MY STORY WITH CHINA
I vividly remember the day I set out to start a new adventure in China with the aim of furthering my education. This journey of a thousand miles began at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi-Kenya on 22nd November 2022, where I stood amidst a busy crowd with my heavy suitcase and Kenyan bracelet. My close relatives were beside me: younger siblings and my parent. My mother's eyes welled up with tears of joy and anxiety as she held on tightly to me as if she would never see me again. My siblings’ faces shone with admiration and pride as they repeatedly whispered, “We believe in you, so make us proud.”
Amid the tight hugs and words of blessings, the announcements informed me that it was time to board my flight. At that moment, I panicked as the reality of my impending departure dawned in. However, the potential success of furthering my education at the Shanghai National Accounting Institute (SNAI) under a MOFCOM scholarship was too strong to hold me back. I, therefore, released myself from my family’s warm embrace and boarded my flight CZ6044 to Changsha where I quarantined myself before going to Shanghai, beginning a journey in China that completely transformed my life. This paper will narrate my life while I lived and studied in China.
The Academic Journey
a. My Academic Background
Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in the business news segment and the story behind financial data. Specifically, I was interested in unraveling how money works, the ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ behind any financially related event, and the challenging mathematical problems. Over the years, this desire inspired me to take a Bachelor's in commerce and finance at the Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) University. During this period, I refined my accounting, economics, marketing, management, and finance skills, among other fields. After graduating, I worked at the Kenya Airports Authority until I won the MOFCOM scholarship to study at SNAI.
b. Campus Life in SNAI
When I landed in China from Kenya, I was a bit nervous and afraid of what the future held. However, all my fears were dispelled as SNAI’s management was meticulous, and they planned everything to help us settle in China properly. These plans covered our accommodation, airport transfers, course arrangements, and field trips. As an international student, I had the opportunity to pursue a Master’s in professional accounting, which covered subjects like the Chinese language, auditing, management accounting, financial accounting, and macroeconomics. I was highly interested in learning the Chinese language because it felt like learning about a ‘whole new world’. I also loved that learning would take place in physical classrooms, remote learning through Zoom, or workshops. I believe the different options gave us flexibility in learning, reinforcing understanding.
c. The Challenges That I Experienced
The greatest hurdle I experienced was that the professors would give us assignments with strict deadlines plus the language barrier. If we did not adhere to the deadlines, we risked losing credits that would tank our whole performance. I overcame this issue by creating and following a strict schedule to avoid procrastination and deliver the assignments before the deadlines lapsed. I also experienced homesickness because of the culture shock. I discovered a Kenya community in China, and we kept in contact via social media, which helped me focus on my goals.
Language Learning
As previously stated, I was very eager to learn Chinese: the spoken and written aspects of the language. However, when we began learning Chinese, it quickly dawned on me that it would not be as easy as I had predicted. Our professors made the learning process more bearable by helping us understand the meaning behind each character. They also helped us practice each character's strokes and even gave us dictation to ensure that we perfected our written Chinese. They also advised us to immerse ourselves in the Chinese way of life by conversing with the natives, which helped me improve my tone, pronunciation, and courage to speak the language. I can confidently state that I have become more fluent in my written and spoken Mandarin since I began learning the language, but I will strive continuously to perfect my skills to communicate more effectively in Chinese.
Experiences in Different Cities
a. Shanghai
This city is where I spend most of my time while studying and living in China. When I first stepped out of the airport after arriving here, I could not help but be awestruck by the towering skyscrapers that defined the city’s landscape. They seemed like a perfect mix of shining glass, well-polished steel, and sophisticated engineering. This created a sight-to-behold that I had only seen in movies before. Apart from these colossal and beautiful structures, Shanghai is a bustling city with crowded streets filled with friendly pedestrians and motorists. I also loved that Shanghai has a large international population. This aspect gave the city some sense of cultural diversity, which enabled Shanghai’s population to enjoy the best of every culture along the Chinese culture.
