Intl students in Guiyang take responsibility amid COVID-19

At the beginning of September, 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic hit Guiyang, breaking the original peaceful life of ordinary people. Among them, the health and safety of dozens of colleges and universities and hundreds of thousands of young students are also threatened. How to overcome the pandemic together has become a new test question for teachers and students. In Guizhou Institute of Technology, there are two volunteers for epidemic prevention and control, who cross nationalities, are fearless, and do their best, just for "the pandemic to pass as soon as possible".

Yslam and Dovlet are from Turkmenistan and are currently studying engineering management major and leisure sports at Guizhou Institute of Technology.

In the battle of pandemic prevention and control, they became part of thousands of volunteers, but they were different from other volunteers. Why did these two foreign friends take the initiative to participate in the pandemic prevention and control? Yslam said, "ln 2020, when the pandemic just started, it was in winter vacation, and we were the only international students in the school. At that time, we were not allowed to go out. Teachers came to visit us and asked us what items and daily necessities we needed to bring us here." The gratitude in his heart can be heard in the short description, and it is precisely because of this feeling that when the same special situation came, he took the initiative to become a volunteer and contribute his own strength. Dovlet, who is also a volunteer, similarly learned to take responsibility from the teacher. He said, "I'm afraid, but it's not easy for everyone. My teachers have to get up at 6:00 every morning to get the COVID-19 nucleic acid tests and antigen tests for us. They have been taking care of us. Seeing that they are working so hard every day, I want to help the teachers." The enthusiasm conveyed and the power of gratitude will eventually overcome fear. Dovlet said, "I am very happy to be able to help our teachers."

During the volunteer work in the past week, Yslam and Dovlet became members of the pandemic prevention and control grid of the International Education College. They helped international students in the school to do COVID-19 nucleic acid test, taught everyone to do the COVID-19 antigen test, distributed daily the COVID-19 antigen test reagents, checked health codes, and monitored body temperature and so on.

Action always pays off. There are 19 international students in the old campus of Guizhou Institute of Technology. They did not have much interaction with many international students, but because of their volunteer work, they got to know each other and established a deeper friendship. Ysalm said, "This work taught me how to get along with everyone, how to manage and be responsible."

Yslam believes that this pandemic is like a strict "exam". As long as we cooperate with each other and work together, we can overcome all difficulties and pass the "exam", and everything will become better in the end. Dovlet also firmly believes that the pandemic will eventually pass. He said, "Come on, Guiyang, everything will be fine. Come on everyone, take care!”

They have been in Guiyang for three or four years. They not only integrated into the city of Guiyang, but also got used to the way of life here. Dovlet said, "When I first came, I did not dare to talk to strangers in China, but now I feel the same as our country. They like warm Guiyang citizens, cool weather, beautiful scenery, and unique food. Although they are in a foreign land, they are not foreigners." They and thousands of volunteers are fighting side by side for the "speedy recovery" of this beautiful city of Guiyang!