WDK Watch: "I Can Now Confidently and Fluently Speak Chinese"
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Welcome to Wudaokou Watch, where we profile a different Beijing-based student from abroad each week to hear about their life in China's capital. You can read the whole series here: thebeijinger.com/category/blog-tags/wudaokou-watch.
What is your name, and what brings you to Beijing?
My name is Coulibaly Moussa. I'm from Mauritania. Officially known as the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, it's a country in northwest Africa. It is the 11th largest sovereign state in Africa and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and Western Sahara to the north and northwest. I came to Beijing to study at the Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), majoring in Chinese language.
How is life in Beijing different from in your home country?
Life in Beijing is very good, but personally, I think that living expenses are higher than in my home country; everything here is too expensive. Otherwise, Beijing life is super good. I enjoy the fast pace of the city and the great technology.
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What are the biggest challenges for you here?
Communication. If you don't have some Chinese friends it will be very hard to improve your Chinese level. But if you build good relationships and get some Chinese friends, it will be very easy for you as a foreign student to understand China better.
Where do you like to hang out when you're not studying?
My favorite place is the Muslim restaurant in my school. They prepare good, delicious food, and I often go there for dinner. I also like playing football with friends whenever I'm free as well as visiting different parts of the city and country, to see how things were before, and how they are developing.
What do you do when you are feeling homesick?
None of my family are here, but my countrymates have grown to become like a family to me.
What do you love most about Beijing?
I love the scenery of Beijing and China so much; this country is way ahead development-wise, it is amazing in a way. Their citizens are very hardworking and everyone works towards achieving their goals, giving rise to the spirit of national development.
What is your most memorable Beijing experience?
The interactions I have had with my Chinese language teachers. I love them so much, and the good memories we have had together are of great importance to me.
How has life in Beijing impacted you?
Beijing life has added much value to my life. I can now confidently and fluently speak Chinese. This was the sole reason that I chose Beijing for my studies.
What inspires you and what are your future plans?
Chinese people are very hard working, even sometimes when I go to the library, I can't find a place to sit, because it is full of people studying hard. I hope to continue to improve my Chinese language skills and to go back to my country to be a translator and work in business and trade.
Looking for something to do this week? Try the EU-China Literary Festival.
Are you a student in Beijing? Let us profile you and your unique experiences here. Drop us a line at editor@thebeijinger.com and we’ll get back to you to schedule an interview.
Images courtesy of Coulibaly Moussa
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