Feature: Conversations spark friendships -- Chinese students share their stories in U.S.

by Li Xirui

NEW YORK, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The streets of New York roared with life. Yellow cabs darted through traffic, their horns blaring as they raced to catch the last green light. Chinese international students like Zhang Zhijian tried to melt into the rhythm of the most diverse city in the United States.

As the only Chinese student in a film class at New York University, Zhang struggled to join the discussions. His shyness and language barriers often kept his ideas trapped in his notebook. Studying abroad was an entirely new world for him, filled with anxieties about grammar, accents and whether he could be understood.

But one day, he mustered the courage to raise his hand -- a small act of bravery that became a turning point in his journey.

"The entire class listened to me. They heard me," Zhang recalled, remembering the patience, respect and kindness he felt from his classmates at that moment.

"I don't want to be the silent one. I want to share my thoughts and ideas with my local classmates," he said. "Communication is not only a bridge between people but also between nations. And the building of that bridge starts with us, the students studying abroad."

Zhang, who felt heard in a foreign place, wanted to tell the story of being an international student in the city -- along with his "homesick" attachment and the stories of his homeland, China.

Zhang's story was one of the first-prize winners in a themed essay contest hosted by the Chinese Consulate General in New York, where over 100 Chinese international students participated, sharing their experiences of living far from home, forging friendships across cultures, and pursuing dreams with classmates who saw the world differently.

During a month-long submission period, the Consulate received 122 stories from Chinese students in its consular district, including those from local universities, higher education institutions and international organizations such as the United Nations (UN).

At a ceremony honoring the contest awardees on Saturday, Chinese Consul General in New York Chen Li said the heartfelt stories reflected the challenges students faced in adapting to a new environment, the resilience they developed and the cross-cultural friendships they forged.

He said that studying abroad is not just about academic achievement, but also about personal growth and creating connections in a new world.

Hua Yucong, a 28-year-old Ph.D. student at the University of Pennsylvania, shared his experience working at the Penn Museum and telling the story of Chinese history and ceramics.

"I believe one of my strengths is my ability to connect with younger audiences," he said. "When I teach middle and high school students about Chinese history, crafts or cultural anecdotes, I often draw comparisons with American examples. Although the analogies may not always be perfect, they help the students better understand Chinese culture."

"I brought replica Chinese ceramics from China for the students to touch," he added.

"From my own experiences with international friends, I can really feel their curiosity and interest in China," Hua said.

Other Chinese international students like Lei Ruolan are interested in global affairs and actively get involved.

Lei, 24, recently graduated from University College London, interns at the UN Peacebuilding Commission in the UN headquarters in New York, where she handled refugee documents, listened to their stories and learned a lot.

"I talk with people from different countries and cultural backgrounds. I realize my greatest role is to, simply, engage with them," she said.

"All relationships start from talking, and if they are interested in me, they will also be interested in my country," she added.

Eight-year-old Yao (Lyndon) Hanxing, the youngest storyteller, shared his journey at the UN International School in New York through eight short stories.

Inspired by the animated film The Wild Robot, which mirrored his experience of adapting to a new world, he challenged himself to read its sequel, The Wild Robot Escapes.

"I looked up words in the dictionary and gave a presentation that everyone liked and applauded," he said. "My English improved a lot."

"Studying abroad is a transformative journey for international students, much like the process of breaking through a cocoon to become a butterfly," Yu Yougen, education counselor of the Chinese Consulate General in New York, told Xinhua.

"We plan to explore a variety of formats beyond writing to help students with their concern for social development, their reflections on global issues, their personal journeys of growth and their love for their homeland," Yu said. ■