Kesia Pabula (2nd R) of Indonesia working as a volunteer in the Main Media Center of the Hangzhou Asian Games on Sept. 23, 2023. (Pabula/Handout via Xinhua)
Indonesian girl Kesia Pabula, a student at Zhejiang University, has relished her volunteer experience at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
HANGZHOU, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- It is hard to tell that Kesia Pabula, who worked as a volunteer at the Hangzhou Asian Games, is Indonesian, thanks to her fluent Mandarin.
As a senior college student majoring in psychology and behavioral sciences at Zhejiang University, Pabula speaks both Mandarin and Indonesian, which made her a very valuable addition to Games service at the Main Media Center.
"Some Indonesian reporters here initially didn't realize I was an Indonesian and thought I was a Chinese with the ability of speaking Indonesian," Pabula said. At the Center, she helped Indonesian media staff and gave interpretation services to Indonesian delegation officials.
Pabula's family background played a crucial role in her mastery of the Chinese language.
Her father ran a business in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, Pabula moved from Indonesia to China in her primary school years and completed her primary and middle school educations in the Chinese city.
"When I first arrived in Xiamen, I couldn't speak Chinese, so everything was difficult. After eight years, I was quite attached to the city when I left Xiamen then," Pabula said, who decided to continue her college studies back in China after returning to Indonesia's capital Jakarta with her father during high school years.
"I had visited Hangzhou as a tourist before, as well as cities like Beijing and Shanghai, but I preferred Hangzhou. I wanted to experience some other Chinese cities besides Xiamen, so I applied for Zhejiang University for college life," said the 22-year-old.
Pabula had regretted missing out on the Jakarta Asian Games in her home town, and the Hangzhou edition gave her a chance to try again. "When I heard that Hangzhou was going to host the Asian Games, I signed up for volunteer service without hesitation," she recalled.
Kesia Pabula (3rd from Right) serving as a volunteer in the Main Media Center of the Hangzhou Asian Games. (Pabula/Handout via Xinhua)
Pabula said the gains outweighed the pains as a volunteer. "It's a job the requires hard work sometimes, but I feel it's a great experience and I made some new friends, some from China and some from my home country," said Pabula.
"The food here is excellent. I love noodles. We celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival together, which made me very happy. Especially here, I can help more Indonesians to understand China and Chinese culture," added she. "I feel I'm an important person serving the Games."
To Pabula, China's mobile payment system and public security are impressive. "My father is engaged in China-Indonesia trade, so I also hope to function to bridge communications between China and Indonesia."
Currently, Pabula serves as the secretary-general of the Indonesian Student Center in China, often assisting Chinese and Indonesian entrepreneurs in finding appropriate translators and helping them connect trade between the two countries.
"Due to the 'Belt and Road' Initiative, more and more Chinese companies are operating in Indonesia. Although my role is small, I hope to make a greater contribution to the communication between the two countries in the future," she said.
Pabula's service in the main media center, which lasted for a whole month, ends on October 9, but she is not quite ready for that.
"I still remember the opening ceremony when the Chinese and Indonesian delegations paraded to the stadium and I was very excited that moment. Though I'm not a Chinese, I really love China and I feel reluctant to leave my volunteer job here," said she. ■
