[Ukraine] Zhuk Alina, Anhui Normal University

Dear Meixinka,

My sweet baby, the night is deep now and the stars are shining in the sky.

In this beautiful river city of China, I feel so peaceful, quiet and delightful to look at your sleeping chubby face , long eyelashes trembling slightly with the sound of breathing. In a sudden I am driven by an impulse that I would like to share with you a lot of words while preparing lessons.

Time flies. My life journey turned to be extraordinarily significant thanks to those beautiful encounters in China, an ancient and young country, from being exposed to Chinese language in 2004 to receiving scholarships for pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees in China; from bidding farewell to the beautiful hometown in Ukraine to landing on this ancient and culturally diverse Chinese river city; from the first awkening of love to meeting and falling in love with a sunny and kind-hearted Chinese young man, with whom I entered the marriage hall with the oath of “holding your hand and getting old together”;from knowing the first character “China” to becoming a Chinese university teacher.

Dear Meixinka, Mom will never forget the winter night of 2020. In that obstetric ward with warmth and hope, I finally heard the first cry of my long-awaited baby. As the fruit of love between China and Ukraine, the arrival of your pretty little life has carried deeper meaning to our lives. Your father, who had been waiting by the bed, was too excited to know what to do but looking at you in your swaddling clothes.

We have been discussing for a long time and then naming you “Meixin.” Your father said that in Chinese, the combination of “Mei” and “Xin” means beautiful and gentle and you will enjoy a peaceful and warm life. In order to have a Ukrainian style, I added the suffix “ka.” “Meixinka” sounds more similar to Ukrainian.

Dear Meixinka, when I was a little girl too, I particularly enjoyed lying on the grass by the river on a summer night in rural Ukraine while the sky hanging low and the stars twinkling. With eyes shining in the vast sea of stars, I took pleasure in the gentle breeze and beautiful dark moments. At that time she had been wondering sometimes how big the world is and whether she was able to go and see somewhere else.

The little Ukrainian girl grew up later. By chance she saw “Wheels on Meals” acted by Jackie Chan. The brave, kind and humorous hero acted by Jackie Chan impressed her deeply. Inspired and encouraged by the movie, she was determined to learn Chinese well. So when she got the opportunity to meet Jackie Chan, she would told him in Chinese, “Thank you for inflaming me with your movies and your persistence.” Over the next eight years, she exerted herself to complete undergraduate and master’s studies majored in English and Chinese at H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University in Ukraine. In 2012, she received a scholarship from China and came to Anhui to study at Anhui Normal University, the earliest higher education institution in the province.

Dear Meixinka, I bet you like this river city very much. Every time I take you out, you are so excited and keep talking cheerfully. Yes, Anhui Normal University is located in Wuhu, a place known as the “City of Thousand Lakes with Geographical Charm of AnHui.” It is adjacent to the vast Yangtze River and the wonderful Mount Zheshan. That is why I was deeply appealed when I first stepped into this university that combines the natural beauty of southern China and the cultural prestige of Anhui.

Before coming to China, I only knew the names of some big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Nanjing. After being here, I found that China has developed so rapidly. It has lots of beautiful cities that amaze people with dramatic changes day by day.

Dear Meixinka, after graduation with a doctorate, I could have gone to a big city for career development. Do you know why I stayed in Wuhu? Haha, yes, because I met my Mr. Right at the volleyball court of Anhui Normal University in 2013, who is your father. From then on, I have the best man in my life. He is a kind and handsome Chinese young man, who patiently introduced me to Chinese culture and customs and helped me understand the saying “harmony is most precious,” which is value of well-being of Chinese people. He made me be aware of how responsible and selfless a Chinese man is. He is easy-going and always holds a positive attitude when facing troubles. He is very capable of taking care of family to make our life stable and happy. We discuss and address issues together all the time. Indeed, understanding is more important than love sometimes. Mutual understanding helps us realize that love is not about avoiding argument or fights but being still together after. I only wish we could accompany each other from youth to old until the hair turns grey.

Dear Meixinka, I have been searching for the romance of holding a pair of warm hands on cold days and walking steadily forward. In this homelike land of China, my life journey goes through so many wonderful encounters. Here are my family, friends, teachers, colleagues and you, whom I value as precious as life. Meanwhile my career is being embarked on and boosted here.

I remembered I recited a poem while participating in the selection match in the competition of the 6th “Chinese Bridge” conducted for international students in China. There is a section in this poem that I always memorize in my heart. “China, my second hometown, when I first set foot on this land, I had a cordial feeling that I was returning home as a wanderer. At that time I thought all of a sudden that I was just a Chinese girl in my past life!” Now, looking at you who is adorable and sleeping, I am even more grateful of the amazing cycle of life.

Look, you seem to be smiling sweetly. Is it because you are experiencing some lovely encounters in your dream?

At this moment the lights were dimly shed outside the window.

Behind every light in the city there is a family where life encounters and blossoms.

Alina, your mum with everlasting love

At a summer night of 2023