Wudaokou Watch: "Beijing Has Opened My Eyes to Opportunities"

Welcome to Wudaokou Watch, where we profile a different Beijing-based student from abroad each week to hear about their life in China's capital. You can read the whole series here.

My name is Justin Quansah. I am from the great country of Ghana, West Africa.

I came to Beijing to study. I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering at the Beijing Institute of Technology. 

Life in Beijing is very different from my home country, I must say. For starters, it’s far from home, and the environment is very unfamiliar. It didn’t take too long to come to terms that I was in a foreign country. The food, the weather, the culture, the people, the landscape, roads, not to mention the language are all different. 

The biggest challenges for me here are the weather, as well as the language barrier. I have been here only three months and though I have learned a little Chinese it is still a challenge communicating with the locals. I notice this the most when making purchases.

My favorite hangouts are the school canteen, the lobby, the gymnasium, and fast-food joints (McDonald’s) – I love their food so much.

When I'm feeling homesick, I try to cook at home with as many familiar ingredients as I can find here. It’s a bit challenging, but there are also online Ghanaian marketers who trade in some of our home food, so it’s not impossible. Moreover, some Chinese food is not too far from some of the food I was already eating back home; rice and noodles making the top of the list.

What I love most about Beijing is the urban scenery and the people, who though shy, are quite friendly. The food is also great and I also love shopping, both online and in person. There are several foreigners here in my school so it is a buffet of different cultures. Also, the fact that Beijing is the capital helps.

My most memorable Beijing experience was the Christmas Eve party in my dormitory. A close second favorite would be the BIT international student’s cultural exhibition day the first week I arrived. We had the best reception here.

Aside from learning a new language and culture, Beijing has opened my eyes to several opportunities in both the academic and business world.

My main inspiration is the fact that my time here is limited and that I have to make the best use of this wonderful opportunity given to me. My future plans are to complete my master's degree and return home, start life, and later come back to pursue a Ph.D.

READ: "Since I Am Alone Here, I Do What I Want" 

Photos courtesy of Justin Quansah