Moustapha Farouk Adewale graduated from Tianjin University with a Master’s Degree in Management Science and Engineering in January, 2018. Moustapha came from Benin to study at TJU eight years ago at the age of 16.

From Chinese Kung Fu to Chinese technology

Before Moustapha came to China, he knew about it mostly through movies, especially Chinese Kung Fu movies.

“Back then, I could name quite a few Chinese Kung Fu stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li, and Shaolin temple.” Aside from these movies, China seemed, in his eyes, to be a less developed country with a long history. “Then my uncle came to learn at TJU in China. When he returned, he strongly encouraged me to study here. So I followed suit.” That is how Moustapha started his journey in China.

After he arrived in the country and lived and studied here for many years, Moustapha gained a quite different view of China. “Ancient as it is, it is undergoing rapid changes. It develops very fast and I have experienced some of these changes myself. It is very impressive. Take my university for example. “Peiyang Park” Campus has been built and put into use. Buildings and infrastructures on the old campus have undergone tremendous renovation and repair. These changes have led to a more beautiful, modern and convenient learning environment, not to mention the development of China itself. Like everyone else, we international students enjoy the conveniences brought by new technologies, such as online shopping, bike-sharing, mobile payment, high-speed trains, etc.”

As an international student, Moustapha also observed that China is becoming more open to the outside world, such as its One Belt, One Road Initiative and the fact that it is becoming progressively easier for foreigners to integrate into the Chinese society. For instance, the Chinese government has established some resident permit rules for some of the outstanding expatriates who would like to reside in China.

If you decide to come, you must be prepared to study hard.

When Moustapha first came to China in 2009, he took the preparatory course program in China to learn Chinese for one year at his own expense. Now he is not only able to communicate fluently in Chinese, but has also mastered writing which is a skill deemed extremely difficult by foreigners. As a representative of TJU, he participated in the 2016 Beijing International Students Debate Competition in Chinese and his team won third place. In addition to his own native language Yoruba, he can speak Chinese, English and French. “If you decide to come, you have to study hard. Don’t waste your time here,” was Moustapha’s learning creed. This personal motto helped him to pass most of his undergraduate and graduate courses with excellence.

“Seek Truth from Facts is the university motto. I love this motto because the learning requirements for international students at TJU are as strict as for native students. I enjoyed it when my mentor asked me to do the same amount of research work as my Chinese peers. It was challenging yet rewarding.”

The debate certificate

In his spare time, Moustapha likes traveling and playing sports. “I also found two internships. One was working as a financial analyst assistant in a foreign exchange firm and the other was as a mutli-language trade expert in an E-commerce Company.” Moustapha advised international students to use popular Chinese recruiting websites to seek internship opportunities. “It is not as difficulty as one thinks. You just have to try.” Moustapha said.

“I virtually spent my youth, the best years of my life, here in China, at TJU. It was definitely an unforgettable experience for me”.

Moustapha told the reporter that he was returning to his country because he got a job offer to work as a financial specialist in the branch office of a Chinese company, HUAWEI corporate, which is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. “I hope that with what I have learned here in the university, I can do something for my own country. I plan to eventually open my own international trade company.”

By Yin Wei

Editor: Doris Harrington