Maria Gustava and her twins Luciano and Stella (ages 18) moved to Beijing from Mozambique in 2018. The twins recently graduated from Beanstalk International Bilingual School (BIBS). As a typical diplomatic family, only three of the seven Gustava family members moved to Beijing. The family is fascinated by China’s rich history, diversified cultures, cuisine, and ethnic groups. Aside from the numerous museums and historical sites in the city, one of the things that the Gustava family loves is the sense of unity and work culture of the Chinese people. “We witness with admiration on how all nations came together against COVID-19.”
Maria
Living in Beijing has been an amazing experience for me and my family. Being a diplomat I really had the opportunity to become an international citizen, to be able to appreciate, understand, and be tolerant with others. I had the chance to move around the world, meet different peoples and cultures, and learn a lot from it. Therefore, my first and primary resource for self-help and self-improvement is the people’s experiences, daily life challenges, books, and newspapers. Apart from the Bible, especially the chapter on Proverbs, one of the books that I found very inspirational and I read it in just one weekend was “Becoming” by Michelle Obama. Also, I like to hear the talk shows of Oprah, since they are motivational. I also love the books from the Mozambican writers such as Mia Couto and Paulina Chiziane.
Luciano
For help and self-improvement resources, one of the most influential platforms that inspires me to improve my way of thinking and view that I would recommend to anyone is the Joe Budden Podcast. The podcast gives you weekly motivational content, knowledge, and advice pertaining to current and past events while being entertaining. It’s a platform where listeners enjoy a broad array of tips that you can introduce to your daily life. Although the podcast may seem boring, I can assure you will find yourself laughing and captivated for hours.
Stella
The Disney Movie “The Princess and the Frog” has always been my favorite since I was a child. I often use Tiana as my inspiration: the first black princess who is resilient with her dreams, hardworking, carries her family and values in her heart no matter the circumstances. This may sound silly to some but this kind of representation creates a meaningful impact on a young black girl. Although she was a frog for the majority of the movie, you could feel her presence and character shining through.
KEEP READING: A Friendship Strengthened by the Pandemic
Photos: Uni You
This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 September issue
