By Azuma Okwakekekalu

　　As a child, I was fond of flipping through the pages of my father's texts and maps, taking pleasure in studying the ancient civilizations. I had always desired to visit two places when I grew up, to confirm those civilizations. One was Egypt, because it represented the "Civilization of the Dead", and the other was China, which embodied the "Civilization of the Living".

　　The early civilization of the Egyptians saw them building pyramids and mummifying<注1> their dead—this feat has remained unmatched by any other civilization. The Great Wall of China (the last structure seen on earth while going to the moon) is a symbol of civilization of the living because it formed a bulwark for the living, against invading enemies.

　　With this knowledge about China in mind, I was full of expectations as I boarded the flight from Nigeria enroute to China for my Master's Degree Programme.

　　Most of what foreigners know about China are mainly from the mass media of western countries, some of which I have personally discovered to be false. Life in China has been a great experience so far.

　　The first noticeable phenomenon here in Beijing is the number of people on the roads, walkways, markets and other public places. I like a crowded environment, maybe due to the fact that, I come from a populous country also (Nigeria being the most populous black nation). Even in the crowd, every citizen is conscious of his action. I got more fascinated as I admired the selflessness and high sense of duty of my teachers, quite unlike some other developing countries of the world.

　　Living in China for just three months, I have been able to draw a sharp line of distinction between the philosophy of an average Chinese and that of some other developed and developing countries. An average American is proud that he is born an American because his sense of duty to the state, but by mere coincidence of providence of birth. However, an average Chinese's sense of pride is to the state, not to self. I have had a second thought about my own country many times, just my mere looking at the sense of patriotism of a Chinese. You could see the dedication, the zeal, and high regard for the state, and still in all these, a Chinese is a humble man though not timid.

　　As an African, I have been deeply touched by the simplistic lifestyle of the Chinese. A situationswheresthe working class ride bicycles as their "official and unofficial cars" is worthy of emulation. It shows a sense of humility and not lack of money. In my country, students drive very costly cars, not to talk of lecturers who are swimming in the oceans of luxury. Living in Beijing has afforded me the opportunity to see life, not only differently but also better. All the while, I had been enmeshed<注2> into the gorgeous and expensive lifestyle of a Nigerian environment, a situation which makes the youth crave for so much material things, that most tend to get involved in some obnoxious<注3> activities insgroupsto achieve their ambitions. I seem to approve of the system I have come to see here in China.

　　An average Chinese loves his tradition more than himself. It is fun using "chopsticks" instead of spoon, fork and knife. I have had to learn the Chinese way. In the post office, you see them using the traditional "abacus", instead of an electronic calculator. I love such preservation of traditional values. In Africa, the Europeans destroyed most of our traditional values. At first, I wondered why a Chinese would prefer the "herb tea" instead of pure water after meal or even at odd times, but now I seem to understand.

　　The idea the western media give about China is that of a land filled with hunger and wretchedness. However, I have come to realize that most of what I heard and read about China from such sources was false. You could just see so many varieties of foods, except maybe, the typical African delicacies like yam,<注4> cassava<注5> and cereals.<注6> In China, I have come to see man taking full control of both the animal and plant kingdoms. Most vegetables I see here as foods are considered poisonous in my native country. After tasting many of the vegetables, I came to the conclusion that Africans still have much to do in "taming" many of the wild leaves in the forest.

　　(作者Azuma Okwakekekalu来自尼日利亚，来中国学习免疫学，现在北京语言文化大学学习汉语)