Hello, I am Lucas, I am a fourth-year civil engineering student fromZambia. My journey to ZUST first began 4 years ago at a reunion with my high school seniors who were studying here and came back on holiday. I was drawn by curiosity and the wonderful testimonies they had coming over here for their studies. That spring in 2018 I was supposed to pick a language course as part of my personal goals and i enrolled in a short Chinese language and culture program to satisfy that goal and ended up finding myself fascinated by the Chinese language and culture and it made making the decision to pick ZUST out of the other universities and programs, much easier to make.

Coming here I was really nervous and anxious and concerned about how well I would settle here but in a quick time I did. I found a system that encouraged and supported international students. The Diverse cultural perspectives from many cultures here have inspired creativity and driven innovation in many areas and as a result I found myself growing and learning really easy and healthily here.

I am grateful to my teachers and peers for their contribution to my studies. I have been able to maintain a good GPA and also have even been able to get a scholarship as well as several awards in competitions throughout my study here.

By far the most challenging period was the pandemic which was life changing in a lot of areas. During that period, I was able to rely on the support systems and bonds I had formed during this period. I am grateful for the support I received during this period from family, friends and the school. I was able to emerge stronger by activating a new, growth-oriented inner voice that stands opposite my own self-critic. Being tough on yourself, especially when you've gone in the wrong direction, can make you stronger. But when you can't turn that voice off, it can limit your potential. Resilience gives people the strength to tackle problems head-on, overcome adversity, and move on with their lives. This allowed me to become a better version of myself through growth with others.

I must say that I am very thankful to this distinguished institute for giving me such a good time and making me a happy and humbled student. Firstly, the faculty of ZUST is very generous and well educated. The teachers are very kind and they taught us well throughout their time. I wish all my friends best of luck for their future. In the end, I would like to thank my parents with whose prayers I am able to seek such a high place in my field.