[Russia] Sherieva Kseniia, Chang’an University
Dreams are what people cherish and strive after! Some seek for happiness and a fulfilling life, some want to have passionate love. My dream, on the other hand, is in China.
When I was a child, my father often told me stories about China – The Four Great Inventions, the legends of the ancient emperors, the creation of the Earth and the Sky by Pan Gu, the heir of the dragon... The stories gradually ignited my interest in China and led me to my dream of studying in China.
Since I came to China, apart from being touched by the differentiated lifestyles, I have gradually realized that my dream of China included much more than those fascinating legends. It is embedded in every ordinary and vibrant morning.
One Sunday morning I had an idea to go to Jingshan Park. I had not expected it to be such a lively morning: some people were practicing martial arts, some were dancing with fans, some were doing gymnastics and some were practicing qigong. What attracted me most was a group of people practicing calligraphy on the stone pavement with large homemade brushes dipped in water (rather than ink). Every single character was written beautifully! As a young Russian girl, standing out in the crowd, I was cordially invited to have a try. I imitated their manner, picking up a huge, mop-like brush, dipped it into water and began to learn to write Chinese characters. At that moment I was like a little clumsy bear in ice skates, writing cautiously and bumblingly. A Chinese friend tried his best to teach me to write beautifully, but almost in vain. I wonder why the two characters “谢谢 (thank you)”, which were easy to pronounce, could be so difficult to write! More people gathered and they applauded for my bravery. I was given sincere encouragement and positive feedback from my Chinese friends.
I also tried ribbon dance, though in a very comical manner that successfully amused the onlookers. The smiling and encouraging ones who had been with me when I played with the brush could not help but burst out laughing when they saw me dance and entwine myself with the ribbons. Just then, there came a lovely tune, “Moscow Nights”! So familiar I was with the song that I got closer to find that it was played on a saxophone! It was so beautiful! The saxophonist was surrounded by the chorus of singers, all smiling while singing the Russian song. I could not wait but join in. It was delightful!
What a wonderful Chinese morning I got to experience myself was like! It was at that moment that I felt truly integrated into the Chinese life. I was getting closer and closer to the Chinese people, and I was really experiencing the wonderful feeling of “heart-to-heart”!
Time has passed, and I am no longer the immature person I once was, and my little dream of China has become clearer and clearer. Every morning when I wake up, I feel confident that I am still on the road to finding my dream. I am certain that my dream is in China. I have taken a road of my own. What about you?
The story is from "My Beautiful Encounter with China" Essay Competition organized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchanges (CSCSE).
