My Youth in Yunnan

Ha Thi Lan Phuong from the School of International Chinese Language Education at Yunnan University. [Photo/WeChat account of School of International Chinese Language Education, Yunnan University]

My name is Ha Thi Lan Phuong and I am from Vietnam. I graduated from Yunnan University (YNU) in 2022 and now I have come back for my master's degree. People always asked me why I chose to come back to YNU rather than to go a different university. Well, I love studying abroad, and not only was YNU the place that introduced me to Chinese culture, but it’s also the place where I began to realize my youth. It is no exaggeration to say that YNU is the symbol of my youth!

I studied Chinese at YNU at the end of 2018, and it was my major. The first time I wrote Chinese characters, I felt that it was too hard; and the first time I tasted Chinese food, I felt that it was too hot and oily. I had many firsts coming to China. I panicked about the new environment and asked myself how I could live here. But I did not want to quit, because I came to China with dreams and ambitions. Such things were trivial compared to what I would go on to experience. There is a saying in China that "the beginning is the most difficult part". As long as you can get through this stage, nothing can stop you.

After a while, I gradually adapted to the environment. China is a rapidly-developing and modern country. It is not that hard to adapt to the environment here. This is the country where I first used mobile payment, took the subway and HSR, etc. I hope that my country can develop like China. In class, the teachers teach us with passion and patience. At that time, I did not interact with many Chinese people as my classmates were all international students. The teacher would invite Chinese students to take classes and interact with us to improve our listening and speaking abilities. And just like that, I gradually came to understand Chinese and could communicate with others in the language.

As time passed, it came time to write my thesis and take the HSK exam. I was very nervous because I was under lots of pressure to write my thesis while preparing for the exam. I was worried about not being able to graduate. I could not sleep at night and did not even want to eat. I think anyone in that situation would have the same feelings, especially an international student. But what will be, will be – there is nothing that can not be solved. Under the guidance of my tutor, I successfully finished my thesis, and as I waited for my thesis defense, I prepared for the HSK (Level 5) examination. That is because only by passing the HSK (Level 5) exam can I do my master's degree in China. During this process, my teacher helped me a lot. The examination was quick, and I was nervous as it was my first time attending a Chinese proficiency test. On the day the exam results were published, I was surprised to find that I had passed and obtained my Chinese proficiency certificate. I had finally mastered one of the world's most difficult languages. I think I was very lucky to have graduated successfully and passed the HSK (Level 5) exam, which was also my major objectives during my undergraduate years.

In 2023, I went back to YNU to continue my master's degree, and it felt exactly the same as the day I first arrived at the university. This time, I chose to major in international Chinese language education because I wanted to teach Chinese and promote Chinese culture among Vietnamese people. There was a big difference between being a postgrad and an undergrad. We needed to study pedagogy and linguistics and learn more about Chinese culture. Unlike the first time, I learned alongside Chinese students, and we became good friends. Everyone was passionate, and I received lots of help during the process. My classmates knew that I was Vietnamese, so they tried to greet me in Vietnamese. I was very touched because it made me feel welcomed. Not only that, I also participated in a reading club, and many of my Chinese classmates introduced me to meaningful and valuable books. During the activities organized by the reading club, I also tried writing calligraphy and wearing Han costumes, and learned more about the diversity of Chinese culture. I had seen it in the movies, but I finally got to experience it for myself. I felt happy. Not so long ago, I participated in the Training Program for Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Future Diplomats, which is an important meeting on cooperation between China and six countries in Southeast Asia. At the meeting, I discussed the students from other Chinese universities to promote mutual understanding and establish friendships. Attending activities such as this further confirmed my initial decision to come study in China. So when I heard that the university was organizing an International Cultural Week event, I got very excited about the activities that will be held over the next 5 days. It will greatly help me in my studies and provide more beautiful stories for me to promote Chinese culture in Vietnam in the future.

Culture is the essence of a nation. In the world today, cultural exchange has become an important bridge between countries. Through cultural exchange, we can better understand the culture, history, values and lifestyle of other countries and thus promote mutual understanding and friendship. In the meantime, cultural exchange can also promote the diversity and variety of culture and make the world more colorful. Cultural exchange is a process of integration. We should preserve our own culture before absorbing the merits of other cultures. Only in this way can we constantly enrich our culture and promote cultural innovations and development. Through these activities, we can meet students from different countries and share our cultures. Though we come from different countries and have different cultures, we are linked through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). We have achieved mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutual support, and we will unite to promote global peace and development.

I hope that upon graduation, I can realize my dream of becoming a teacher of Chinese. I would like to be a friendly envoy of Sino-Vietnam relations, promote Chinese culture, tell Chinese stories, help more people understand and love China, and make my own contributions to the language and cultural exchanges.