The COVID-19 epidemic affected the world and changed human's life, so as the life of international students in China. The UCAS international students learning at Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT), working hard for their scientific dream in China, not only actively cooperated with various anti-epidemic requirements, but also took the initiative to be volunteers on the frontline of epidemic prevention and control. At the same time, teachers and students from SIAT always pay attention to the difficulties encountered by international students during the epidemic and lend a helping hand in time.
In March, many international students at UCAS and SIAT have actively joined the volunteer team of nucleric acid testing.
Frank Kulwa Nkulila, ANSO Scholarship awardee from Tanzania, and Abdur Rasool, a sophomore PhD student from Pakistan, are two of them. During their study, Frank and Abdur have published 9 papers, despite being with scientific research work, they still squeezed their time in volunteer service.
Abdur said that “Since I came to China, the Chinese people around me have been very friendly and helped me a lot. During the current wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Shenzhen, I am very happy to give back the service to the community. I am grateful to SIAT for providing us with an opportunity to be a part of Pandemic Fighters, and I want to appreciate the pandemic fighters who have saved the world since the beginning of the outbreak.”
“The Covid-19 pandemic has affected our lives, including our working style, living style, and schooling style. To make our living place free from it, we have to join force and fight against it together. Together we can!” said Frank.
△ Abdur and Frank distributing the stickers
Uroosa Sehar, ANSO scholarship awardee from Pakistan, also joined as a volunteer. Uroose is a first-year PhD student, but She has volunteered for three times. She was mainly responsible for checking and scanning the QR code of every testee. "SIAT is striving to give us a good living and education, and if there is a time they need us then it is our pleasure to stand with her in the hard time. Working together we can make our surroundings better!" Uroosa said.
△ Uroosa scanning the QR code
The epidemic also affects daily life. One of the difficulties the epidemic made is buying food daily necessities without going outdoor frequently. However, it also means an opportunitiy for international to expercience a modern Chinese style life, for example, buying things with delivery Apps.
Providing convenient way to buy things without leaving home, delivery Apps have been a part of life for many Chinese citizens. However, because of language barrier, using these Apps is not that easy for international students. After learning the situation when talking with international students, the volunteers from the graduate college of SIAT taught international students how to use the delivery Apps and shared frequently used Chinese expressions to communicate with delivery persons. Under the help of Chinese students, the international students successfully complete the whole process from ordering to picking up the take-outs for the first time. International students expressed their appreciation for this activity, which was exactly in time and solved the biggest difficulties they encountered during the epidemic, and they said that the help from volunteer students made them feel at home. An international student said, "Although we are foreigners, we are definitely not outsiders! Studying here makes us feel at home, and we also want to make our efforts and contribute to the epidemic prevention and control!"
△ Meeting with International Students
△ Volunteers teaching international students how to use delivery Apps
Source: SIAT
Editor: GAO Yuan
