Educational cooperation under the BRICS mechanism has promoted people-to-people exchanges. A South African student found her passion in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) through the Confucius Institute, China's flagship program to facilitate cultural exchanges.
Muneiwa Magadani, a fourth-year student studying TCM and acupuncture in the University of Western Cape, said she got into the TCM program in 2017 and gradually falling in love with its special ways of approach and diagnosis.
If it's not for the BRICS mechanism, she would not have a chance to know TCM and Chines culture, the student said.
"I think how BRICS has impacted my experience in studying Chinese medicine or just studying in the university with the Confucius Institute, I would say is, the fact that we have the Confucius Institute in our university and many other universities in South Africa and other countries, of course, but focusing on the University of the Western Cape where I am studying, I've seen how students are able to take HSK classes to learn Mandarin, which exposes them to the Chinese culture, the language. I've seen the exchange in cultures, the South African culture coming together with the Chinese culture. And I've heard also about the summer program, I think that's what it's called, where students get to travel to China. And I think those things have been made available to us because of BRICS partnering with the Confucius Institute," said Magadani.
After four years of study, she said she is impressed to see how TCM contributes to the health industry and the overall health of patients, as many patients, who found no luck through the Western medical treatment, have figured out their symptoms and the manifestation of their conditions through TCM.
"I see how the approach of traditional Chinese medicine with their syndrome differentiation, and just finding a balance between yin and yang, has really contributed to the health of the patients. So, I think that's something that everybody needs to know about. I think I've learned how life is a balance. The yin and yang theory, right? How we need to find balance between everything around us," she said.
"My career plan with my traditional Chinese medicine after I finish next year is, I've considered doing my master's in China. I really, really want to do that. I'm not quite sure what I'll major in, but I really love gynecology, so I'm leaning more towards that. Although, I've heard about other students who are working overseas, so that's also an option to think about. But I think I'll go with the studying in China," the TCM student said.
South African student pursuing career in Chinese medicine with help of BRICS program
