A thousand mile trip begins with one step.
2024-06-03
The ancient Chinese philosopher and philosopher Laozi once said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." The road is taken from every step under one's feet, and the cause is achieved through small efforts in the present moment. This sentence deeply touched me, inspiring me to be down-to-earth and steadfast in my pursuit of ideals. I grew up in an ordinary family in southern Italy. At the age of 16, I received a full scholarship funded by AFS through a national exam and went to China to start a one-year study exchange program. I never imagined that the step I took at the age of 16 would lead me on a journey of discovering Chinese culture and world civilization, causing a huge change in my values and life path. Anna Giada D'Angelo traveled to China at the age of 16 and got to know China again. From 2017 to 2018, I stayed with a family in Guangdong, China and studied as an exchange student at Guangzhou Yuexiu Foreign Language School. At that time, the school organized a class training camp and led everyone to a rural area in Sihui City, Zhaoqing City for practical activities. The training camp adopts a militarized management approach. Through a series of courses and training sessions such as disciplinary training, outdoor cooking, emergency evacuation, emergency rescue, cultural courses, and rice cultivation, we not only learned practical skills that cannot be learned from textbooks, but also developed problem-solving abilities, tenacious character, and a spirit of unity and cooperation. As a foreign exchange student, I have gained a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and a deeper understanding of the responsibility of the new generation of youth as global citizens. Among them, first aid training has helped me rediscover the value of life and the significance of guarding life. "Holding onto the golden 4 minutes of life" is the essence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the golden time to save lives. And holding onto this golden 4 minutes, especially before professional emergency forces arrive at the scene, the emergency rescue ability of the on-site public is particularly important. "The rescue time for cardiac arrest is 4 minutes, and timely use of AED (Automatic Extracorporeal Defibrillator) can increase the success rate by about 40%." "During the emergency process, cardiopulmonary resuscitation can increase the patient's chances of survival by 2-3 times." The coach showed us firsthand the use of AED and the operation process of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Mastering the tricks of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is particularly difficult, as careful judgment and correct operation are required for the placement of hands, appropriate pressing depth, steps for airway opening, and volume control of artificial respiration. In the process of practicing, I always silently recited the key points of the coach and kept in mind his advice: "CPR does not use brute force, but skillful force. Only by using force cleverly can we achieve twice the result with half the effort." Soon after, we had a small test: two people in a group, combined with human props to simulate an emergency scene, completed CPR correctly within 4 minutes, and successfully saved a person's life. Looking at the "fallen" human model, my nerves immediately became nervous: it's not as simple as attending classes or practicing hands. First aid can really save dying lives at critical moments. The countdown is about to begin, despite the heavy pressure, everyone has shown a high level of initiative and sense of responsibility. The use of AED, chest compressions, open airway, artificial respiration... everything is proceeding in an orderly manner, and the doll's vital signs are slowly recovering. But we still cannot relax and keep circulating chest compressions and artificial respiration in the last minute. "Successfully saved!" The voice of the coach came from above, and the tense strings in my body suddenly relaxed. I looked at the "person" who had regained his vital signs, and for a moment, it felt like a different world. Nervous, thrilling, fearful, moved, and relieved, these short and long four minutes shook my heart. After seeing the fragility and preciousness of life, and successfully saving a life, I realized that accidents can happen at any time, and each of us can become the hope of others on the brink of life and death. What I have learned is not only knowledge and skills, but also a sense of justice and responsibility - to lend a helping hand to others without hesitation in times of crisis. This has already surpassed the individual itself and is closely related to the security and stability of the entire society. What left a deep impression on me was also the farming experience. The Tao follows nature and the unity of heaven and humanity. In thousands of years of labor practice, the Chinese nation has nurtured the agricultural experience and life wisdom of "adapting to the times, taking appropriate measures, following rules, and harmonizing". This time, the school specially arranged for students to plant rice seedlings with local farmers, allowing us to experience the practical farming work in the field. Embracing the rural wind and embracing people and land has given me a new understanding of traditional Chinese culture. The local farmers first introduced us in detail to the varieties and characteristics of the Sihui crop system, and patiently taught us the knowledge and precautions of rice cultivation. Subsequently, the farmer uncle led us directly to the field and personally demonstrated the handling of seedlings, how to choose the appropriate water depth, the spacing and depth of seedlings, and the arrangement of seedlings. After the theoretical class, the students were all eager to give it a try, holding bundles of seedlings in their hands. They eagerly and carefully followed the instructions taught by the farmer uncle and inserted them into the water. The entire planting process is not as simple as imagined. We must always maintain focus and patience in order to find the most accurate planting point and steadily insert the seedlings into the most suitable place for their growth. After planting, we also need to water and fertilize the fields to create a good growth environment for the seedlings. At three o'clock in the afternoon, the scorching sun shone directly on us, causing our skin to turn red from the sun. Sweat droplets as big as beans rolled from our heads onto our bodies, then into the mud and water beneath our feet. The farmer uncle in the distance greeted us with a smile as a sign of encouragement, while diligently and proficiently finishing the seedlings. His focused gaze and movements