Tsin, Gu-Shan
Uzbekistan
Beijing Language and Culture University

Through a scholarship from Education Forum for Asia, I was able to study Chinese language at the Beijing Language and Culture University. I want to thank Education Forum for Asia for helping make my dream a reality.

I came to Beijing in July of last year and can hardly believe that the year has nearly come to an end. During my time here, I have already come to love my school and my teachers. Although this school is not as well-known as schools like Peking University or Tsinghua University, it nevertheless possesses a rich sense of culture. There are so many foreign students at our university; it’s like the United Nations. Our teachers are not only expert linguists with a deep understanding of the Chinese language, but also have extensive teaching experience and have a clear understanding of our lives as foreign students. Every one of our teachers is concerned about our learning and our daily lives. During class time, we not only learn about language, but also about the customs and traditions of the Chinese people.

In addition to daily study, I also take part in various school activities. My fellow students and I took part in the talent contest for international students, performing a short play titled “100 Years of Film, Endless Love.” We chose this topic because 2005 was the 100th Anniversary of the birth of the Chinese film industry. We think we gave a pretty good performance; our teachers and classmates thought so too.

November 12, 2005 was exactly 1,000 days before the beginning of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. On that day, I took part in a foreign student kite flying activity to celebrate the day and show my support for Beijing as they prepare for the event. It was the first time I had ever flown a kite!

I have also helped my fellow Russian speaking students by acting as a translator, helping them communicate with teachers and school administers.

Beijing has many interesting things to see and do. I often use my spare time to visit local tourist sights such as The Forbidden City, The Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the National Museum, Lugou Bridge, and the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian. Through visits to these and other Chinese places, I can better understand Chinese culture and history.

I love my life in Beijing and have gained so much from my experience here.

I would like to again express my sincere thanks to Education Forum for Asia.