导语：Time flies. I am now a seventh-grade student. Looking back on my wonderful primary school years, the most unforgettable experience was serving as an Embassy Xiaofeixia, taking part in international cultural exchange events at numerous foreign embassies in China.My six-year journey as an Embassy Xiao
Time flies. I am now a seventh-grade student. Looking back on my wonderful primary school years, the most unforgettable experience was serving as an Embassy Xiaofeixia, taking part in international cultural exchange events at numerous foreign embassies in China.
My six-year journey as an Embassy Xiaofeixia has witnessed my growth and transformation. From an innocent and young child, I have gradually grown into a confident, outgoing boy who loves to share his voice.
In Grade One, I was selected to join the team for the very first time and visited the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in China. Since Suyab, the birthplace of the great poet Li Bai, lies within present-day Kyrgyzstan, the theme of that event was Talking About Li Bai with the Ambassador. Every Embassy Xiaofeixia recited a poem by Li Bai and explained its meaning to the ambassador. The embassy treated us to fresh fruits, baked buns and other local snacks. We also learned traditional Kyrgyz games and watched videos introducing the country. It truly opened my eyes!
I have always enjoyed English and am outgoing by nature. Still, stepping into a formal diplomatic venue for the first time made me nervous amid the unfamiliar setting. As the youngest member of our group, I was filled with curiosity mixed with anxiety. I followed the rules and minded my manners. On stage, I recited an ancient poem by Li Bai and shared its background with the ambassador and diplomats, winning warm applause.
Near the end of the event, the Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan personally presented each of us with a certificate and special souvenirs. When I received my certificate and a lovely snow leopard plush toy with both hands, I was so excited that my hands trembled slightly. Even today, that snow leopard toy from the embassy sits on my bedside. It is my most precious keepsake marking the start of my diplomatic journey.
In Grade Two, I returned as an Embassy Xiaofeixia to the Royal Thai Embassy to experience the unique culture of Southeast Asia. With experience from my first visit, I felt much more relaxed. Together with other team members, we toured the embassy with diplomats, learned about Thai folk customs and performed on stage. What impressed me most was the wide variety of tropical fruits. Many were fruits I had never seen or tasted before. Their fresh texture and special flavors broadened my horizons and showed me how colorful our world is.
Grade Three marked a key leap in my growth as an Embassy Xiaofeixia. Our group was invited to the Turkish Cultural Center Beijing for a New Year celebration. To my great pride, I was chosen to host the event alone in both Chinese and English. It was a brave new challenge for me. Although I am usually talkative and cheerful, I felt nervous hosting bilingually in front of many foreign guests for the first time. My mother helped me practice my pronunciation again and again at home with a portable microphone. Once on site, I calmed down quickly and hosted the whole event smoothly. After that, I officially became the bilingual host for performances of the Embassy Xiaofeixia team.
This experience brought me tremendous gains. It greatly built up my courage and public speaking skills, and I fell in love with hosting and speech. My spoken English became more fluent, and I grew willing to speak up confidently. From then on, I hosted many cultural exchange activities at different embassies as the bilingual host, improving myself constantly with every stage opportunity.
Two years later, I visited the Turkish Cultural Center Beijing once again for cultural exchange. It was the time of Eid al-Fitr. As an outstanding Embassy Xiaofeixia representative, together with my teammates, I worked as a youth speaker. We conducted a full English interview with the director of the cultural center about traditional Turkish food culture and primary education.
During the event, we also taught diplomats Chinese calligraphy. I met Ms. Aisha, an artist I had known before. I clearly remembered that she was the one who taught us to make the Turkish evil eye charms the first time we met! I gave her a warm hug when we reunited. That was her last year working in China. She was amazed to see how much taller I had grown and how much I had changed. I still miss her deeply, and this warm memory stays in my heart.
Dear Ms. Aisha, we love you and miss you. We wish you all the best far away from China. Hope you can come back to China someday and see how the Embassy Xiaofeixia have grown!
Among all these activities, the experience I am proudest of was visiting the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in China with our team for a CCTV interview about the Belt and Road Initiative and the Silk Road. I have loved history since I was little and read lots of history books, so I know the story of the ancient Silk Road well. Facing the camera, I spoke calmly and confidently.
I told the reporter the story of Zhang Qian’s missions to the Western Regions and talked about the origin and thousand-year development of the ancient Silk Road. I shared my understanding: the Silk Road was not only an ancient trade route, but also a bridge for cultural communication and friendship among countries along the way. I also sincerely hoped that China and Uzbekistan would carry out more exchanges and cooperation in culture, economy and trade based on Silk Road heritage, letting the ancient Silk Road shine with new vitality.
When I saw the caption Liu Mingxin, Haidian Foreign Language Experimental School on TV, a strong sense of pride welled up inside me. I truly realized that all my usual reading and every experience as an Embassy Xiaofeixia are invaluable treasures on my path of growth.
These diplomatic exchange experiences have ignited my passion for knowledge. By experiencing diverse cultures in person and broadening my global vision, I have become more self-motivated to learn and explore the world.
Now that I am in junior high school, what I gained over six years in primary school is blooming. I volunteered for the opening speech at our new semester and stood on the rostrum speaking calmly to thousands of teachers and students. This confidence comes entirely from the stage training and diplomatic experiences I gained as an Embassy Xiaofeixia.
The journey of the Embassy Xiaofeixia is the most precious gift of my childhood. It has opened my eyes, taught me to speak bravely and pushed me to break my limits. In the future, I will carry the passion and original aspiration of an Embassy Xiaofeixia, keep moving forward bravely toward a broader world.
