Our Wuhan Memories

By Kovyla Ekaterina [Russia]

More than a month ago it was announced that Wuhan would be under the quarantine because of the COVID-19 outbreak. That day I had just returned from a trip around Hunan Province vacationing with friends, enjoying holidays and nice weather. I had not planned to go back home for the winter holiday, as I wanted to spend more time here in Wuhan. Wuhan has given me a student’s dream life, with interesting classes, friends from all over the world, opportunities, and chances.My life here began two years ago when I came to Wuhan University as an exchange student. I knew that Wuhan University is a pearl of Wuhan, but could’t have imagined that it could be that beautiful, so when I saw it with my own eyes I thought that even the best photo failed with conveying its real atmosphere. The old dormitories and the library which were backlighted, large playgrounds, amazingly beautiful in the autumn time due to the colorful leaves, paths around Donghu (the East Lake)... It was another world of utter peace and tranquility. I truly fell in love with it.

As time passed, I had to return to Moscow, where my graduation was just around the corner. All those months I was dreaming of being far away there, in Wuhan. Luckily, I got a chance to come back again, this time as a master’s degree student…

Like other students, I think of all the beautiful days in Wuhan from time to time recently. This city has left in us warm memories that we keep in mind, and here are some of them.

一個多月前，武漢暴發(fā)了疫情，隨后便宣布封城。那時我剛從湖南游玩歸來。我原本并不打算寒假回家，想在武漢多待些日子。這座城市給了我夢一般美好的生活：有意思的課程，來自世界各地的朋友和各種機(jī)會。

我和這座城市的故事開始于兩年前，我來武漢大學(xué)交換的時候。我知道武漢大學(xué)是武漢的驕傲，但她比我想象的更美。親眼看到她的那一刻，我覺得以往看過的最靚麗的照片都不足以傳達(dá)其魅力。背光的老宿舍樓、圖書館、寬廣的操場、繽紛落葉和環(huán)湖小徑一起，在秋日里顯得美不勝收，我仿佛身處另一個寧靜平和的世界。那一刻我愛上了武漢。

時光飛逝，畢業(yè)在即，我得回莫斯科去了。回國的那幾個月里，我總在思念著遙遠(yuǎn)的武漢。幸運(yùn)的是，我的研究生申請通過了，我得以重回武漢……

和其他學(xué)生一樣，這段時間里我也常常想起在武漢的那些美好的日子。這座城市給我們留下了許多難以忘懷的溫暖回憶，以下是我收集的一些。

Kovyla Ekaterina [Russia]

One of my fondest memories was when I first got back to Wuhan and took a bus to my new university. Looking at the city through the window, I couldn’t believe that after an eight-month gap I was there again.

Wuhan has changed a lot, getting even more beautiful, and preparing for the International Military Games. There were decorations of flowers and well cut trees, smooth road and clean streets with new high-rise buildings what marked the development of the city. However, being a modern megapolis, it still had plenty of traditional Chinese features like narrow streets with restaurants and beautiful temples, old people who seemed to be much more active and limber than me, dancing or doing sports outside. This diversity of modern areas and traditional streets kept Wuhan unique and fascinating.

I still remember that day, the weather was warm and the wholecity looked charming in the rays of sun. I knew the road, knew that soon I’d see the top of the Yellow Crane Tower and then, if we turned right, Donghu’d be on the left side. That meant in 10 minutes I would see the university and friends again.

I close my eyes and can still remember the light from the window of university bus and my heart beating quickly with excitement.

My warmest memory of Wuhan was an April evening when my friends and me were sitting near the dorm, talking about life and the world. There wasn’t anything special, but we joked and laughed. And it felt like I was in the right place.

四月的某個晚上，我和幾個朋友坐在宿舍旁談天說地。其實(shí)也沒什么特別的，但我們聊得特別開心。我覺得我真的來對了地方。

和武漢的“重逢”是我最珍貴的回憶之一。在武漢的公交車上，看著窗外的景色，我依然不敢相信自己8 個月后又能回到這里。

武漢準(zhǔn)備開軍運(yùn)會，這里的變化很大，更漂亮了。可以看到裝飾的花、修剪整齊的樹、平坦的馬路、干凈的街道，還有新的高樓，代表了這座城市的發(fā)展。然而，這個大都市仍然有很多傳統(tǒng)中國元素，比如小巷子里的餐館，一些好看的寺廟，還有身手矯健、興致盎然的老人們在外面健身跳舞。這種摩登和傳統(tǒng)的雜糅讓武漢看起來迷人又特別。

我還記得那天很暖和，整座城市在陽光下看起來格外迷人。我認(rèn)得那條路，馬上就能看到黃鶴樓頂，也就是武漢最有名的建筑。再過幾條街然后右轉(zhuǎn)的話，就能看到東湖在我們的左側(cè)，也就是說，10 分鐘后我就能看到學(xué)校和朋友們了。

我閉上眼睛，想起學(xué)校巴士窗口的燈光，想起我怦怦直跳的心，想起我那時因太興奮而變得不平穩(wěn)的呼吸。

Khodzhieva Zarina [Russia]

Domenico Tumminaro [Italy]

When people ask me “How is it in Wuhan?” they are obviously referring to how bad the situation is. But when I hear “Wuhan,” what comes to my mind is totally different! I don’t think about the virus—it’s easier for me to think about all the nice people I met there, with whom I shared indelible experiences. I cannot keep away from my mind all the crazy times I’ve had with my flat mates, playing guitar and screaming some like we were singing, day and night; sharing meals and taking part in all kinds of activities with all the beautiful students living and making Wuhan University alive. There is such a joy in meeting someone on the street and becoming friends. The colorful parties out and the cozy secret-birthday parties we arranged to make everyone feel in the right place are always on my mind. The love and happiness we share is always in the air.

