Sana Farooq has been learning Chinese at the National University of Modern Languages for over a month, and the more she learns about the language, the more she feels herself getting attached to Chinese culture.
"I just started learning the language, but the way my teachers taught us helped us get a lot of insight into the Chinese culture, which not only increased our interest in the language but also broadened our horizons," Farooq says.
Due to the rising demand and popularity of Chinese in Pakistan after the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, several Pakistani universities, including the aforementioned institution, made it mandatory for all students pursuing a bachelor's degree to pass a test that shows a basic understanding of the Chinese language.
As a result, thousands of students are learning the language in the country. The students give credit for their interest in the language to their teachers, who are acting as cultural ambassadors of China in Pakistan by teaching students the language and telling them about the country's culture.
The teachers are mostly local people with a large number of female teachers who have spent a lifetime learning and teaching the language.
Most of the teachers have studied in China and observed its culture closely during their stay in different Chinese cities.
The teachers are now sharing their experiences and observations with their young students, many of whom aspire to follow the footsteps of their teachers.
Sabiha Haseeb, who has a master's degree in the Chinese language from Shanghai University, now teaches the language at the NUML, and half of her day is spent telling students about the beauty of Chinese culture.
She specifically talks about her Chinese teachers, who made her feel at home during her stay in China, and won her over with their love and hospitality.
"They were so dedicated and concerned about their students. After learning the good qualities of being a competent teacher from my mentors in China, I try to be just as loving to my students," Haseeb says.
She says that the Chinese language is more than just academic knowledge, but also a pathway to understanding China and its people, such as the culture, food, customs and history.
Muhammad Mateen Hashmi, another Chinese language teacher at the NUML, believes that students' interest in the Chinese language stems from the friendship between the two countries and people-to-people contact, which is getting stronger every day.
"Teachers, as ambassadors of Chinese culture, have a great responsibility in not only teaching students about the language, but also showing their professional excellence by enhancing their students' interest in China. Most of the teachers in Pakistan are doing this job well," Hashmi says.
