Nelcy Espirito Santo, a 22-year-old girl from Sao Tome and Principe, an island country of Central Africa, has spent a wonderful time in China. Nelcy is now a senior undergraduate student at Law School at Tianjin University, where she hopes to pursue her master degree after graduation.

Nelcy Espirito Santo at the Great Wall in Tianjin

On August 28, 2018, Nelcy, flew over 10,000 km on her own and stepped on a land that she had only ever seen on TV. Regardless of the language barrier and distance, Nelcy followed her parents’ advice to study in China, as they saw its great potential and were touched by the hospitality of Chinese people.

Nelcy takes photos with tourists in Tianjin Italian Style Area.

The first year wasn’t easy for Nelcy, who had to deal with not only language problems, but also academic challenges. “My classmates helped me a lot,” Nelcy said, “they invited me to study with them and tailored a study plan for me.” Nelcy also expressed her gratitude and admiration to the professors at the law school for their wisdom and consideration. She described how they would write English content on the blackboard for her benefit.

Nelcy visiting the Tianjin Binhai Library

Assistance and friendliness also surrounded Nelcy outside of campus. At Tianjin Binhai Library, she had a sweet acquaintance with a little boy, who offered to  show her around the library. “I saw a Chinese boy walking towards me, and I was wondering what he might want. Then he just said hi and started talking to me in English. I guess it was because he found me alone and wanted to keep me company. It was really nice of him.”

Tianjin Binhai Library was an ideal resort for Nelcy. She was absorbed by the design of the building, with “the Eye of Binhai” locating at the Central Library. She also enjoyed its beautiful ambience for reading and studying. Now, she has found pleasure and relaxation in her campus life, having joined a volleyball team, going to the gym and learning how to cook Chinese dishes.

In the World Vocational College Skills Competition, Nelcy makes Shumai.

Being away from home for four years, in spite of her homesickness, Nelcy cherishes China as a second home and is ready to introduce more of her friends to China. “I was such a lucky dog to get the Chinese Government Scholarship, and I hope to share my experience so that students like me, who long for China, in order to get a good education, live in a safe neighborhood, and enjoy the benefits of cutting-edge technology.”

 Beautiful sunset at Tianjin University

For now, Nelcy’s biggest dream is to embark on postgraduate study at Tianjin University, so that she can learn more about her major and sharpen her skills. She also shared some of her other hopes and dreams.

“I have so many dreams that I don’t know where to start. After graduation, I want to bring my parents to China because I know they are going to love it; I also want to open a Chinese restaurant in my hometown as people there are so interested in Chinese cuisine and many of them have learned how to use chopsticks. You know, there are many other things I want to do in the future because I feel like everything is possible here in China.”

From a timid and naïve young girl, Nelcy is growing into a confident and versatile talent. In China, she believes, hopes grow and dreams bloom.