国籍：俄罗斯

Occupation : Master’s student

职业：硕士生

Years in China : 5 years

在华居住时间：5年

How did your journey in China begin?

你的中国之旅是如何开始的？

I never thought I would go to China, let alone live here for so long. In 2016, I was invited by Xi’an Jiao Tong University to study Chinese for a month in the winter semester. Luckily, at that time I had a friend who was in Xi’an and when I received the news in the summer, my friend there suggested to me that I should visit Xi’an to experience the city first hand. Of course I agreed and came here for the first time!  We travelled to other cities besides Xi’an, such as Changsha, Luoyang, and Zhengzhou. From the very first day, I felt like I fit even, I adored the food here and the climate was extremely suitable in my opinion. My Chinese friend was surprised because he had never seen a foreigner eat duck blood, 皮蛋, durian, 毛肚, hen’s paw, pig’s leg and so on. I was in China for five weeks and then came back home. After I went back to St. Petersburg, I felt like a foreigner in Russia because China felt more like home than my actual place of birth.

我从未想过会来中国，更不用说在这里生活这么久了。2016 年，西安交通大学邀请我在冬季学期学习一个月的中文。幸运的是，当时我有一个朋友在西安，我在夏天收到这个消息的时候，朋友就建议我应该来西安看看，亲身体验这个城市的风采。我当然答应了，这是我第一次来到这里！除了西安，我们还去了其他城市，比如长沙、洛阳和郑州。自打第一天起，我就觉得自己很适合住在这里，我很喜欢这里的食物，气候也非常宜人。我的中国朋友很惊讶，因为他从来没有见过一个外国人吃鸭血、皮蛋、榴莲、毛肚、鸡爪、猪蹄等等。我在中国呆了五个星期，然后就回国了。回到圣彼得堡后，我觉得虽身在祖国，却似在他乡，因为中国比俄罗斯更像我的家乡。

What do you like most about your city and China as a whole? 

你所在的城市，哪一点最吸引你？你最喜欢中国的什么呢？

In the past five years I’ve done extensive traveling and visited cities such as Beijing, Datong, Xi’an, Xianyang, Changsha, Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Shangluo, Shanghai, Pingyao, Nanjing, Wuxi, Wuzhen, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Sanya, Tianjin, Huangling, Changzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Xiamen and Wuhan. I would have to say that my favourite cities are Guangzhou and Shenzhen, which have had the most profound impact on me and will always be in my heart. Guangzhou and Shenzhen are quite modern, they have a subtropical monsoon climate, lots of high-rise buildings, a fascinating night view and there are even sandy beaches in Shenzhen! Personally, I think Cantonese food is the best compared with other Chinese cuisine. I can say that the Guangdong province is the perfect place for me, it’s paradise!

在过去的五年里，我四处旅行，去过北京、大同、西安、咸阳、长沙、洛阳、郑州、商洛、上海、平遥、南京、无锡、乌镇、苏州、杭州、三亚、天津、黄陵、常州、广州、深圳、珠海、厦门和武汉等城市。不得不说，我最喜欢的城市是广州和深圳，这两个城市对我的影响最深，我将永远铭记于心。广州和深圳相当现代化，它们属于亚热带季风气候，有很多高楼大厦，有迷人的夜景，深圳甚至还有沙滩！广东有很多美食。我个人认为，与中国其他菜系相比，粤菜是最美味的。我可以说，广东省是最理想的居住地，它简直是人间天堂!

What fascinated you the most about living in China? 

生活在中国，最吸引你的是什么？

It’s so much more convenient to live in China than anywhere else in the world in my opinion! The hospitality here is definitely unmatched and everyone is extremely helpful. If you feel hungry, but don’t want to go to any café or restaurant you can go to whatever convenient store and buy some hot snacks. If you don’t want to eat their snacks, you can buy some instant noodles, they will pour hot water on them for you. Of course, If you need to use a microwave, they will warm some food for you. Nowadays, you can not only use QR-code for paying but also can pay by scanning your face! You can borrow a power-bank for your phone almost in every place, and the cost depends on how long you used it. And you may return it in another place! Also, I can’t ignore waimai. It’s overly convenient.

