[His favorite dishes are al pastor tacos, Arab tacos, cemitas, chiles en nogada and quesadillas.]
October 31st, 2018
Translated by: Mercedes A. Hernández Pacheco
Eugenio Wan is from Shanghai, China and studies Spanish Philology in Shanghai International Studies University. Nowadays he is an exchange student at UPAEP in the Language and Cultural Teaching undergraduate program.
He decided to come to Mexico because since he was little, he wanted to get to know Latin America and chose our country for the reason that is so different from his. The landscapes and even the culture were things he was very much looking forward to experience at the other side of the world.
In the time he has been here, Mexican food is very attractive to him and to prove every different Mexican dish is something that gives him a big excitement. There variety of flavors is really big and he loves spicy food. His favorite dishes are al pastor tacos, Arab tacos, cemitas, chiles en nogada and quesadillas.
“I am fascinated with the pre-Columbian culture because in China there is very little knowledge about it which is why I come here to be able to see it, to be closer to it and be able to appreciate the ruins and prehispanic places” said the student. He also added that he loves our Mexican accent because it makes Spanish clearer and according to him it sounds perfect which makes it easier to understand it.
Before he came to Mexico, Eugenio was really interested in old cultures such as the Aztecs or the Mayans since they are very mysterious for him; besides, he was very surprised the way the pyramids were built.
“I love Mexico, it is such a wonderful place, people are very kind and I feel comfortable since in China, people are a little bit colder and indifferent. Here people say hello to you a lot and the environment is great since I can be closer to the persons, there is more affection through friendship.”
“I chose to study Spanish since I believe it is such an elegant language, it sounds well, love the pronunciation, in general, it is fascinating. In addition to it, China is having a better relationship with Latin America and learning Spanish will give me the opportunity to get a nice job because the Chinese market is looking for people who can speak Spanish very well. This language is not easy due to grammatik and pronunciation, although Spanish for me is quite a universal tongue”, said Eugenio.
About his courses in UPAEP, he is not only taking Spanish, but also subjects related to culture and Mexican literature among others like French.
He is very happy to be in UPAEP since he likes all his courses; Professors are very patient and help him to improve his knowledge.
“I do recommend UPAEP to my Chinese colleagues and friends because it is in a very calm city, it is a good University and the environment is amazing. I mainly recommend Mexico for its delicious food, there is no discrimination against Asian people, the scenery is beautiful (everything!) and it is a place filled with culture”.
ORIGINAL TEXT: https://upress.mx/index.php/opinion/entrevistas/1773-un-estudiante-de-china-enamorado-de-mexico
