Wudaokou Watch: "Life in Beijing is Pretty Amazing"
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In Wudaokou Watch, we profile a different Beijing-based student from abroad each week to hear about their life in China's capital.
What is your name and where do you come from?
My name is Merhawi Bitsuamlak Medhanie and I am from Eritrea. Eritrea is located east of the African continent, it's a small country with a small population and is famous for the Red Sea beach in Massawa, which is a big tourist destination. I live in Asmara, the capital, which has a moderate climate and is peaceful. Asmara was registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2017 for its 20th-century art deco buildings.
Why did you come to Beijing?
I work in a public office at the Ministry of Finance in Eritrea and I came to Beijing in 2017 to study a master's at Tsinghua University in public administration to expand my knowledge of public service.
How is life in Beijing different from your home country?
I don’t even know where to start, but I can tell you life in Beijing for me, personally, it is pretty amazing. Beijing is a modern city with lots of interesting places to visit and with so many places for entertainment. There is so much to explore and learn about Chinese history in Beijing like the Beijing museum, the Great Wall, and so on.
What are the biggest challenges for you here?
I think one challenge is living away from home, especially my family – my wife and daughter.
What are your three favorite hangouts here?
I usually hang out at pubs in Wudaokou, at The Steps or Mojito [Mexican restaurant], and I go out for shopping at malls like U-Town in Chaoyangmen. I also enjoy hanging out with my fellow countrymen at one of my favorite Italian restaurants: Saizeriya.
What do you do when you are feeling homesick?
I am lucky to have my country mates around me. Sometimes we cook our traditional food together. There is no restaurant that serves my traditional food so we prefer to cook.
What do you love most about Beijing?
I love nearly everything about Beijing except the air pollution.
What is your most memorable Beijing experience?
Hanging out with friends, and the interesting places that I have visited, and I will visit. I will remember these for the rest of my life.
How has life in Beijing impacted you?
It is the first time I have visited a foreign country, and I believe I have experienced a lot. I have understood what China, the people, and its culture are really like. Most of all, I have experienced life in Beijing as an expat and a student. I have made new friends from all over the world. In that way, Beijing has impacted my life tremendously.
What inspires you and what are your future plans?
China is still developing and it has modernized its cities. I have visited Tianjin, Shanghai, and Xi'an in Shanxi province, including many of the historical sites there. I was inspired by the developmental progress in Beijing and elsewhere and I believe we have a lot to learn. My future plans are to complete my studies and then contribute to the economic development efforts in Eritrea.
Are you a student in Beijing? Let us profile you and your unique experiences here. Drop us a line at editor@thebeijinger.com and we’ll get back to you to schedule an interview.
Photos courtesy of Merhawi Bitsuamlak Medhanie
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