I am a 23 year old Bangladeshi girl leaving in Yichang for the past three years. When I first came to china I was very angry with my mother because she decided to send me far away from home. I was missing everyone at my home. So I had a deal with my mother, if I don’t like in china I can come back home after three months and do as I like. And then everything started,

　　I never knew my life would totally change after living here in Yichang. I travelled many countries before. India, Malaysia, Thailand and I have been to famous cities of the world. Cities with tall building and bright lights. But there is no other beautiful country like china. Slowly I started to cope with the environment of yichang. My every first challenge was the language which I have overcome in these few years. First it was hard to understand the price of the products, which food to eat. But our language teacher from china three gorges university was very efficient. She taught us reading and writing Chinese numbers. Slowly we started to understand the living lifestyle of Yichang. Now I can almost tell the difference between Beijing dialect and Yichang dialect.I feel the better I know Chinese the better I connect with people in Yichang and truly understand Chinese culture.

　　People in Yichang are very friendly, honest and helpful. I have never seen any nation or country like china so peaceful and quite. Wheni see people in Yichang I feel so relaxed. My very first Chinese friend was a girl. I meet her in a football playground one day. I told her about my hobbies and also that I wish to have a tattoo but I don’t know any shop here. I was new in Yichang. Eventually She found a tattoo shop for me. I was very happy that day. We also had lunch together in CBD. We had beef noodles, it was delicious. Now my most favorite food in Yichang is ‘’regamian”. One thing I can tell about the food of china. It really tastyand healthy. After coming to yichang my whole lifestyle has changed. Before I use tobe very lazy all day. So I was very overweight. But after coming to Yichang I become active and healthy. Because of the lifestyle and living standard of the extra ordinary Yichang. Eventually I lost twenty six kg. The peaceful environment of Yichang gives me the mind to do something better. I see a lot of older woman dancing the park. Probably China is the only country I have seen so far where elderly people are so healthy and physically active. It really changed my vision of life. Elderly people of Yichang proves me that age is not a limit only our mind is. I have travelled to many places in and outside of Yichang. The first place I visited in Yichang was the three gorges waterfall. It was truly the beautiful creation of nature. Yichang is so full of natural beauty and resources it no match with anything else. The Yichang Yangtze river of is the most beautiful part of the city. I never seen such width and Long River. It surely is the longest river in the world.I live in xilling , I also visited yilling and xiaoshi.

　　Apart from natural sights Yichang also has man made attractions. Like shopping mall, cinema halls, tall building and lights. One thing I have to admit that china has conquered the modern architecture better than no other country in the world. I have seen buildings and shopping malls in Yichang building up just 6month to 1years. There is one shopping mall near my university Aqua plaza. I just say this building stand up tall and shinning in just one year. I feel very surprise by how they make a mega structure become real so fast! It still really amazes me.

　　Peach blossom festival is the biggest festival celebrated in china three gorges university. The most mesmerizing beauty of nature is glazed by all. I have never seen so many flowers bloomed so bright and shining. The pink, red and white flowers are so bright that there reflection on the lake makes the water look pink. People from all other Yichang city visits the university on that day. Talent shows, dance performance, drama and singing is performed to entertain everyone. Yichang people are very family oriented. I see families come together take pictures with flowers. Seeing smile in the face makes me feel happy. Remembering about festival, Chinese New Year and ‘’hongbao’’(red envelope) are two very interesting thing for me. It is indeed very interesting to give someone gift in red envelope.I have celebrated Chinese new year with my teacher madam haidiand family in Yichang. I think that was the best new year. We all had dinner together and after dinner we played games and had fun. I think all the teachers of china three gorges university in Yichang are very friendly. They never make us feel far away from home. Also the people of Yichang are very helpful. One day I was looking for a address. I had a parcel from online shopping taobao. But I couldn’t understand the address. So I just asked one random man from the street about the address. He walked with me almost ten minutes to show me the exact address. I felt very grateful to that man. His generosity and kindness made me feel very lucky to be a part of Yichang.

　　It has been three years and I give up my deal with my mother to go back home. Because I have fallen in love with china and I love my city Yichang. it is my home now.

　　ANUSHKA ANN NOOR CHOWDHURY

　　China Three Gorges University