Wudaokou Watch: "Every Tick of the Clock Reveals Something New"

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 Dakshaye Rutnah and I come from the small beautiful island of Mauritius that lies in the Indian Ocean. Mauritius is a very multicultural country comprising of Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Chinese people. Altogether, we speak several languages such as Creole, French, English, Hindi, Bhojpuri, and Urdu.

I came to Beijing because I am a recipient of a CSC scholarship which gave me a chance to pursue my Ph.D. in Renewable Energy and Clean Power at the prestigious North China Electric Power University (NCEPU).

The difference between Beijing and Mauritius is huge. The population of Mauritius is 1.3 million whereas that of Beijing alone is above 20 million. Beijing has mesmerizing skyscrapers for people to live in. On the other hand, Mauritians reside in privately owned homes. In terms of weather, Beijing has four beautiful seasons as compared to two in my country. I had never seen snowfall until I came to Beijing.

My biggest challenge is to be out of my comfort zone. When I am in public, I try my best to interact with as many people as I can. Currently, I am the only Mauritian student in NCEPU. Being surrounded by students speaking Spanish, German and Russian motivates me to learn even more languages other than Chinese. However, my ultimate goal is to pass HSK 5.

I love the parks in Beijing because they are so refreshing and pleasant to the eyes. My hiking trip to the Great Wall of China was very memorable as well because of the amazing architecture and design making it one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 

Chinese food always makes my mouth water because it is so tasty, spicy and unique. This is why I never fail to visit Chinese restaurants every week.

There are very few Mauritians in Beijing but we sometimes meet and cook local food and spend quality time together. I have taken part in cultural and sports activities in NCEPU and BLCU in order to show the world a glimpse of my beautiful country.

The advancement of technology in Beijing is breathtaking. Ranging from drones to WeChat payment via phones, life is much easier and fascinating at the same time. It is just mindblowing to have such facilities.

I felt like I conquered everything in my life on the day I graduated from Beijing Institute of Technology for my master's degree in chemical engineering and technology.

Beijing has helped me immensely to grow as a person and to enlarge my circle of friends. I have been exposed to cultures and traditions which I never dreamed of experiencing. Every tick of the clock reveals something new to me and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.

I am inspired by my supervisor, Dr. Li Meicheng. He is a very hard working person and he is the Vice Dean of the School of Renewable Energy. He constantly gives his best of himself and inspires me to follow the same path to be the best.

Renewable energy represents the future and I will make sure to help to build a cleaner as well as a better world through my achievements.

READ: "I Can Now Confidently and Fluently Speak Chinese"

Are you a student in Beijing? Let us profile you and your unique experiences here. Drop us a line at editor@thebeijinger.com and we’ll get back to you to schedule an interview.

Images courtesy of  Dakshaye Rutnah