One of my most important and core beliefs has always been helping others and giving back to society, and Hui'er Company has so far helped me realize this objective. The training ground offered by ZJUT has made working for the company manageable. In the near future, I want to advance my career with the company.
As an alumnus, I am pleased to congratulate ZJUT on its upcoming 70th anniversary in 2023. Since its inception, ZJUT has been widely recognized for its growth and innovative educational approaches. It has influenced my own experience as a student at the school.
Although most of us will be unable to celebrate in person, I hope everyone associated with the University takes time to reflect on and be proud of all of the incredible accomplishments over the years. Our University has a promising future.
Finally,I learnt of Hangzhou’s well-known saying, '上有天常，下有苏杭, shàng yǒu tiān táng,xià yǒu sū háng,'. Simply, "Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth." It gets interesting because ZJUT is located in Hangzhou. With ZJUT, you can open your heart, expand and make your paradise on earth beautiful. Trust me when I say there are more gains than losses in the process. All the best!
