Name: Ebenezer Impriam Amponsah (那哲)
Nationality: Ghana
University: Hohai University
Location: Jiangsu
The smiles on my face having boarded an airplane for the first time in my life increased more when I touched down at Shanghai Pudong Airport on 28th August 2019. I was met with a vibrant, busy, and working city with amazing people. Taking a speed train to Nanjing while observing the vast and modern infrastructure along the way further cemented my desire to make an impactful living in China to the benefit of both China and my country, Ghana.
My desire to pursue master’s studies in China is a result of the global contribution to knowledge that China has provided. Ever since, I have dedicated my social, cultural, and educational life towards this pledge and I am grateful to Hohai University for this opportunity.
After registration and the start of my first academic year, I had the privilege to work with Professor Chen Tao (陈涛) as my academic supervisor, and his mentorship and advice have been of great help to me in my academic achievements. I remember when the Department of Sociology asked me to submit my initial research topics, I enlisted many topics but the one which outstood more was titled “China-Ghana Bilateral Relations: The latent and manifest functions”.
This topic was borne out of my desire to make good use of my time in China to research to benefit China and Ghana. After taking courses and understudying under excellent faculty members within the department, I was introduced to the Five-Year Plans (五年计划) of China during one of the Environmental Sociology classes and that quickly formed the bases of my graduate thesis in China.
I focused much of my study life on this research area by reading many articles, going to the library, visiting the department, and collaborating with other Chinese students to gain a deep insight into the topic. After a few months, I understood the Five- Year Plans of China and took a particular interest in the Twelfth Plan (2011–2015) and I was able to publish a peer-reviewed article on this topic.
The title of the article is “Triple Bottom Line” of the 12th Five Year Plan: A Pathway for China’s Identity Construction through Energy Consumption. This adds up to the numerous publications I have during my study in China. Eventually, my graduation thesis is now in the area of Solid Waste Management and how China serves as an inspiration to my country in solving the worsening rate of waste generation.
Extra-curricular activities such as participation in cultural, social, sports and volunteer activities in China have also been an active part of my life in China. I have benefited more psychologically,emotionally, and intellectually from these activities and once again, I am grateful to Hohai University and China for this amazing opportunity offered me. The benefits are endless but the most beneficial ones are outlined below.
Firstly, I have gained a better understanding of the dedication, patriotism, and aspirations of the people of China. Through my visit to the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, and my community engagement with the people through dialogue between decision-makers and stakeholders, I have come to understand the resilience of China in achieving success in economy and infrastructure even after such a disastrous past. This serves as a motivation to me not to ever give up life but press on towards my goal with discipline and dedication as my hallmark.
Secondly, volunteering to be part of the contingents of performers to represent Hohai University at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) during their cultural activities exposed me to many benefits. I gain confidence as I was given the chance to try something new and build a real sense of achievement. Through this, I made a huge difference by positively affecting the Chinese people, international communities, and China in general. I made lots of wonderful and loyal Chinese friends who have been of great assistance to my integration into China.
Thirdly, my active participation in sports activities such as college games, winter games, and football activities allowed me to put myself into the shoes of my Chinese friends to have a feel of what nationalism feels like in representing a country during sports activities. The success of China in the recent Olympic Games in Japan has been my motivation to dedicate my life to sports in China. I was very proud to see Su Bingtian (苏炳添) of China and Benjamin Azamati of Ghana during the 100 meters heat race and super proud of Su Bingtian (苏炳添) becoming the first Chinese to enter the Olympic men's 100m final.
In conclusion, my intellectual vision and aspirations through research and life in China is to see to the successful execution of an environmental policy in Ghana and replicated in other parts of Africa and the world. This will be possible by the reliance on effective identification and management of the socio-economic and political factors that come into play from the standpoint of China serving as the backbone of the economy in Africa. I believe the realization of this dream will be possible through the many opportunities available in China.