I also deeply admire Shanghai’s highly efficient transport system. I often used the metro lines or the high-speed trains to connect to other regions in China, which were cost and time-effective. When traveling by train, I loved that they had expansive and clear windows, giving travelers panoramic views as they traversed the country (see image 1 of me traveling in a metro line in Shanghai). It is also important to mention that the city also features various historical landmarks. For example, we visited Yuyuan Garden and the Longhua Temple during one of our out-and-abouts. We learned that these structures had withstood the test of time,, and tell a tale of Shanghai’s history and evolving culture, including its colonial days.
b. Yiwu
During one of my excursions, i traveled to Yiwu, and I would best describe this city as one of China’s biggest trade hotspots. I even met some Kenyan’s who had come to buy products to export to my country. Most of the population in Yiwu were traders who sold all types of commodities, including technological devices. What I loved most about Yiwu was that many people visited this city for trade, which provided favorable opportunities for networking. I also loved that this trade city had museums and temples that let visitors learn about China’s cultural heritage.
c. Hangzhou
We traveled and stayed in Hangzhou during one of our school field trip around China. It is located in the northwestern part of Zhejiang province and sits near a bay that separates Shanghai and Ningbo. Hangzhou strikingly resembles Shanghai because they have a large population, modern landscapes, and vibrant atmospheres. It is also one of the best commerce hubs in mainland China, and it houses various tech and e-commerce giants like the Alibaba Group. Apart from its commercial potential, Hangzhou also features historic pagodas. For example, we visited the China Tea Museum, finance & taxation museum and pan-china certified public accountants Ltd (see image 2). These historical sites give a glimpse into ancient China and influenced UNESCO to declare Hangzhou a World Heritage site.
d. Guangzhou
Pronounced as ‘Kwongchow’, this megacity is the largest in the Guangdong province in Southern China. It sits on the Peral River and is located in the Northwest of Hong Kong and north of Macau. I visited this city during its annual Canton Fair and could not help but notice that its population might be similar to that of Shanghai or Hangzhou. This city is one of China’s primary commercial and manufacturing hubs, and thus, it exposes people to numerous networking opportunities. During my visit, i got the chance to visit various places of worship in the city and learned about Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.
e. Nanjing
During my visit to Jiangsu Province, i visited the megacity of Nanjing, which is situated in the Yangtze River Delta region. I learned that this city was the capital of numerous Chinese kingdoms, dynasties, and republican governments. Nanjing is a center of culture, education, and research, making it important in Chinese Heritage. Due to its long cultural tradition, many people today refer to Nanjian as a ‘city of culture’, and it typically features galleries that display ancient artwork, traditional festivals, libraries with ancient books, old museums, and traditional theater troupes. I particularly loved the traditional nightlife in Nanjing, where night markets, street food, and restaurants thrive. The local cuisine was also meticulous, and some of my favorite local dishes included salted duck, vermicelli soup, and duck oil pancakes. Not only did I enjoy Nanjing under water world but I also liked how confucius temple has been maintained (Image 3).
f. Suzhou
Suzhou was one of the most populous cities in Jiangsu province. It is located in eastern China and is situated in the west of Shanghai. I learned that this city was the capital of the ancient Wu kingdom and was founded in 514 BCE. It has had a productive history, which is displayed by relics and artifacts in local museums and numerous historical sites. Suzhou is an important hub of China’s foreign trade and China’s industry, and it was the largest non-capital city in the globe until Shanghai overtook it between the 15th and 19th centuries. Some of the cultures evident in Suzhou included the opera houses, high-quality silk products, Song Brocade, handicrafts, calligraphic arts, and the local cuisine consisting of large crabs and squirrel fish.
Cultural Immersions
I immersed myself in the Chinese culture in various ways to learn about their traditions and language. For example, when I was out and about in different cities, I tried to hold conversations with the locals. This action helped in reinforcing different vocabularies and tones, and it clarified the pronunciation of different words. I also immersed myself in the Chinese way of life by visiting local museums of different cities and prefectures. For instance, we had the chance to visit the Silk Museum in Suzhou, which documents the history of silk production and Chinese embroidery dating back to 2000 BCE. During this visit, we saw old looms with demonstrations and samples of ancient silk patterns, and they explained to us sericulture.
