In 2023 ZIBS Welcome Ceremony, Anna Monteleone, an Italian student from MCS program Class 2023, set foot on China for the first time and expressed her enthusiasm and curiosity for exploring China. Full text of the speech is as follows:
Hello everyone,
I'm Anna, from the University of Turin, in Italy. Here, I'll be attending the Masters program of China Studies at ZIBS. I'm here thanks to the precious partnership between the University of Turin and Zhejiang University. It's a pleasure to be here today on this beautiful campus with all these students and professors from all over the world.
It's interesting that we all have different stories and backgrounds; we all come from different countries, and yet we have something in common: we are willing to challenge ourselves in a new country, to open ourselves, and to learn. Some of us have never left our country for so long before, and the first approach can be intimidating and a little scary. But we're here to get out of our comfort zone and get out of our little bubble that we didn't even realize we were in. We are only scared of the things we don't know. That's why it's important to gain as much knowledge as possible from the people around us. To break stereotypes, normalize inclusivity, and work together towards a collaborative international community. I mean, look at us; together, we represent over 40 countries! How powerful is that? How much can we learn from each other? So, I'm grateful to be here on such a diverse, international campus where cultural exchange is encouraged.
My first day, I was blown away by the beauty and the welcoming environment that this campus offered to us. (It definitely went beyond my expectations.)
We are so happy to have the opportunity to attend ZIBS. Some of us, myself included, have been wanting to come to China for years, and I can't believe it's finally happening. And some of us have just started developing an interest in this country. I mean, it's clear that China's fast growth and innovation have made it the focus of attention for so many. But we want to go beyond that, beyond the surface. There's only so much that you can learn from a book. I think coming here and learning on the field will be a game changer for most of us, not only for our careers but also for our personal growth. We hope to really gain a deeper understanding of this country, its people, and its culture. And hopefully, we'll learn or improve our Chinese.
At the end of the year, or of the two years for some of us, maybe things that we considered unusual at first will become part of us. I'm sure that China and this campus will hold a special place in our hearts. And I hope that we can give back and leave something positive as well.
So, finally, I would like to thank Zhejiang University for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
