Ma Xi took his daughter to participate in the activities of the Jilin Provincial Foreign Specialized Bureau. (Courtesy of the interviewee)
Changchun, 12 Feb (Xinhua) -- The Spring Festival of the Year of the Tiger is of great significance to Argentine Maxi – the first Chinese Year he spent with his newborn daughter, and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Argentina.
"This is a new and better starting point for my family and for both countries." Marcy said.
Because his Spanish name was Maximiliano, he gave himself the Chinese name "Maxi" according to Maxi's Hanyu Pinyin pronunciation. "In 2009, I came into contact with Chinese at the Confucius Institute at the University of Buenos Aires, and I have been associated with China ever since." Marcy said.
Massy already had a job in Argentina at the time, and in order to learn Chinese, he had to get up very early every weekend and take a two-hour bus ride to class. For him, the Chinese language is mysterious and poetic. Gradually, learning Chinese became an important part of life from a hobby, and the curiosity about Chinese gradually extended to the exploration and love of Chinese culture.
In 2014, Massey won the opportunity to study in China. With the support of his family, he suspended all his work and flew over 20,000 kilometers to Changchun City, Jilin Province, on the other side of the world, to study Chinese at Jilin University.
Ma Xi participated in the "Northeast China" - 2020 Jilin University Overseas Confucius Institute Study Group Activities. (Courtesy of the interviewee)
When I first arrived in China, Ma Xi was greeted by a "warm current". "The enthusiasm of teachers, classmates and even every passerby made me feel warm, and later I realized that this is also the unique personality color of 'Northeastern people'." Massy said, "I fell in love with the rich taste of Chinese food, sweet, sour, bitter, spicy and salty, and also fell in love with China's unique 'human touch'. ”
After more than half a year of study and life, Massy has not only made many friends from all over the world, but also visited many places of interest and historical sites. After returning to Argentina, he introduced a China completely different from their impressions to the people in his hometown, and at the same time remembered the good times in China.
"Fortunately, my application to Jilin University to pursue a master's degree in Chinese international education was successfully approved, and I came to China for the second time in 2017." Marcy said, "Chinese culture is very rich and complex, and I want to interpret it from the perspective of a foreigner." ”
Massey introduced the scholarship program for Chinese-ASEAN Youth Winter Camp participants. (Courtesy of the interviewee)
Massie soon became a "China passer" and an authentic "northeasterner". "I make pasta 'levers'." It was the Northeastern way he joked with his friends.
In 2019, Maxi received another funding from the "New Sinology Program" to continue his PhD in linguistics and applied linguistics at Jilin University.
With the outbreak of COVID-19, Massey, who remained in China, has witnessed the country's solidarity and effective governance under the pandemic. "Everyone is helping the elderly who are inconvenient to go out, sharing masks and alcohol." Marcy said, "This 'human touch' is what makes me like China the most." ”
Massey participated in the 2019 International Conference on Chinese Education. (Courtesy of the interviewee)
The epidemic around him was quickly and effectively controlled, but the public opinion on the Internet was far from the truth, which made Marcy feel unfair. "A lot of foreign reports don't reflect the real China." Therefore, MaXi founded the WeChat public account "Maxi Learn Chinese", wrote an article in a bilingual way between Chinese and Western, and then combined with videos to introduce the real China to people abroad.
From the life scenes of ordinary Chinese people to the cultural origins behind the living customs, the differences between the two cultures of China and Argentina to the common destiny of people's pursuit of a happy life, Maxi interprets the fun and resonance brought about by the collision of the two cultures in his own way.
At the Confucius Institute at the University of Buenos Aires, where Massi once studied, the number of Argentine students studying Chinese has grown from about 10 to more than 1,900. Sometimes Massi was invited to give lectures to Argentine students at the Confucius Institute, and the 10-minute questioning time was extended to more than an hour.
The joy of studying Chinese has become the joy of spreading Chinese culture. Ma Xi wrote articles and videos on the Internet to introduce the origin of Chinese chopsticks, jade culture and Spring Festival customs to people at home and abroad. With the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics, he introduced Chinese how to enjoy ice and snow sports.
When Argentina won the Copa America, Massy took a photo of his daughter Wang Qinghe as a souvenir. (Courtesy of the interviewee)
"China has a good opportunity for development, Argentina has a lot of resources, and we can cooperate to do a lot of things." Marcy said.
Friendship was formed, and love was also gained. During his study in China, he met Wang Jue, a cheerful Chinese girl, and eventually entered the palace of marriage. In 2021, they welcomed a cute little angel.
Someone asked why Marci did not return to Argentina, and Marci replied: "In China, there are family, opportunities, 'human touch', and now there is a daughter, my home is in the northeast, I have arrived home." ”