China and me, five years from now: the trip that changed my life

Updated: Aug 9, 2021 By Ilina Ekaterina Print

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My first visit to China, Shanghai. It was very cold, it even snowed in the morning. Then I could not even imagine that in Shanghai in winter there can also be snow. However, despite the cold, I was amazed at the beauty of this big city.

I remember the day when I started learning Chinese language. At that time, I could not even imagine that this country would become my second home and an integral part of my life. If there is such a thing as "fate" in our world, I think it was fate that tied me and China with an invisible red thread.

When I graduated from school and moved from a small town to St. Petersburg, many of my relatives wondered why I decided to choose the Chinese language and this region to study. At that time, they thought that my main goal was to get some profit, because the Chinese language is one of the most difficult and "intricate" language. Then I could not give a clear answer. In my heart, I just knew that I really want to know something new about this country, that an invisible force was pulling me to this country. But at that time, studying Chinese within the framework of my specialty at the university was a kind of hobby, I did not have clear plans for the future, I could not even imagine what China really is.

When I was little, I was not particularly interested in China. I liked the culture of this country and traditions, as well as I loved watching documentaries about various historical finds in China and tombs. Then I like many other people in Russia had a vague idea of what was happening in this country. I only heard from my parents that during the Soviet Union, China and Russia were allies, that some products and goods were supplied to Russia from China, that there was a strategic exchange of scientists and technologies between our countries. Then, in the late 90s and early 21st century, we associated China as one of the leading suppliers of everything from clothing to household appliances. And I will not hide that many Russians at that time had the opinion that the goods produced in China were low-quality goods. But time is like a river in which the water continues to flow. It is the same in China, this country did not stop at all, but was preparing for changes and a new era — the era of the realization of the Chinese dream.

Photo taken from the Eastern Pearl TV Tower. It was a wonderful excursion where I was able to enjoy a bird's eye view of Shanghai. P.S. to be honest, it was a little scary, because at that moment I had visited such a tall building for the first time.

When I studied in my freshman year at the Saint-Petersburg Polytechnic University, my knowledge about China increased every day. I was especially interested in subjects such as the culture and art of China, the country's administrative structure, the history of China from the first Shang and Zhou dynasties to the current era, the country's economy, and so on. But everything is just as Mao Zedong once said — 一切真知都是从直接经验发源的 (all true knowledge originates from direct experience). Once a teacher at the university told us: "When you first visit China, your life is divided into "before" and "after". And after that, you will understand the path you have chosen is correct or not." My first trip to China was a real luck for me: then the university received an invitation from Zhejiang University, where a delegation of our teachers and students was expected with the aim of possible further cooperation. I and several other students were chosen as one of the best freshmen, and at the end of January 2016 my first acquaintance with China took place.

Last dinner in Hangzhou. I was fortunate enough to taste some delicious Chinese food, and it was the first time then I first tasted fish, which didn’t taste like fish, but it was amazing and so tasty! That evening, I not only experienced Chinese hospitality, but also enjoyed the beauty of the nighttime Chinese cityscapes.

When I landed in Shanghai, I felt a sense of excitement. Our delegation was accompanied by a native speaker, she was a particularly good teacher responsible for the cooperation of my university with Chinese partner universities. On the way to Hangzhou, we were surrounded by numerous fields, a string of tangled highways, we could also see the train tracks for the real Chinese pride of the 21st century — the high-speed railway train. Since the weather was very wet and cold, the teacher advised us to stop near small checkpoint and try the famous 兰州拉面 in China. When I saw a large portion of hot noodles, I immediately remembered a popular saying among Chinese youth: 吃拉面先喝汤 (drink the soup first when you eat noodles).

I was so inspired that the taste of this dish struck me in exactly the same way as China, shrouded in many billions of lights and a string of long, disappearing somewhere far away, highways.

China finally amazed me the next few days, when the tiredness passed, and I was able to enjoy enough this country. When I saw the breathtaking beauty of Chinese landscapes, high buildings, as well as billboards with the names of leading companies, I realized that the People's Republic of China had to overcome many trials since its founding in 1941, these were difficult years of reforms and changes. When in 1978 it was announced the beginning of a policy of reform and opening up, the whole world could not even imagine that in just a couple of decades, China would become one of the leading powers with advanced technologies and a powerful economy. Following five-year development plans, the basic principles of Marxism and socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Chinese government strive to realize the Chinese dream - prosperity in all spheres of society. So, for example, according to the fourteenth five-year plan, China will continue to strive for economic and technological development (independence in the technological sphere), promoting the so-called urbanization — the creation of super-large urban agglomerations.

Photo taken in Guangzhou. Before the trip, I could not even imagine how hot it can be in China in summer. It was during this trip that I not only studied the Chinese language, but also realized how different Chinese architecture can be: every city in this country is unique in its own way.

First evening in Chongqing. My friends and I went to the city center, where we saw a beautiful view — small buildings lit by many lights and Chinese lanterns, which looked like pictures from old cartoons. The atmosphere of this place is amazing! Here you can taste cotton candy, look at the mesmerizing views of the city and buy souvenirs. This place becomes even more beautiful at night.

Chongqing, like my first trip to China, became a new stage for me in my life. After spending a year in this unique city with *huogo*, Chongqing dialect and many stairs, I realized that I fell in love with China very much.

After my trip to Chongqing, I realized that I really wanted to study in China. It was then that I realized that my life would be firmly connected with this amazing country with a long history.

My trip to Shanghai Disneyland. My friends and I spent many hours waiting in front of the rides, but it was amazing!

During this trip, I realized how quickly and rapidly China is developing. I think many of us should learn from this country. I remember that evening: it was April, a calm evening and mesmerizing views of Shanghai at night. Me and my friends walked around these delightful buildings and ate strawberries in sweet caramel (糖葫芦).

Last day in Chongqing with my friends and teachers. Leaving China, I was very sad and even cried while packing my baggage. More than three years have passed and I miss China very much.

When I returned to Russia, I realized that this trip left an indelible impression. My first trip to China gave me a real boost, and rapidly developing China became an incentive for me to learn language. Subsequently, I visited China several more times, experiencing the changes that had taken place in the country in just a few years. Today I am a student at Xi'an Transport University, and despite the pandemic and distance learning, I do not regret my choice, because China is forever entrenched in my heart.

My name is Ekaterina, and my Chinese name is 林雪晨. I am 24 years old, in 2020 I graduated from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University with a degree in international relations where I studied the Chinese language, culture, economics and history of this country, as well as subjects such as international relations, diplomatic negotiations, business etiquette, and so on. During my studies, I took part in such international projects as the St. Petersburg Economic Forum (accompaniment of the Chinese business delegation, translations, negotiation, attendance at the plenary session); St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum (twice, delegation escort and navigation); Youth Forum, as well as in a number of university projects. During my studies, I managed to visit Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou (summer language school), Shenzhen, Chongqing (language year) and Chengdu. Today I am a master student of Xi'an Jiaotong University, my major is communication studies (新闻传播学).

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.