Nicolas Goldring: my study life in China

For a long time, I have had a fascination for and interest in China, its language, and its culture. And now I am studying at Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU). I would like to introduce my study life in China.

When I was in middle school, I transferred to the school, International Leadership of Texas. Here, I began to learn Mandarin. I was introduced to an innovative, diverse, hospitable, and culturally rich country that I immediately became enamored with. The language itself was one of the most beautiful sounds that my ears had ever heard. It was a language unlike any other; to me it was like the sound of music. Thanks to this school, my passion for China, its music, language, culture, people, art, and cuisine was born. Thanks to this school, I became enamored with foreign languages and cultures, especially of East Asia (China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan). Because of this, I became the culture and language enthusiast that I am today.

Throughout my time at ILTexas, on both the middle school and high school campuses, I wanted to learn more about China, and kept practicing the languages. I looked up to my Chinese teachers and the international students from China, to find out about the country that they hailed from and help practice my Mandarin. When I was out of school, I researched content about China on YouTube and Google. During that time, I was also blessed to have been awarded the opportunity of a lifetime — two summer visits to China. Both trips were absolutely unforgettable, as we went to a wide variety of cities including Shanghai, Suzhou, Zhongshan, Guangzhou, Zhengzhou, Changchun, and Beijing. And in Changchun, I received word that I had been admitted to the Beijing Language and Culture University on a full scholarship.

During my time at Beijing Language and Culture University, I have established friendships with so many people, both international students from various different countries around the globe and local Chinese. We can all study what we love, and practice our Mandarin with each other, using it, alongside English, as our second language.

I love my home country, the US. However, China is such a fascinating country, as there are so many things to explore, sights to see, people to meet, foods to enjoy, and many other attractions in this massive country. It's essentially an adventurer's playground, and I hope that I will be able to explore it with my own eyes. Every time I see a post or a photo that showcases the landscapes, food, people, and culture of this country, or I contact one of my friends from there via WeChat, I am reminded of the immense hospitality and uniqueness that China has to offer. I personally believe that every person is able to plan a visit and travel to China at least once in their lifetime. The number of beautiful and fascinating characteristics that can be found here is practically unfathomable.

When I graduate from BLCU, I would like to go back to my home country, settle down there, and find a job that has to do with East Asia. I want to do something different, something that I genuinely enjoy, something that has to do more with cultures or languages, especially of East Asia, which is a region that I am absolutely passionate about.

It is thanks to China, and the people that I met there, that I became a language and culture enthusiast and got a glimpse of just how truly diverse the world is, and how stunning China and East Asia truly are. Thank you.