Reported by Xinhua News Agency | Michelle Liu, a Chinese student studying in China: A deep "Chinese connection" of an Indonesian girl
2024-09-24
China and Indonesia are traditional friendly neighbors and representatives of important developing countries and emerging economies. Since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership in October 2013, the two countries have continuously increased their cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, agriculture, culture, and education. The increasingly close ties between the two countries have also led to more and more Indonesian youth choosing to learn Chinese and go abroad to study and develop in China. Over a year ago, Michelle Liu (Chinese name: Liu Jiameng) from Indonesia came to China and studied under the "Chinese Language and Culture" research program at Zhejiang University and Jinan University. As an Indonesian Chinese, she has been interested and passionate about Chinese culture since childhood, hoping to personally experience the people and things on this vast land. Nowadays, delving into learning Chinese, making Chinese friends, and traveling through famous mountains and rivers in China... These rich and colorful experiences have also deepened this Indonesian girl's "Chinese connection". Indonesian student Michelle Liu's decision to study in China marks the beginning of a new chapter in her life. "I came to China to improve my Chinese language skills and experience Chinese culture." For Liu Jiameng, the decision to study in China is not only an academic exploration, but also a spiritual and emotional pursuit. Liu Jiameng told a reporter from Xinhua News Agency that in her youth, she studied at a school that offered Chinese courses under the guidance of her father. The thousands of years of wisdom and emotions contained in those square characters opened a window to Chinese culture for her, and also planted curiosity and longing for this ancient and mysterious land in her heart. Indonesia is located at the intersection of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Asia and Oceania, and is a multi-ethnic and multi religious country. Today, the Chinese (Indonesian Chinese), as the third largest ethnic group in Indonesia, have been rooted in Indonesia for hundreds of years and still retain many traditional Chinese customs. In terms of language, the younger generations in Liu Jiameng's family use terms such as "Ye Ye" (grandfather), "Nai Nai" (grandmother), "Wai Gong" (grandfather), "Wai Po" (grandmother) to address their elders; In terms of diet, Liu Jiameng's daily meals usually cover Chinese dishes, such as Capcay, Sapo Tahu, Kung Pao chicken, etc., as well as dishes with Chinese and Indonesian flavors. These daily life details gave Liu Jiameng, who grew up in Indonesia, a "first impression" of Chinese culture. Never forget where our ancestors came from, "Liu Jiameng's father often reminded her of Chinese Indonesian home cooked meals. That's why her family celebrates traditional Chinese festivals together every year. Happy New Year, congratulations on getting rich, good health, all the best, and plenty every year! "Every year during the Spring Festival, when elders give red envelopes, Liu Jiameng happily claspes her hands and says auspicious words. In her memory, her family not only celebrates the Spring Festival every year, but also eats moon cakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zongzi on the Loong Boat Festival, and ancestor worship on the Tomb sweeping Day... The time when family members eat together, chat together, and work together before and after the festival makes her feel warm and cherish. According to Liu Jiameng, although traditional Chinese festivals are not national public holidays in Indonesia, local governments and chambers of commerce in some Chinese populated cities and regions also hold various celebration activities for the public, such as Spring Festival temple fairs, cultural performances, food festivals, etc., attracting a large number of Indonesian people to participate. These festivals have become opportunities for the Chinese and Indonesian people to understand and enhance friendship with each other, allowing everyone to share beautiful moments that cross ethnic boundaries and are full of laughter and joy. A few years ago, Liu Jiameng obtained a Bachelor's degree in Business Management and Communication from the University of Birmingham in the UK. After graduation, she worked for several large Indonesian companies. During her time working at a Chinese company's Indonesian branch, she found that more and more Chinese companies were investing and establishing business cooperation with Indonesia, and the use of Chinese language was becoming increasingly important in Indonesia. The influence of China is increasing today, and more and more Indonesians are choosing to learn Chinese. "She also said that during her work, her Chinese leaders and colleagues were very enthusiastic, not only providing her with guidance and help at all times, but also introducing her to Chinese cultural customs in her spare time. This experience made her realize the importance of continuing to learn Chinese, feel the humanistic care of Chinese enterprises, and experience the infinite charm of Chinese culture. All of this has strengthened Liu Jiameng's determination to study in China. In February 2023, Liu Jiameng came to China with the "Chinese Language and Culture" study program as she wished. At that time, she felt that life was full of "challenges" as she was not proficient in Chinese. At first, I was very afraid of receiving a call from the courier. The courier spoke very fast and I couldn't understand, so I could only respond with 'hmm hmm oh'. "Liu Jiameng smiled at the reporter and talked about her" embarrassment "when she first came to China. However, with the determination and enthusiasm to learn Chinese, she has always insisted on communicating with teachers and friends in Chinese. Although the whole process was a bit 'agonizing', after using it too much, she gradually became proficient. Now, Liu Jiameng can speak fluent Mandarin and her life in China is also very 'handy'. During her study abroad with friends, Liu Jiameng (first from the right) had an outgoing personality and enjoyed making friends. While communicating with Chinese students from other countries, she found that Malaysian Chinese use Chinese names in official documents, but Indonesian Chinese do not have this usage. I have also observed that many Chinese from Latin America and Europe have been exposed to and speak Mandarin since childhood, while Indonesian Chinese, despite being on the same continent as China, do not have such a good language environment. I feel a bit regretful. Such cultural