By Agnes Pernet (French, Hebei Universiy)  

Upon the invitation of the Center for Foreign Communications of Hebei, I’d like to share my life in Hebei during the past 3 years with the respectable people of Hebei, whom I have began to understand and love. I have learned a lot from them, to whom I want to extend my sincere thanks. 

I am French, arriving in China first in September 2001, since when I have been teaching French in Hebei University. I feel lucky for the wonderful experience here and people’s warm welcome. I have been supported and respected by my students and colleagues. 

To French, Hebei is rather large because on the area of only one third of France, the population is much larger than that of France. Despite my short experience, bad Chinese and limited understanding of Hebei, I have much to say about my life here.

First, I am full of appreciation to and admiration for Hebei.

As a foreigner in today’s Hebei, I see a China which is greatly opened to the outside world. On the campus of the university I live in an exotic environment enjoying some privileges for the foreigners. At the same time in Chinese traditional cultures, a teacher enjoys a very lofty position. In addition, I see the future and hope of China in the youth whom I always communicate with.

I am happy that I have been to many places in Hebei, such as Shijiazhuang, Chengde, Handan and Zhangjiakou, where I once stayed for a while. My friends and students, most of whom are from Hebei, often warmly invite and entertain me at home, through which we further our friendship. I have enjoyed the delicious foods in Hebei and through communications with them I have increased my understanding of Hebei.

A lot of people in Hebei say that they have quiet personality, just as the North China Plain is quite smooth without rise and fall. I much like the peaceful and quiet atmosphere here, but quiet doesn’t mean lack of activity. Maybe when we are talking about the fast development of China, we hardly think of Hebei at first, but it is never a province far behind others. The people in Hebei have realized this fact and their modest attitudes towards this have greatly impressed me. Of course, Hebei is not as developed and prosperous as Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou, but we can feel the rapid development and the creative efforts it has been making, which in turn accelerate the further development of the eastern area of China.

Hebei is under the positive influence of Beijing’s fast development because it is located very near to Beijing. But one of Hebei’s most important missions is to provide powerful backing for Beijing. A foreigner living in China will first notice the advantage brought about to the area by its adjacency to the capital Beijing.

I studied history when I was in France. I am interested in Chinese history and culture, so I am very glad to learn that Baoding is a historical and cultural city famous for its longstanding history. What’s more, as early as the beginning of the 20th century, Baoding was a center for “the program of work-study in France”, enjoying close relationship with France. At the same time, this close relationship was deepened when the Jesuits of the Society of Jesus established Hebei University in Tianjin in 1921. As many Frenchmen, I pay great attention to the development of culture and tourism in Hebei. And I have witnessed the great efforts made by Hebei in order to develop these resources, including its urbanization, environmental protection as well as the development of transportation and the hotel industry.  

When China was tortured with the epidemic catastrophe SARS in 2003, I was staying in Baoding. Then I saw the great courage, self-discipline and strong collectivism that the Chinese people around me displayed, which I regard as an important merit to promote the development of society. At the same time I think highly of the great unity in the fight against SARS. During that period, from the local community up to the central government, everyone was much concerned about the situation. United as one, people fought against the epidemic with one heart and one mind, which in turn has promoted the relationship among people and people’s trust in the government. 

I am an educator, happy to see the increasing awareness of reform in the field of education. I have witnessed the great financial efforts made by Hebei University to accelerate the process of establishing its new modern campus. I wish that more youngsters could have access to college education in China. At the same time I wish that the teachers could be more supported. About one fourth of the students that I taught are teaching French in colleges now. To a linguistic educator, educating more qualified personnel is a tough job involving long commitment. The teachers need a promising future that they are confident of and they wish their work be accepted by the general public.

I begin to know Hebei gradually on the basis of my understanding of my own country, because I think they have some similarities in some way. In present Europe, people are most concerned about the regional development, for they are fully conscious of the fact that as an integrated territory, region has become the center of political, economic and cultural activities and people’s daily life. Now Europe has adopted the positive regional policies, and people are more concerned about the problem of territory. In Europe, long time ago France was a state with strong centralization, but since the 20th century it has been considering the balance between the centralization and the decentralization. So I’d like to make a humble advice: to further improve the exchange with Hebei Province and the local France.

I really appreciate the Center for Foreign Communications of Hebei giving me such an opportunity to express my opinions. As to my advice, I think it needs further discussing. Now a number of foreigners have more profound opinions than me, it is necessary to listen to them. The French are likely to think in a Descartes’ way, inclined to analysis containing sharp criticism. I hope my analysis is clear and profound. I think the people of Hebei are calm and wise enough to listen to the criticism, opinions and suggestions by the westerners in their usual direct way as well as their confidence of the development of China. It is only to the great nation China that I make such advice. 

As far as I’m concerned, when I am staying with the Chinese, I always keep thinking that I am a European, a Frenchwoman. My feeling increases with days, because I am married to a Chinese man. Thus my heart is in China and may God bless China. 

( Source: The Great Wall Online 2005-6-20 11:39:42 )