were like taking care of his own home; The classmates around me were all disheveled, with mud on their hands, feet, and faces. However, as they watched the large rows of seedlings planted in the fields by everyone working together, they felt a sense of harvest and belonging, as if they were closely connected to everyone and the land. In the fields, learning to transplant rice seedlings, the sunset sets, and the afterglow twinkles like golden threads between rows of standing seedlings, like a layer of golden ceremonial robe. The soil at my fingertips is warm and tangible, and ripples in my heart have never been seen before. The hardworking farmers nourish this land with their sweat, their hands are the carving knives of time, carving out painstaking paintings and creating their own happy and beautiful lives. The small seedlings connect people and the land, and the harvested rice is the crystallization of love between farmers and the earth. The Chinese agricultural culture, which has been accumulated for thousands of years, is profound and brilliant, containing many excellent cultural qualities such as "putting agriculture first, valuing harmony, taking virtue as pride, and valuing etiquette". It reflects the indomitable spirit of the Chinese people and the concept of unity, friendship, and mutual assistance, which is awe inspiring and admirable. This practical activity and the experience of exchange and learning in China are like a cultural bridge, which has allowed me from Italy to re understand China and gain a lot of profound thinking when colliding with Eastern civilization. While acquiring skills and expanding knowledge, I have witnessed the long history, splendid culture, and precious complexity and diversity of this vast country. In the context of cultural differences, the desire for communication and exploration, as well as the mentality of inclusiveness and understanding, have always driven me to explore and move forward. It has also made me more aware that humanity has a common desire - unity and a longing for peace and prosperity. This study tour not only showcased the enormous value of cultural experience, allowed me to establish deeper connections with the diverse Chinese society, ignited my desire to return to China for further studies in the future, but also cultivated my team spirit and global citizenship, making it a driving force for me to keep moving forward. As a global citizen, giving back to the world. After returning to Europe, looking at the familiar streets and listening to the familiar language, I increasingly feel the changes that this year's study tour has brought to me. The dual acquisition of knowledge and spirit has made me more abundant and confident, while love and responsibility have made me hope to transform my personal gains into contributions to society. At the end of 2022, by chance, I took on the security role of a large company in Zurich, Switzerland. This position requires a strong sense of responsibility and emergency response capabilities, so when patrolling, I always keep my nerves tense, constantly alert, and ready to face various emergency situations. Coincidentally, while I was on duty, an accident occurred in the company, and my colleague was unfortunately injured, but there were no medical staff around him. As I quickly rushed to the injured person's side, I recalled the first aid knowledge I learned during my study tour in China, with only one thought in my heart: rescue is important! His palm was deeply cut by a sharp object, and blood seeped out through his fingers. I immediately opened the first aid kit, carefully cleaned his wound, disinfected it with disinfectant, and then performed a simple bandage and informed him of the precautions for recuperation. The entire process is clean and efficient, timely handling of colleagues' wounds while ensuring the progress of team work without causing significant disturbance. I think it is my practical first aid skills and the psychological drive of friendship and assistance that have made me rush to the side of those in need without hesitation, allowing me to calmly and proficiently handle emergency affairs, helping the weak and restoring order. This sense of mission has been developed and continued in my community volunteer service. After my trip to China, I have always maintained a curiosity about different countries and cultures, and look forward to connecting with more people and working together to build a harmonious and beautiful world. So, I decided to devote myself to community development and became a volunteer in Vibo Valencia, Italy, making small contributions to the well-being of more people. My job is actually very simple: I distribute food at the local cafeteria on a regular basis every day, providing meals for vulnerable groups in the vicinity who are struggling to make a living. Despite the strong repetition of work content, I feel that every day is full of meaning because I can interact with many different people, provide practical help to vulnerable groups, and bring hope and warmth to the community. In addition, I have also joined the Italian Environmental Foundation to contribute to the protection of Italy's natural landscapes and cultural heritage, and to the formation of a social atmosphere that respects natural heritage, art, history, and tradition. I joined AFS, a non-profit civil society international organization engaged in international educational exchanges, driven by the global civic consciousness gradually formed during my growth and participation in the work of the Italian Environmental Foundation. At AFS, we organize cultural exchanges, language seminars, and community welfare activities to help international and exchange students from around the world better adapt to local life, while experiencing Italy's rich and rich history and world-renowned cultural heritage. Establishing good relationships with students from different cultural backgrounds is both an opportunity and a challenge for learning. Thanks to my experience of studying abroad in China, I am able to gain a firsthand understanding of the psychological state and needs of every student studying abroad, and use the experiences of those who have come to provide them with life and spiritual support. For example, the patience and flexibility I have developed while learning Chinese in China have enabled me to handle language barriers more easily when communicating with incoming students. In this process, I further realized the importance of establishing dialogue among different civilizations. This allows me to approach more people and move towards a broader world with a steady pace, and to join hands with everyone
Edit：Yi Jing Responsible editor：Li Nian
Source：Outlook New Era
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