differences make her even more eager to learn Chinese well and gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture. Don't be afraid to try new things Liu Jiameng smiled and summarized her experience of studying in China. She suggested that young people studying in China should seize more opportunities, open up and learn new things, muster the courage to step out of their comfort zone, acquire new knowledge, and enrich their life experience. Although Liu Jiameng grew up under the influence of Chinese culture since childhood, when she personally set foot on this land of China, she still gained many unexpected joys and reconnected with Chinese culture at a deeper level. Hanfu and qipao, as representatives of traditional Chinese clothing, not only carry rich historical and aesthetic values, but have also become one of the ways for modern people to express cultural identity and personal charm. "In China, I find that many people will take traditional Chinese clothes and cheongsam as their daily wear, and also paint exquisite makeup. I think this cultural display is well done." Liu Jiameng believes that more and more people choose to wear these traditional clothes in their daily life, which not only vividly shows the traditional Chinese culture, but also reflects the cultural self-confidence of Chinese people. During her study abroad in China, Liu Jiameng also visited multiple cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, and Hangzhou, with her trip to Beijing being particularly memorable. Indonesia only has summer all year round, no winter, "she excitedly told reporters. Playing snow skating in Beijing has made her" dream of winter come true, "while the magnificent Great Wall and historic buildings full of ancient charm have turned the beautiful Beijing she once saw in videos and pictures into reality. She also shared a little story: at a hotpot restaurant in Beijing, the owner's wife learned that Liu Jiameng didn't know how to eat "steamed buns", and immediately patiently explained it to her and personally prepared side dishes for her. Although I am abroad, I feel very familiar and familiar with it. The ancient and beautiful Beijing made Liu Jiameng have a great time, and the hospitable and welcoming Beijing made Liu Jiameng feel the warmth of the human world. Liu Jiameng enjoys the beautiful scenery of the land of China. Here, Liu Jiameng sees a modern, rapidly developing, and safe China. She believes that the advancement of Chinese technology has brought great convenience to the daily lives of citizens, and electronic payments have left the deepest impression on her. "Although Indonesia also has electronic payment, it is not fully covered, and sometimes it needs cash." She shared that in China, people can complete the consumption of food, drink, housing and transportation with only one mobile phone, and the convenient and fast payment method makes people feel relieved. Liu Jiameng also loves to explore and travel around. The bus, subway and perfect railway system in all directions make her call "China's transportation is very convenient, and I like China's high-speed railway best!" In addition, she also said frankly that China has brought her a strong "sense of security", "even if you walk alone in the street at night, you will feel very relieved." For international youth like Liu Jiameng, in-depth understanding of Chinese culture and in-depth experience of Chinese life is not only a journey on the road, but also an exploration of cultural exchange and integration. Because I am in China myself, I can truly feel the infinite charm of Chinese culture. "She also advocates that Indonesian youth studying in China can use powerful social media to share their lives in China, allowing the world to experience the profound, inclusive and open cultural essence of China. She also hopes that more people can come to China to take a walk and see for themselves. Regarding her next stop on her journey to China, Liu Jiameng has another place she particularly wants to visit, which is her ancestral home in Meizhou, Guangdong. Previously, she had only heard of Meizhou from her elders and had not had the opportunity to go there in person. My younger brother is also attending university in China now. When he has time, I want to go there with him to see what my father called the 'Hakka Tulou' and experience Hakka culture. "Liu Jiameng carefully planned this" returning home "trip, her face filled with happiness, looking forward to spending a special time there. Breaking through herself and expanding her global perspective, in order to gain a closer understanding and learning of Chinese language and culture, and to integrate her knowledge and understanding into international communication and exchange, Liu Jiameng came to Xinshe this summer and became an intern journalist at the International News Center. This position is very suitable for me, and I can fully utilize my language expression skills here. Liu Jiameng's life, study, and work experience in Indonesia, Singapore, China, and other countries have enabled her to proficiently master multiple languages, as well as provide her with a broad perspective and rich cultural background. During her internship, she wrote multiple high-quality news and commentary articles, recorded exciting moments with her camera, and had conversations with diplomats and entrepreneurs from all over the world at international events with solid language skills and confident expressions. When talking about her internship experience, Liu Jiameng happily shared, "I am very grateful for the time I spent interning at Xinshe, which allowed me to achieve self breakthrough and gradually tap into my new potential." Such "practical" opportunities also quickly improved her language expression, logical thinking, on-site adaptability and other abilities. Now, Liu Jiameng has been hired by Xinhua News Agency as an international correspondent. She is confident in her new mission of promoting international exchange and communication: "Since I was young, I have been very interested in the cultures of different countries. After becoming an international correspondent, I will do my best to make more contributions to international exchange and share more valuable information and stories with people around the world." Liu Jiameng also hopes to continue to maintain this enthusiasm and sense of responsibility, continue to learn and actively explore, improve her cross-cultural communication skills, and make unremitting efforts for global cultural integration and communication. Liu Jiameng and Dr. Cesario, Secretary of State for Portuguese Overseas Affairs in Portugal
Edit：Chen Jie Responsible editor：Li Ling
Source：Outlook New Era
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