Junusbekova Meruyert from Kazakhstan learns opera culture at the China University of Petroleum in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, May 3, 2018. Meruyert, 22, is a native of Almaty, and majors in petroleum engineering at the China University of Petroleum, but she dreams of opening a support center in Kazakhstan to help those who hope to study in China. Meruyert spent a year learning Chinese at Shandong University of Technology in Weifang before moving to Qingdao, but it was still difficult at first for her to understand courses such as physics and chemistry. She worked hard, improved her language skills and passed all her exams. She even took a Chinese name, "Zhenzhu" (Pearl) and has traveled all over China, mostly by high-speed train. Besides traveling, she practices Peking Opera and writes short stories in Russian during her spare time. In about two months, she will leave Qingdao for Kazakhstan when she completes her thesis. "I know the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit is to be held in Qingdao in June and feel closer to realizing my own dream," said Meruyert. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei)
