Peking University, Sept. 14, 2017: In the autumn of 2017, more than 1500 international students came across the oceans and stepped into Yanyuan, flavoring the internationalized campus with exotic elegance. On September 1 and 2 at the Student Center, the scenes of nervous but excited freshmen, together with enthusiastic volunteers and Overseas Students Association members, interwove into an exuberant and animated image. Andrea was part of it.
Born in 1995, Andrea speaks fluent mandarin. He will begin his graduate study at the College of Engineering at PKU. He has lived in China for nearly 2 decades and has developed deep emotional attachments and unique viewpoints toward China.
In 1999, Andrea moved to Beijing with his parents for their work. His parents had planned to return to Italy in 3 or 4 years. But attracted by the old country, they stayed and have been living in China for 18 years. During the 18 years, Andrea has gradually mastered the Chinese language, fallen in love with it, and speaks it with great confidence and pride now.
Andrea adores Chinese famous mountains and wonderful rivers, and visits a couple of them for cultural research every year. Cities rich in cultural scents, like Nanjing and Xi’an, have left favorable impressions on him. But the city that touches him most is Beijing, which has accompanied his growth and undergone great progress as he has witnessed.
In Andrea’s mind, except the smog, Beijing is a “superb” city. With historical relics steeped in quaint aroma (such as the Forbidden City, the Tian’anmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven) and modern skyscrapers soaring up into the air, Beijing not only reserves brilliant traditional cultures, but also leads the trend of development. In Beijing, the traditional culture is harmonized with modern elements, each adding radiance to the other, which makes Andrea harbor more expectations towards this city’s future.
5 years ago, after graduating from Beijing No.55 Middle School, Andrea chose PKU without any hesitation because “Beida is named after the capital of China. It just sounds amazing on hearing its name.”
In the past 4 years as an undergraduate at PKU, Andrea’s biggest achievement is being a genuine member of Chinese cultural society, and the food is an essential part of that. “It’s not before I came to Beida that I could truly appreciate the typical dainties in China.” He regards the dishes at Beida canteens as delicacies, “I’ve wasted all my life before I came here!” Andrea joked.
Besides further understanding China, Andrea has developed a deep and congenial relationship with China. “Beida recruits excellent students from China and all over the world. They hold various opinions and ideas, and you’ll gain a lot hanging out with them.” Filled with pride, he continued, “The feeling of walking in Beida is distinct from walking in any other places in China. Here you reach a different kind of level!”
Written by: Wei Yunqi
Edited by: Yan Shengnan
