In recent years, with the trend of Pakistani students studying in China under the Belt and Road Initiative, the number of Pakistani students studying in Kunming is also rising. In September 2019, Aftab Anwar from Pakistan boarded a plane alone to Kunming leaving his hometown where he had lived for more than 20 years and embarking on a new journey to study in a foreign country.

“I clearly remember that it was September 12th, 2019. I was very nervous because it was the first time I had left Pakistan. When I was about to arrive in Kunming, the plane started to descend for a landing, and a city surrounded by lucid waters and lush mountains came into my sight. I was shocked by the beauty of Kunming! As I stepped out of the airport, I felt a cool breeze on my face, totally different from my hometown. Pakistan is quite hot, and crops are grown everywhere, while Kunming is a natural but modern city. I now feel that I made the right decision. I think this might be the ideal city for me,” Aftab said.

Aftab carefully considered which city he would study in before making his decision. He took many external factors like weather, environment, and diet into consideration, and finally stumbled upon Kunming. “It was my first time I realized that China had such a special city. It is called the ‘Spring City’, because it is like spring all the year round there.” He finally made up his mind and decided to go to Kunming.

“I received a job offer from a company and the acceptance letter from the school almost at the same time. That morning, while I was having breakfast with my family, I received a job offer from a company. Almost at the same time, I received a phone call from my uncle, telling me that I had been accepted to the school in Kunming. I was so excited that I had been accepted that I kept asking my uncle if it was really true. I wasn’t 100% sure until I saw the acceptance letter with my own eyes.” With two options in his hands, Aftab was a bit hesitant. His father said, “it is your choice, whether you choose working or studying, we will stand behind you.” The support from his family gave Aftab the courage he needed, so he packed his bags and left for Kunming.

When he first arrived, Aftab knew no Chinese whatsoever, and he couldn’t even understand the most basic Chinese word nihao (“hello”). “In my first class, the teacher said nihao to me, but I couldn’t understand what it meant, until my teacher and classmates told me it meant ‘hello’.” The language barrier used to be a big problem for Aftab, but he didn’t allow it to hold him back. Now, he has no problem communicating with his friends in Chinese.

“On my free time, I often go out for walks to enjoy the different scenery of Kunming and taste the local food.” Aftab described his daily life in Kunming as fulfilling and happy. In his eyes, Kunming is a city full of “treasures”, with natural scenery like Stone Forest, urban parks like Green Lake Park and historical and cultural sites like the Yunnan Provincial Museum. Dianchi Lake, Daguan Pavilion, Golden Temple, and Kunming Expo Garden... For Aftab, visiting a new place is like unlocking a new skill. “I love searching for the hidden ‘treasures’ of Kunming. I want to have walked on all the streets and see all the beautiful scenery in the city.” While searching for these “treasures”, Aftab has also discovered many hidden, but excellent, Kunming delicacies.

Aftab explained, “My Chinese friends have taken me to many Chinese restaurants and made me try a lot of local delicacies. After coming here, I realized that there are endless ways to cook food, many of which are very different from what I was used to in Pakistan.” He compared each attempt to a treasure hunt, and so far hot pot and barbecue are the most valuable items in his treasure chest.

“My favorite Yunnan dishes are steamed pot chicken, eight-treasure rice pudding and toothpick beef. These dishes are not only beautiful but also delicious. Steamed pot chicken is made by distillation without too much seasoning to allow the main ingredients to shine. Eight-treasure rice pudding, with its crystal-clear appearance and soft and wonderful taste, is a feast both to the eyes and to the tongue. The first time I tasted toothpick beef, it gave me a taste of home, as it tastes a bit like the beef we make in Pakistan. Although it’s done in a completely different way, I feel like I’m at home every time when I eat it,”Aftab said. Now, he is not only used to the food in China, but he also makes Chinese dishes at home. Fried rice with egg, beef fried rice and tomato and egg soup can all be said to be his Chinese signature home dishes.

“Due to the outbreak of the pandemic at the end of the first semester, my family wanted me to return home as soon as possible because they were worried that I wouldn’t be able to take care of myself alone in a foreign country. But I refused to go home.” Aftab said that many of his foreign friends chose to go home, but he didn’t leave with them. “I have never thought of leaving Kunming. I have kind teachers and great friends here, and I feel safe with them. Kunming is my second home and I should stay here.”

During that time, Aftab carefully planned his future. After talking to his parents many times, he has decided that he want to stay in Kunming and apply for PhD studies here.

For Aftab, life in Kunming is relaxed, comfortable and healing. When the sun sets in the west and the sunlight shines on your face, it is like you regain your comfort and happiness. Kunming is modern, amazing and magnificent. The streets, alleys, and buildings all display the charm of this city: warm, civilized and bustling. In the old blocks marked by the past, there is an infinite splendidness and a strong cultural atmosphere. All of this is what has made Kunming Aftab Anwar’s ideal city.