Recently, the South China Agricultural University (SCAU) Commencement 2024 was held over two consecutive days for its graduate and postgraduate students, respectively. Mahmood Tahir, a master's student from Pakistan, spoke as the representative of international students and shared his family's story with China, or more specifically, with SCAU.
Of the six children in Tahir's family, four are students at SCAU. This family connection to SCAU began in 2011 when Tahir's elder brother came to China to pursue a doctoral degree. After returning home, his brother often recounted what he had seen and experienced in Guangdong. These stories about China's rapid changes and the country's remarkable journey of reform and opening-up sparked Tahir's longing to experience China firsthand.
In 2019, Tahir and his sister successfully applied to study at SCAU. Reflecting on his initial experience in China, Tahir admitted that he was worried about adapting to life and study as he could not speak Chinese very well at that time. However, his concerns quickly dissipated as he found the teachers and classmates at SCAU to be exceptionally friendly and always happy to help.
Tahir also highlighted a letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping in May 2020, addressed to all Pakistani students at the University of Science and Technology Beijing, which he believes has encouraged more Pakistani students to study in China. In September 2023, his younger brother also gained admission to SCAU and is now a postgraduate student at the College of Plant Protection.
Having studied in China for five years, Tahir now considers China his second home, which he emotionally described as "amiable, respectable, and lovely". This September, Tahir will return to the campus of SCAU to pursue a doctoral degree in Agricultural Machinery Engineering. With all the knowledge learned in China, Tahir hopes to contribute to the world of agriculture and serve his homeland.
Reporter | Chen Siyuan
Video | Chen Siyuan
Editor | Nan, James
Chen Ziqian also contributed to this report.
