He's already fluent after just eight months at Fuzhou University, and quickly makes friends

Even though he studied Mandarin at a Chinese university for only eight months, Ukasha Zololo has been able to talk with Chinese people fluently and make himself fully understood.

In September, the 19-year-old from Nigeria came to Fuzhou University in Fujian province to study the language for the first time. Now the young man can easily start a conversation in Chinese and keep it going.

"The Chinese language has gained a widespread reputation of being difficult to master, and learning to write Chinese characters is doubly difficult," Zololo says in Chinese. "We practice writing them time and time again, but I still forget how to organize the strokes from time to time. The number of Chinese characters I have fully mastered so far is quite limited."

He is much more confident about his speaking ability. "Our language teachers at Fuzhou University taught us some effective learning methods. For example, they sometimes take us to shop outside the campus and ask us to speak Mandarin to local people," he says. "Such real-life conversations really help us a lot in picking up the language in a short time."

Although he didn't know much about the Chinese language before coming to study, Zololo says he had been impressed by the country and feels close to it, as Chinese-led construction projects or products made in China can be seen virtually everywhere in his country.

"Chinese-brand cellphones, such as Huawei, are very popular among the people in Nigeria. I had one when I was at home," he says, shaking the cellphone he now uses in China. "It's also a Chinese brand, but not Huawei. It's a Meizu, and I bought it here in Fuzhou."

Zololo also holds a special affection toward the city of Fuzhou and Fuzhou University, as he, together with three others who stood out from a number of bright, young applicants in Nigeria, received scholarships from the university, which made it possible to study in China.

Now, the university gathers international students from 32 countries and regions across the world, including 15 that are involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

"It rains a lot in Fuzhou, very much similar to my home country, which makes it easy for me to adapt to the climate here," he says, adding that he also likes Chinese cuisine and has tasted many different dishes - although he still doesn't have much sense about their names.

"Hotpot is one of my favorites, but unlike many Chinese people I seldom have spicy hotpot because I'm not a chili-eater," he says.

Eight months in China is not long, but it's enough to foster friendships. Zololo says he made several Chinese friends and enjoys hanging out with them. They gave him an affectionate Chinese nickname, Hei Fei Long, meaning black flying dragon.

Zololo says he loves the name, which sounds like a martial arts master and suits his physical appearance.

zhaoxinying@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 06/02/2017 page22)