Nelcy Espirito Santo, a 22-year-old girl from Sao Tome and Principe, island country of Central Africa, have spent a wonderful time in China. Nelcy is now a senior undergraduate student in Law School at Tianjin University, where she determines to pursue her master degree after graduation.
On August 28, 2018, Nelcy, alone, flied over 10,000 kms and stepped on the land that she had only seen in TV. Regardless of language barrier and long distance, Nelcy followed her parents’ advice to study in China, as they saw its great potential and were touched by the hospitality of Chinese people.
The first year was never easy for Nelcy, who had to deal with not only language problems, but also academic challenges. “My classmates helped me a lot,” Nelcy says, “They invited me to study with them and tailored a study plan for me.” Besides her classmates, Nelcy also expresses her gratitude and admiration to professors in Law School for their wisdom and consideration, who would write down English content on blackboard for her benefit.
Assistance and friendliness also surround Nelcy out of the campus. In Tianjin Binhai Library, she had a sweet acquaintance with a little boy, who offered to introduce the layout of the library and show her around. “I saw a Chinese boy walking towards me, wondering what he wants. Then he just said hi and started talking to me in English. I guess it was because he found me alone and wanted to keep me company. It was really nice of him.”
Tianjin Binhai Library was a ideal resort for Nelcy. She was absorbed by the design of the building, with “the Eye of Binhai” locating at the Central Library. She also enjoyed its great ambience for reading and studying. Now, she finds pleasure and relaxation in her campus life, joining a volleyball team, going to the gym and learning to cook Chinese dishes.
Being away from home for four years, in spite of her homesickness, Nelcy cherishes China as second hometown and is ready to introduce more of her friends to China, “I was such a lucky dog to get the Chinese Government Scholarship, and I hope to share my experience for students like me who long for China, in order to get good education, live in a safe neighborhood, and enjoy the benefit of cutting-edge technology.”
For now, Nelcy’s biggest dream is to embark on postgraduate study in Tianjin University so that she could learn more about her major and sharpen her skills. Yet she could not help sharing her other expectations, “I have so many dreams that I don’t know where to start. After graduation, I want to take my parents to China because I know they are going to love it; I also want to open a Chinese restaurant in my hometown as people there are so interested in Chinese cuisine and many of them have learned how to use chopsticks. You know, there are many other things I want to do in the future because I feel like everything is possible here in China.”
From a timid and immature little girl, Nelcy is becoming a confident and versatile talent. In China, she believes, hopes grow and dreams bloom.
By: Cheng Xiaotong
Editor: Qin Mian
