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Reached my dream land

By Mlepo Andrew Thomas (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-05-03 06:29

I did not have much knowledge about China except for the fact that I knew Jackie Chan and Jet Li were Chinese. I was much into watching Chinese movies and just thought, Kungfu is what all the Chinese do in their life. I always had a wish to see for myself and learn who Chinese are, but never really thought I would make it until September 2008. My world turned all round and brand new as I made my last steps off the jet onto the soils of Beijing, my heart was filled with joy as never before, and I remember saying to myself even louder, "Dude, you made it, this is it" and felt like shouting to the whole world "I'm finally in China!"

Although my final destination was not Beijing, I had already fallen in love with the 'magic city' as it glowed in the dark night of that day. The bus I was riding on moved slowly down from the airport and despite the darkness, I couldn't help it but looking closely at the beauty of a place that I had never seen anywhere else in my life before. Since I had come as a student, I had to spend that night at Beijing Language University with a couple of students some of which had also just arrived same night. Together, we found some restaurant where I had my first ever Chinese food. I suspected the jetlag was still around at that time and I didn't really like the food, it was all new, all different to me, not tasty, and I just could not take it. As such, I got myself some ice cream that took me through the night.

The following morning, the first in China, I found myself a Chinese friend who could speak English since my Chinese vocabulary was but just a word, "謝謝 (xiexie)" which I was told meant "thanks". He took me out, helped me get breakfast and gave me yet another word "kaoya (roast duck)" which for a reason I'll never know, got me quite excited. I remember him telling me the stories of the famous Kaoya which made me even much hungry for the duck I had never seen. Later than evening we went to one of the places they sell the infamous recipe and out of joy, I just gave the seller the 50 dollar note I had in my pocket and said xiexie. The guy tried to explain to me about the cost of the duck, but I could just not get it and I kept walking away back to the University. That was my last time to see that guy as I had a train to catch to my final destination, Dalian.

On my way to the Beijing North Train station, I could not see anything on the road as I focused much on chopping the Kaoya piece by piece all along the way. It was finished by the time my boarding call was being made and I went further to board my train. I could feel my tummy that I was full of the Kaoya, and my heart full of joy and happiness that I was beginning to feel the magic of China.

Aboard the train, I was surrounded by Chinese, some of whom I understand had never seen a foreigner, more precisely black. Others would come feel my skin, some others feel my hair while smiling at me and saying something I could never understand, but guess what? I was never bothered because I was just too glad to be bored since my dream had just come true, I was finally in China!

I arrived in Dalian the following morning and as soon as I got off the train, I went to one gentleman who stood by the road side and asked him in English "Where do they sell Kaoya here?" He just looked at me and walked away, I said to myself "Kaoya, you are driving me crazy". But since nobody could understand me, I just had to forget it all about Kaoya.

Arriving in Dalian was such another great move as it was another place worth being at, it was a new paradise. My classes started just two days after my arrival and my soul was still filled with happiness when I woke up every single morning. But later I found out that my joy was fading because of some things that were happening within the first days. I could not use Chinese chopsticks and did not know how to say spoon in Chinese because I had just started my Chinese language courses. Then I discovered a way of dealing with this problem by asking my teacher to write down things I was not clear about, like ordering food so that I could just show the paper at the restaurants or wherever I needed to go. It somewhat helped. I used to order my meals and ask for spoons or folks without necessarily talking to the restaurant attendants. Life went on until such a time when my Chinese was good enough to go out shopping without anyone's guide.

There are a lot of beautiful places I often go away to like the seaside Xinghai park, Jinshitan, Dalian Modern History Museum, Jinshatan, labour park and the country side Lvshun and admire the true beauty of mother nature. My Chinese favorite foods include jiaozi, malarou (麻辣肉),Ban xiangchun miao(拌香椿苗) just to mention a few. I am now falling in great love with Chinese history and culture so much so that I'm actually planning to switch my course of study to Chinese language and culture. My favorite Chinese quote by Confucius says: "三種快樂有益,三種快樂有害。以得到禮樂的節制為快樂,以稱道別人的長處為快樂,以交了不少賢明的朋友為快樂,是有益的。以驕縱為快樂,以游蕩無度為快樂,以沉溺飲食為快樂,是有害的。" Which is interpreted in English as:

"Young people should be filial to their parents at home and respectful to their brothers when they are with them. They should be serious and trustworthy, love the populace extensively and be close to those who are humane. When all this is done and there is time for other things, they should use it for the study of the classics."

I enjoy the company of my Chinese friends so much that I never feel lonely despite being far away from home. I'd love to spend my future life right here in China for it has now become my own home, a home of welcoming people, a home of ever smiling hard working people, a home where people still hold on to their ancient traditions, a wonderful place to be, a place that makes me proud, this is China, my dream came true.

Mlepo Andrew Thomas is an overseas student from the Republic of Malawei studying in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province.

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