I also submersed myself deeper into the Chinese culture by trying out some of their local dishes. For example, when I am in Shanghai, I typically eat soup dumplings (小籠包), steamed crab (清蒸大閘蟹), red braised belly pork (紅燒肉), pan-fried pork buns (生煎包), and squirrel fish (松鼠桂魚). I also loved the vibrant street food, which featured deep-fried twisted dough sticks, soy milk, rice balls, fried cakes, and most importantly, noodles. It is also important to acknowledge that each city had a different local cuisine, which contributed to a diversity in Chinese gastronomy, which I deeply admired.
Lastly, I embraced the Chinese culture by attending various festivals and traditional events. For example, we witnessed the annual Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show, which lasted for 52 days this year. We went to the Yuyuan Garden, which is in downtown Huangpu District in Shanghai, where we enjoyed colorful scenes with my friends. The beautiful aesthetics also featured Eastern fairylands, colorful lanterns, dragons, animals, and rare plants. This event promoted the Chinese culture through creativity and modern technologies, which left us with beautiful lasting memories.
What I Learned from the Chinese Society
First, I learned that the Chinese population is immensely creative and innovative and thrives on hard work and discipline. This is evident from their megacities that boost colossal buildings and sophisticated public amenities. For example, the high-speed trains of Shanghai are a product of considerable creativity, hard work, and discipline among the city’s public sector workers, the citizens, and the Chinese government. Therefore, when I go back to Kenya, I will bring back and act upon creativity, diligence, and discipline, which I learned from the Chinese people.
The second thing I learned from my time in China is that they significantly appreciate their traditions and customs. Some cultures date back to 2000 BCE, but the Chinese population still admires and practices them because they contribute to their cultural identity. It is also important to note that when a population appreciates its traditions and customs, it strives to conserve some of these cultural heritages. For example, the historic pagodas at Baochu Tower would not have existed if the population in Hangzhou did not have any connection to their history or culture.
The last and most important lesson that I acquired from my time in China centers on the power of collective efforts. I learned that if the Chinese population had not unified their efforts, they would not have achieved monumental achievements like constructing the Great Wall of China. They would not have built iconic cities, industries, and infrastructures and would not have become the world power they are. They encountered various tribulations while working towards their collective goal, but they remained resilient and overcame various challenges. Therefore, when I return to Kenya, I will inspire the locals and teach them about the formidable power of working together to attain a shared goal despite various challenges.
How the Whole Experience Has Contributed to My Growth
My time in China has significantly contributed to my personal and professional growth in distinct ways. First, I have acquired new knowledge from SNAI, which will enable me to perfect my accounting skills and become a better professional. Second, living and studying in China enables me to experience a different culture, which was like discovering a whole new world. I have immensely gained from this experience because I can now be able to talk some Chinese, I discovered delicious new foods, and I have learned new ways of living life. My experience in China also enabled me to make meaningful friendships and create valuable networks that I will leverage in the future. Third, living and studying in China enabled me to travel to different cities, which has broadened my perspective about China in terms of its culture and history. Fourth, studying at SNAI has exposed me to numerous workshops and seminars, equipping me with insights on how I can improve my profession. Lastly, living and studying in China has taught me primary values that are important for personal and national growth. They include creativity, discipline, hard work, resilience, and the power of unified efforts.
Concluding Thoughts
First and foremost, I would like to appreciate SNAI and MOFCOM fraternities because this trip would not have happened if it was not for them. I would also like to thank the teaching fraternity at SNAI since they have imparted me with adequate skills to refine my accounting practices. This action has properly positioned me to advance my career and become a good CEO or CFO in the future. I would also like to appreciate the Chinese population because they welcomed me warmly in their country. They also strived to understand me when I had conversations with them, even though my Chinese was not easy to understand at the time. They also shared with me their rich culture, history, and communal values, which I deeply appreciate. I also want to thank my family back in Kenya because they have supported me since this journey began. Most importantly, I want to appreciate myself for chasing my dreams no matter where they led me, and now I can confidently state that “I made my family proud”, just as I had promised at the airport when I was coming to China.
