Zoljargal Batdorj

Instructor: Huang Hongyu

MY dearest sister,

Dwelling in the vast embrace of Mongolia, I hope this letter finds you well. As I pen these words from this distant shore, my heart swells with nostalgia and longing for your companionship.

Eight months have passed since I arrived here. I have done things I never thought I would do, seen things I had only imagined, and learned things I had never known before. I want to share these memories with you, hoping that they might be your guiding stars in your own journey of discovering your best self.

As a person from a landlocked country, I had never truly glimpsed the ocean in my life. That is why when I first arrived here, one of the first places I visited was the beach. I’ll never forget my first encounter with the South China Sea. Standing at Shenzhen Bay as the tide rolled in, I suddenly understood why our ancestors called oceans “the mother of waters.”

It stretched beyond sight, mysterious and calm, yet occasionally stormy, just like a life journey. It reminds me that we cannot live in happiness all the time; there will be moments when we feel lost, when our hearts feel heavy. But that, too, is a natural part of life.

Now, whenever I feel overwhelmed, I find peace by the sea where the waves whisper secrets of serenity. No matter how sorrowful I may be, the moment I stand by the ocean, something magical happens, I leave with a peaceful heart and a calm spirit. One day, my sister, I shall show you the ocean, and perhaps you will then understand the magic it holds.

Until now, I had never known life in a warm climate as well. The people here are just as warm as the climate. I meet hurried commuters who seem stressed or preoccupied. Even so, no matter how rushed they are, they rarely show anger. They always respond to questions without being bothersome, and they treat even the smallest matters with sincerity and care. From the locals, I am learning much about kindness, patience, and humbleness.

Adjusting to life here has had its funny moments too. With my East Asian facial features, people often mistake me for a local Chinese but don’t realize that my Chinese is still at an elementary level. A few times, strangers approached me, asking me something in fluent and rapid Chinese, and I just stood there, completely lost! It was a bit embarrassing, but I soon found a silver lining. Those moments pushed me to engage more and practice my language skills even faster. Now, I feel more confident, and my Chinese is improving with every interaction.

I sometimes think of the times when I was your age. I used to ride our grandfather’s horse, galloping through the vast steppe, with the wind in my hair, feeling the freedom. For someone who grew up in the open steppe of Mongolian countryside, this place feels like a different world. Everywhere I look, there are towering skyscrapers, some of which are so majestic that it’s hard to believe they were created by human hands. It’s a real definition of the line “concrete jungle where dreams are made of.”

Here, what once seemed like a distant dream can become reality — drones deliver food, cars drive on water, and flying cars are now a possibility. I even got to try using WeChat Pay with just my palm print, which blew my mind! The technology in everyday life here is astounding and makes everything feel so futuristic. And no, I am not speaking of a fantasy. It is real.

But not everything is entirely different. When I first came here, I had my first taste of dim sum, a traditional Chinese meal. The moment I tried baozi, a steamed fluffy dumpling filled with meat, it transported me back to our home. I was reminded of our traditional dish, buuz. The soft dough and savory filling brought back memories of the warmth of our kitchen, where we cooked together. Despite the differences in our cultures, that simple dish made me feel connected to you and our roots.

Having friends from my own culture and country is one thing, but meeting people from different countries with different cultures is a whole new experience. On my university campus, I get to “visit” many nations in a single day. Just yesterday, during lunch, I learned about the traditions of Morocco and the significance of Ramadan from my Moroccan friend. The day before, I had the opportunity to touch and try on traditional Myanmar clothing. Another day, I picked up a few words in French from yet another classmate. This is the beauty of studying in a university with an international community, where borders cease to exist, and the world becomes your classroom.

I am equally excited about my academic experiences here. I’m taking specialized courses where the professors are genuinely top-tier, world-class scholars. It feels incredible to learn from individuals who have made significant contributions to their fields.

How I wish one day you would see and experience what I’ve seen, to walk the paths I’ve walked, and to feel the magic of this place. When you visit, we’ll go to the beach together. We’ll try dim sum and other delicious foods. Just imagine us having a whale of our time as we share stories with new friends from around the world.

From Shenzhen Bay, your sister misses you dearly. Take care.

With all my love! Z.