Dream comes true

There is an old legend that says everything we see in a dream is part of truth and destiny.

Our story began with a dream, and now I think that is where fate began. One night in 1990, my mother's spirit flew from Damascus, Syria, to the high mountains of China... Then fly back.

Twenty years later, the whole family flew to China one by one and reunited in Nanjing on Chinese soil.

It's destiny... It's a dream come true...

As is known to all, China and Syria have always enjoyed sound diplomatic relations and the friendship between the two countries goes back to ancient times. My family has always had an indiscernable bond with China, which dates back to the childhood of my father and mother. My mother came into contact with Chinese silk in the family silk shop, while my father learned about this magical country from People's Daily. Fate also becomes deeper after the father and mother meet, and then becomes the fate of the whole family.

My father used to listen to some traditional Chinese music to us when the triplets were still in my mother's womb. My father and mother loved Chinese culture and made many Chinese friends. As a result, there are always a lot of Chinese gifts in the house: little panda dolls, cartoons of Chinese classics, traditional Chinese music tapes and so on.

Travel:

In 2010, the third child, Zein, moved to China to study at university. Zein is always excited to share with our family what he has seen and heard in China and how wonderful and magical the land is.

In 2016, the middle child, Zaynab, came to China to study for graduate school.

In 2017, Elder Ali came to China to start his postgraduate study.

In 2017, my parents also came to China, and my family reunited once again in Nanjing, China. Unlike my mother's dream, our reunion was real.

Today, we triplets, artist father and journalist mother are living in China like a dream moment. Chinese customs are not unfamiliar to our family. Since ancient times, love for Chinese civilization and culture has been implanted in the hearts of our Syrian family. My family has developed deep friendships with many Chinese friends and participated in many cultural, art and design activities. We are integrated with Chinese civilization and society on this land, and we are getting to know it more and more deeply.

A dream come true as triplets, artist father and journalist mother reunite in China. This is all thanks to our own efforts to pursue our dreams and to the Chinese government and Chinese friends who have helped us along the way.

Who doesn't believe in fate? Who doesn't believe in dreams?

This is a chance encounter between a Syrian family and China. They dream, pursue their dreams and then make their dreams come true!

We are a Syrian family in China, consisting of five people: father, mother, two sons and a daughter (triplets). In 1983, my family established a good friendship with a Chinese man in Syria. Since then, we have learned more about China and Chinese culture and become more interested in it.

My name is Walid Ali. I am an artist and decoration designer. I used to work for Syrian TV. When I was young, my family and I looked forward to the People's Daily of China being delivered to our village every month. We wonder how this wonderful country has developed, and we think it is a great country to learn from. Since getting married, I have also been making my triplets listen to some traditional Chinese music.

My name is Fairouz Nassr, and I'm an international Syrian journalist and media consultant for Syrian State TV. It is fair to say that I have an indissoluble bond with China. When I was a child, I first saw Chinese silk in my father's shop. In 1983, my first program on Syrian TV was about China's National Day. Later, I also represented Syria at many international conferences in different countries, including the Fourth Silk Road Festival held in Xi'an. When I was in Syria, my family always had a lot of Chinese friends and guests. Before the birth of the triplets, I dreamed that my spirit was flying over the beautiful mountains of China. And now they're here, and all my kids are in China.

My name is Zein Ali, a Syrian international student. I studied in Hangzhou China Academy of Art for my bachelor's degree and Nanjing University of the Arts for my master's degree. Now I am studying for my doctor's degree in industrial design in South Art University. Many people may know me from Douyin's "Syrian Guy" account. This year is my 10th year in China. I love China and I am very interested in Chinese culture. I have always believed that the best way to love is to fit in, so I attended many activities: industrial design conferences, Rap shows, Spartan Warriors, and so on. During the epidemic, I couldn't just stay home and watch my "second home" fight against the novel Coronavirus. I also thought of helping. So I went to the police station to donate money to Wuhan, and I also joined the patrol volunteers to prevent and control the epidemic with the Chinese people. Now, my dream is to be a person who connects Syria and China in all aspects.

My name is Ali Ali. I am a Syrian student and a film director and editor. At present, I am studying for a master's degree in radio, television and film directing at Nanjing University of the Arts. I just graduated from my graduate school and will soon start my doctoral study at Nanjing University of the Arts. I studied law in Syria and worked as a director and editor on Syrian TV for five years. When I was a child, my sister and brother used to pretend we were speaking and writing Chinese. Now that we have grown up, we have become real people who speak and write Chinese.

My name is Zaynab Ali, and I am a Syrian student, film director, artist and writer. My Chinese name is Yang Guang. I graduated from Nanjing University of the Arts last year, majoring in Radio and Television — Film and Television Art Creation. Now I am studying for a doctor's degree in art theory in Southeast University. When I was young, I read many Chinese folk stories from my parents' gifts. When I grew up, I came to China and wrote stories here.

- Now: First-year doctoral degree — Artistic theory — Art Department — Southeast University — Nanjing
- Master degree: Artistic creation in film and television radio — Multimedia Department — Nanjing University of the Arts 2020
- Bachelor degree: Fine art academe — Damascus 2014
I'm an artist and movie director, one of the three triplets

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.