在我看来，中国比世界上任何地方都要方便得多！中国人都无比的热情好客，乐于助人。如果你饿了，但不想喝咖啡或者下馆子，你可以去便利店买一些熟食。如果不想吃熟食，你可以买些方便面，他们会提供开水。当然，你也可以使用微波炉加热食物。现在，你不仅可以使用二维码支付，还可以扫脸支付！你还可以租借充电宝，几乎每个地方都可以租到充电宝，按使用时间进行收费，而且你可以在别的地方归还！还有必须一提的是外卖。在中国生活真的太方便了。

What is your unique China story?

你在中国有什么独特的故事？

Almost every day in China is a little story. In my opinion, I can’t live in China without some challenges and adventures. But these stories make me more and more “Chinese”, so even some native Chinese can’t believe how I adapted to live abroad. Especially when I go to Shanghai. I was there 5 times and every time I had some story.

在中国的每一天都是一个小故事。在我看来，我在中国生活不能缺少一些挑战和冒险。这些经历使我越来越“中国化”，即使是一些土生土长的中国人，也无法相信我是如何适应中国生活的，特别是我在上海的时候。我去过上海 5 次，每次都能发生一些新故事。

But I want to tell about my parents’ story. They don’t speak neither Chinese nor English, they know only German, so when they decided to come to China, I was nervous because they had to transfer in Shanghai to come to Xi’an.

我想说说我父母的故事。他们既不会说中文也不会说英文，他们知道德语，所以他们决定来中国的时候，我很紧张，因为他们必须在上海转机才能到西安来。

My parents and I were surprised how Chinese people helped them a lot when they understood my parents couldn’t explain where they need to go. My dad bought a pocket translator, and the locals used this little machine to communicate and ask my parents how they could help. A lot of Chinese people ushered my parents, took their passport, and gave it to airport workers if my parents didn’t understand. And they did it wholeheartedly, without expressing the slightest annoyance! Chinese people smiled at my parents and were exceptionally friendly to them at all times!

父母和我都很惊讶，他们解释不清要去的地方，中国人就会施以援手。我爸爸买了一个袖珍翻译机，用这个小玩意儿来交流，他们会问我父母需要什么帮助。很多中国人会帮助他们，拿着他们的护照。如果他们不明白，就把护照交给机场工作人员。中国人是真心想要帮助我父母，没有表现出丝毫的厌烦！中国人在任何时候都带着微笑面对他们，对他们特别友好！

Also, to sort out my visa, I had to leave China and leave my parents alone for one week. I was nervous, but my parents called me every day and told me how everybody helped them a lot, and they didn’t have any problem even without Chinese or English language!

另外，因为我的签证问题，我必须离开中国，我父母不得不单独在中国生活一个星期。我很紧张，但我的父母每天都给我打电话，告诉我这里每个人都给了他们很大的帮助。即使他们不会中文或英文，也没有任何问题！

It really amazed us how Chinese people are amiable, hospitable, and always ready to help foreigners!

这真的让我们感到惊讶，中国人是多么的和蔼可亲、热情好客，而且随时准备帮助外国人！

Some background on her hometown

介绍一下秀颖家乡

I’m from Russia, St. Petersburg. This is the most beautiful and the most European city of the Russian Federation. Its architecture is “heavy”, and it radiates power, strength, and wealth. The pearl of Petersburg is the Hermitage Museum. Originally a palace, today it is one of the largest museums in the world and the largest in Russia.

我来自俄罗斯圣彼得堡。这是俄罗斯联邦最美丽、最具欧洲风情的城市。那里的建筑很“重”，散发着权力、力量和财富的气息。彼得堡的明珠是冬宫博物馆。它最初是一座宫殿，如今是世界上最大的博物馆之一，也是俄罗斯最大的博物馆。

My hometown is the only Russian city in the top of the most beautiful cities in the world list!

我的家乡是唯一进入世界最美城市榜单前列的俄罗斯城市！

作者：秀颖 翻译：潘泽彬

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