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Bhusan and Beijing: A Nepalese Scientist at Home in China

2019-01-07

My name is Bhusan Kayastha and I am from Nepal. I am a PhD student at National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC). Today, I stand on top of the Fragrant Hill and think about my life in China.  

Time flies so fast that it has already been five years since I came to Beijing. I arrived in Beijing for the first time in September, 2013 as a Master's Degree candidate at the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB). On the second day of my arrival, I went to the Fragrant Hill to feel the autumn of Beijing and get a glimpse of the city from the top of the hill.  

 

 Bhusan Kayastha (Image by Bhusan Kayastha) 

My China journey started in 2012 as a Chinese language student at Confucius Institute at Kathmandu University in Nepal. After 4 months of language study, I received a Confucius Institute scholarship to study a semester of Chinese language at Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (ZUST) in Hangzhou, China.  

I took my first step on Chinese soil on September 9, 2012 in the beautiful city of Hangzhou. There is a saying, "Above lies heaven, below there are Hangzhou and Suzhou."  I fell in love with Hangzhou immediately and was ready to experience China. My Chinese was not good at that time. I could barely communicate with people but my Chinese friends and teachers were very friendly so I adapted to the atmosphere quickly.  

During 4 months of stay in Hangzhou, I completed an extensive Chinese language course, traveled to different cities, experienced Chinese culture and traditions.

In 2013, I received a Chinese Government Scholarship to pursue a Master's Degree at the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB). I so greatly admire my master degree supervisor, Prof. Dr. LIU Guoquan - he is a great inspiration to me.  

Beijing is my second home now. My family have been to Beijing as well. They came to participate in my master’s degree graduation ceremony at USTB. We visited the beautiful places around Beijing like Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and Houhai, etc. They were very happy and had a positive impression of China.  

My mother liked the Chinese food and felt the warmth and love from the Chinese teachers and friends. She saw and felt the development of China herself and was convinced that her son is quite happy here. After returning back to Nepal, she has many stories to tell family and friends about her experience in China. My brother fell in love with China as well and he came to pursue his master's degree in International Trade at USTB in 2016. He graduated recently in June, 2018. 

 

Bhusan Kayastha and his mother in Beijing (Image by Bhusan Kayastha)

After completing my Master's Degree from USTB in 2016, I am continuing my PhD in Computational Astrophysics at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS). I am a part of the Silk Road Team at NAOC which is headed by my supervisor Prof. Dr. Rainer Spurzem.  

We are an international team, with members from Germany, Hungary, Poland, China, Korea, Nepal, Netherlands, Mexico, Italy, etc. Our team works on the N-Body simulations of star clusters with the GPU supercomputers.

NAOC has a GPU supercomputer named "Laohu - The Tiger". We are the astronomers who discover the universe not through the telescopes but through the supercomputers. I am working on the realistic models of star clusters and their gravitational wave emission.   

Science and technology have made life very easy and convenient. I live in the Zhongguancun area of Beijing, which is considered as the Silicon Valley of China. I have myself witnessed shared bicycles and e-payment in China.

The most fascinating thing about China is that it is so big, diverse and vibrant with different kinds of places with different culture and traditions. I am fond of Chinese food - especially the spicy Sichuan dishes.

Even from childhood, I have always been influenced by traditional Chinese culture. I am a big fan of Kung Fu movies and I am an art lover. My family has a Thangka art gallery named "Art Kathmandu" in Nepal. I have been surrounded by art since childhood.

I like Chinese ink paintings and silk crafts. I have an eternal bond with China and I plan to continue it in future as well in the form of scientific, technological and cultural exchanges with Nepal.  

I am still continuing my Chinese lessons at NAOC. NAOC have organized Chinese classes for foreigners working and studying at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This gives a platform for foreign friends to learn and study Chinese language and culture. I would like to say that at first the Confucius Institute discovered me and now I am discovering China. The more I understand, the more I love China. 

[video:20190108--Bhusan and Beijing: A Nepalese Scientist at Home in China]
(Editor: LI Yuan)