When I hear “Wuhan,” I’m not afraid—contrarily it reminds meof life, where everyone feels loved, because it’s how I felt there, within on my own skin, in my own heart...

當(dāng)人們問我“武漢怎么樣？”時，通常指的是這里的情況有多糟。但當(dāng)我聽到“武漢”時，想到的卻完全不一樣。我不會馬上聯(lián)想到病毒，我會想到在那兒碰到的人，和他們經(jīng)歷的一些非常難忘的事。我忘不了和室友度過的那些瘋狂的日子，我們一起彈吉他，日夜尖叫著唱歌；我們一起吃飯，和同學(xué)們一道參加各種活動；我們感受著武漢大學(xué)的活力。在這里，街邊偶遇的人也能成為朋友。那些美妙的派對，那些秘密籌辦的小型生日派對，讓每個參與的人都很開心，享受當(dāng)下，連空氣中都似乎流淌著愛與幸福。

“武漢”二字不會帶給我恐懼，相反，會讓我想起那個充滿活力與愛的地方。

One of the most beautiful things Wuhan has brought into my life wasan annual cultural festival. I saw a lot of nationalities from around the world in one place and in peace! I learned new things about other countries. Wuhan was the city that united all of us. The outbreak of the virus is a very costly teacher, but due to it I saw how all students can stand together and be protected and well treated by our university. Moreover, the quarantine was a good time to get to know more about my friends, and a good time to see that they are always there for you.

武漢給我的生命中帶來的最美好的一件事就是每年一度的校園文化節(jié)。來自世界各地的人們在這里齊聚一堂，相處融洽，我也學(xué)到了很多其他國家的事情。武漢這座城把我們都聯(lián)結(jié)起來。疫情暴發(fā)是一次代價昂貴的經(jīng)歷，但在其中我看到了學(xué)生們團(tuán)結(jié)一心，得到了學(xué)校很好的保護(hù)和對待。隔離可以讓我們加深對朋友們的了解，知道總會有人在那兒支持著我們。

Homam Rawashdeh [Jordan]

Fariza Chilanova [Kazakhstan]

I’d been studying in Lanzhou when my friend who was an international student in Wuhan University invited me to see the city. It was four years ago, in 2016. I was amazed by the beauty of Wuhan, its skyscrapers and shining lights of the bridges. Even the nasty weather didn’t change my impression—just the opposite, rain created a special atmosphere on the campus and it was my first time seeing green trees at the end of November. Ourwalk around the campus was meaningful, and it was at that time that I decided to move to Wuhan and continue my studies here.

我在蘭州上學(xué)時，有個朋友就讀于武大，她邀請我來武漢玩兒。那大概是2016年的事了。武漢好美，有很多高樓，橋上還有閃亮的燈光，看得人眼花繚亂。當(dāng)然了，還有武漢大學(xué)。雖然那幾天天氣不太好，也不成問題，反倒是雨給校園創(chuàng)造了一種特別的氣氛。那里漫山遍野的綠色，對于任何沒在11月底看過綠樹的人來說都是個驚喜。我們在校園里散步，那時我就決定要來武漢繼續(xù)我將來的學(xué)習(xí)。

Pierre Perrin [France]

When I arrived in Wuhan, all my senses were lost. I did not know where to look, what to listen to, or what to taste in front of all the flavors, so I chose according to the smell of the different products. After a short period of time, this city became mine. I felt like I was in my garden when I walked by the East Lake, I feltlike I was with my family when I was surrounded by my friends...

初到武漢時，周圍的一切都特別讓人驚喜。我不知道該看哪里、該聽什么、該吃什么，所以我就靠氣味來決定吃什么。很快，我就熟悉了這座城市。在東湖邊散步時我就像在自己的花園里一樣，我的朋友們變成了我新的家人……

Kanjana Juntree [Thailand]

One of the most memorable days for me was the 23rd of December, when I worked as a “Belt and Road Tourism Ambassador.” I always spent my freetime exploring Chinese culture and traveling around China, but here I had a chance to share my knowledge and show other people how interesting Chinese history was. I wish to come back soon and continue my work, wish to see my friends, and the sunrise and sunset at Wuhan East Lake.

對我而言，印象最深的一天是12月23日，我當(dāng)“一帶一路”旅游形象大使的時候。我總在閑暇時間到中國各地去旅游，了解中國文化，而在這里我有機(jī)會能和人們分享中國歷史的有趣之處。我希望能早點(diǎn)回來，繼續(xù)我的工作，我很想念我的朋友們，還有東湖的日出和日落。

Thanks to my dear friends for sharing their memories. I hope our city recovers soon and that all of us can keep having more memories in Wuhan.

感謝我的朋友們分享他們的回憶。希望我們的城市早日恢復(fù)，我們一起繼續(xù)武漢的故事。