“I started from zero. I was blind, deaf and mute because I didn’t understand the language. It took me six months to understand Mandarin.
I was the first Malay who studied in three different universities in China. I went to the People’s University of China, China Foreign Studies University and China Culture and Language University.
I studied my postgraduate degree in Modern China, I had a Master in China Studies and I was in the Scholar Program in China Economy from 1989 to 1993.
There were 30 students in my class, but none of us could communicate in a common language. Instead, we mixed around.
My Russian friends didn’t speak English to me, and I didn’t speak Russian to them. However, we spoke in Chinese.
When you speak the language and the communication exists, then you are just like the locals there. It was exposure for me.
We were treated like guests there. As a student, you are one of the locals.
So, every weekend, we had to go to a reforestation program. We even planted trees along the Great Wall. I guess we were very involved in the Chinese community. And then we would harvest crops from the farms and bring back to our university.
Thankfully, I didn’t face many difficulties back then. Although we were given coupons and were able to buy food at a discounted government price, there weren’t any good facilities in the universities. There weren’t any good chairs or table, and the light was very dim.
Most of the times, I had to use the bicycle to go back and forth to my university, which took 30 KM for a one-way trip. Usually, my class finishes at 2 pm, but I’d stay until it was dark, around 6.30 pm.
The landmarks during the day and night looked completely different. I was used to going out at 6 in the morning, that’s why I knew the way well when my surroundings are dark.
But imagine cycling during winter, at -5 or -10 degree Celsius. It was tough, but I got used to it.
So, if you want to study in a new country, you must learn its language. If you want to study in China, then you must study Chinese. As we learn more languages, we become open to those around us. You can learn any language, but you must take the initiative to learn”.
