My China Story | Giordana Scotto di Perta

If someone had told me a few years ago that I would one day be part of the Yenching Academy, I would have probably smiled in disbelief. And yet, here I am—living a dream that was born many years ago, during my first Chinese language class at L’Orientale University in Naples.

From the very beginning, I felt that China was my path. Despite the challenges, my motivation only grew stronger. Learning Chinese wasn’t just about memorizing characters or tones, it was about discovering a world completely different from mine, yet incredibly fascinating. I knew I wanted to go deeper, to explore not just the language and culture, but also China’s role in the world, its governance, and its people.

After graduating, the pandemic forced me to postpone my plans. But I never gave up. Last year, I finally made it to China to study Chinese in Dalian. That experience was transformative. I met people from all over the world—many of whom are still close to my heart—and I had the chance to explore the country beyond the textbooks: Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Luoyang, Chengdu, Chongqing, Zhangjiajie, Qufu… each city added a piece to the puzzle.

Winning a scholarship through my university opened the door to Yenching and being accepted is beyond anything I could have dreamed or imagined. Now that I’m here, I hope to grow both personally and academically. I want to improve my Chinese, understand China from the inside, and deepen my knowledge of international relations—thanks to the amazing professors and the truly global student community I am proud to be part of.

My China story is still being written, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned so far, it’s that perseverance and passion can truly take you far—even all the way to Peking University.