By Tang Xiaofeng and Xing Zhijie

  In early May, Ke Shan, an international student who graduated from Nantong College of Science and Technology, got on the plane back to his hometown in Indonesia. When the campus where he had stayed for two years, became a coordinate point on the map, Ke Shan could only look through the photos taken on his mobile phone to reminisce. 

  This summer, Nantong College of Science and Technology welcomed and bid farewell to another group of international students. Since 2016, School of International Education of Nantong College of Science and Technology has admitted more than 400 international students from 13 ‘the Belt and Road’ partner countries. 

Ke Shan and his roommates.

  In the spring of 2023, 11 Indonesian students from Nantong College of Science and Technology flew to China together. Ke Shan recalled that day, it was sunny and he was ‘excited’. In the past, his impression of China was limited to the ‘Chinese Kung Fu’ in the movies. Now, he has climbed the Great Wall and seen the power of modern technology in the drone light show on the South Street in Nantong. He exclaimed ‘This is China!’, and even fell in love with Chinese characters during the calligraphy classes at school. 

  It is the 8th year since Rui He came to China. Now pursuing his graduate studies at Tongji University in Shanghai, he still misses the three years he spent studying at Nantong College of Science and Technology. Even though he has travelled to places including Xi’an, Guangzhou, and Beijing, he still has a special fondness for Nantong. ‘My first stop in China was Nantong. It is my “second hometown”, and Nantong College of Science and Technology is my “second home”.’

  For Rui He, the three years when he was studying in Nantong, were colourful and enriching. Almost every weekend, he would go out to play with his teachers and classmates. Nantong Museum, Nantong Blue Calico Museum, Hao River, Langshan...Their joyful presence could be seen everywhere. 

  At Tongji University, he led more than 100 exchange students from European countries such as Germany and France to places including Nanjing, Suzhou and Hangzhou, to appreciate the beauty of China. ‘I will continue to use Chinese that I have learnt, to introduce China to the world!’ 

  ‘Welcome to the daily life vlog of an international student!’ From the first short video on 4th October 2023, Naya has uploaded more than 260 works, and has become a well-known social media blogger in the school. 

  ‘You speak Chinese very well, come on.’ ‘I will come to the country!’ ‘Chinese sounds good.’ ‘I will hang out with you next time I come to Nantong.’ ‘We can learn Chinese together.’... Countless comments have encouraged her to continue to create works.

  ‘I would be honored if I could let more people know about China!’ Naya said. 

International students at Nantong Museum.

  ‘I will remember the gift from China forever!’ Mi Zan, who has already returned to Bangladesh for work, still treasures a gift from 2020——a canvas bag with panda patterns, a traditional flower and bird embroidery work and a letter of appreciation. In 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic occurred, international student Mi Zan chose to stay in China to continue his studies. He used his scholarship to buy Covid-19 test kits and masks and sent them back to his hometown, and was awarded the ‘Best Friend Award’ by Embassy of China in Bangladesh. 

  ‘Nantong is a beautiful city. Here, the “small dream” of an Indonesian village girl has grown into ‘a great hope’...’ On 18th July 2024, Indonesian student Yu Jie got on the stage of a speech contest, and told her story with Nantong. 

Yu Jie at the Chinese Speech Contest. 

  As an international student from International E-commerce Major, Yu Jie not only studied economic theory and e-commerce knowledge, but also understood the true meaning of cross-border cooperation. She witnessed the opportunities brought to the nation’s economy by booming trade exchanges under the ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative. ‘Initially, I felt adrift in a different culture. However, behind all the differences, I found out that trust is the universal language that connects hearts. This is the essence of the “Belt and Road” Initiative: building bridges between hearts and countries.’ She hopes that when she returns to her motherland with more knowledge and experience, she can use her own strength to build the bond of trust between countries.

【背景阅读】

来自13个共建“一带一路”国家

400余名留学生将南通故事讲给世界听

    5月初，从南通科技职业学院毕业的留学生铪善坐上返回家乡印尼的飞机。当生活了两年的校园，变成地图上的一个坐标点，铪善只能翻看着手机里拍下的一张张照片来思念。

    这个夏天，南通科技职业学院迎来送往又一批留学生。从2016年开始，南通科院国际教育学院先后招收13个共建“一带一路”国家的留学生400余人。

    2023年春天，南通科院的11名印尼留学生一同搭载飞机来到中国。铪善回忆起那天，天气是晴朗的，心情是“excited（兴奋的）”。之前，铪善对中国的印象停留在电影中的“中国功夫”。如今，他爬过长城，在南通南大街无人机灯光秀中看到现代科技的力量，发出“This is China!”的感叹，还在学校书法课上爱上了汉字。

    今年是瑞和来到中国的第8年，目前在上海同济大学读研的他，仍然怀念在南通科院上学的三年时光。即便游览过西安、广州、北京等地，他还是对南通情有独钟：“我来到中国的第一站就是南通，这里是我的‘第二故乡’，南通科院就是我的‘第二个家’。”

对瑞和来说，在南通读书的三年，是五彩斑斓的三年。几乎每个周末，他都会和老师、同学们出门游玩，南通博物苑、蓝印花布博物馆、濠河、狼山……处处留下他们欢笑的身影。

    在同济大学时，他带领来自德国、法国等欧洲国家的100余名交换生前往南京、苏州、杭州等地，带着他们领略中国之美。“我将继续用学过的中文，向世界介绍中国！”

    “欢迎收看留学生的日常生活vlog！”从2023年10月4日的第一条短视频，到现在累计发布260余件作品，娜娅已经成为学校里小有名气的社交媒体博主。

    “You speak Chinese very well,come on.”“I will come to the country!”“中文好听”“下次来南通找你玩”“可以一起学汉语”……数不清的评论鼓励着她持续创作，“如果能让更多人知道中国，我很荣幸！”娜娅说。

    “我会永远记得这份中国的礼物！”已经回到孟加拉国工作的米昝至今仍珍藏着2020年的一份礼物——印着大熊猫的帆布包、传统花鸟刺绣和一封感谢信。2020年新冠疫情发生时，留学生米昝选择留在中国继续学习，他用奖学金购买了新冠肺炎检测试剂和口罩寄回家乡，被中国驻孟加拉国大使馆授予“最佳友谊奖”。

    “南通，是一座美丽的城市。在这里，印度尼西亚乡村女孩的‘小梦想’成长为‘大希望’……”2024年7月18日，印尼留学生于洁站上演讲大赛的舞台，讲述她与南通的故事。

    作为一名国际电商专业的留学生，于洁不仅学习了经济理论和电子商务等专业知识，更了解了跨境合作的真正含义。她见证了在“一带一路”倡议下，火热的贸易往来给国家经济带来的机遇。“最初，我在不同的文化中感到漂泊，但在所有差异的背后，我发现信任是连接心灵的通用语言。这就是‘一带一路’的精髓：搭建心与心、一个国家与另一个国家之间的桥梁。”她希望当她带着更丰富的知识和经验回到祖国时，也能用自己的力量连接起国家之间信任的纽带。

    作者：汤晓峰 邢知洁