After completion of high school, when most of my friends were applying to western countries like USA, Australia for their higher studies, on the contrary I did a lot of research on internet, talked to few people and made my mind to come to China for my college studies.
When I was coming to China, I was a bit nervous because I didn't know anyone over there, I didn't speak the language and was questioning myself that did i make the right choice but the moment I stepped out of the airport i was awestruck by everything around me. I had never seen the infrastructure like this before.
I study medicine in China. In my home country India, studying medicine is a very expensive task, which is not possible for a common person. Since I was a child, it was my and my parents dream to see me become a doctor and being able to fulfill my dream that too at a very affordable cost and with world class facilities is possible just because of China. My teachers are very experienced and helpful. As few months passed, I realized how convenient my life has become in China. Well connected public transports, shared bikes, buses, trains everything is so comfortable. Also every thing over here is so technologically advanced that I can get any of my work done just with the help of one mobile phone.
And as I started learning and speaking a little Mandarin, I went out and made local friends. I still remember the first time my Chinese friends took me to a restaurant to eat hotpot and I didn't knew how to hold chopsticks, all of us still remember that day and we have a good laugh about it.
Till now I have traveled to different cities like Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Beijing, Zhang Jiagang, and have learned new things, made new friends, learned about different cultures and the best thing amongst all, had so much delicious food.
Chinese new year has become one of my favorite festival. I like the feeling of how how families come together and celebrate the festival. My friends invite me to have dinner and celebrate the new year with them.
So far I am loving every single thing of my China journey and I am very grateful to be able to experience everything. If I have a chance, I would love to live in Shanghai after graduating because it is so well developed and a international city.
As China is developing so rapidly, it is a very inspiring experience to see the change in front of me, and i am very optimistic of China's future.
Now when I talk to my friends who live in different cities around the globe, I proudly tell them that I am living the CHINESE DREAM.
To anyone reading this, I highly recommend you to visit China yourself and then judge it. I am very sure you will love it and realize that it is not what the western media shows.
I am Hemant Vishnoi from India, I am studying medicine at Nantong University, China. I came to China in 2018 and in love with every single thing over here.
The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.