When the clock struck midnight on February 23, my flight left the Egyptian capital Cairo heading for Beijing. I was about to start a 10-month program organized by China's Public Diplomacy Association.

During this program offered to African journalists to better understand China and cover some important events, one being the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September, I gained a lot of knowledge regarding the culture, history, and features of this vast society.

Integrating into this new world took almost three months. It was only then I began to understand the Chinese mentality and built relationships with the locals. Upon arrival, I first sought out the Egyptian community in Beijing, and met two journalists from my country who worked for Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network. Through those friends I expanded my circle to include Arabs from Jordan and Syria.

Our gathering point was an Egyptian coffee shop in Sanlitun, an upmarket area, and a well-known meeting place for foreigners in Beijing. Most of our meetings were spent sharing experiences about life in China. Indeed, their stories were the lens through which I was able to begin understanding the country.

I also struck up a relationship with some Chinese journalists while partaking in activities with my African peers. They helped me appreciate the rich culture and eventful history of ancient China, as well as the massive developments over the last 40 years, both politically and economically.

During my stay, I traveled to nine provinces and visited a myriad of cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Sanya, and Jincheng. The place I most connected with was Sanya in south China's Hainan Province due to its similarities to Sharm El-Sheikh, one of the world's most famous tourist destinations, located on the Red Sea in Egypt.

The resort city of Sanya enjoys the highest quality of air in China and a unique geographical location. It is endowed with tropical weather all year round and natural features that extend from white sandy beaches and an azure blue horizon to dense rainforests. I treasured my time there.

Shanghai will also linger in my memory. I discovered that this city is not only renowned for infinite business deals, but has a colorful history illustrated by its fantastic museum hosting a large number of wax statues. The museum tells the story of how Shanghai's importance grew in the 19th century due to its distinct location on East China Sea. The architecture, which is dominated by skyscrapers and historical buildings in equal measure is also a striking part of the city's personality.

When walking in Beijing or any of the other cities I visited, I always felt history blended with signs of modernity, mirroring four decades of hard work. Throughout my stay, I recorded many aspects of my life in China. My notes were not only about the culture and history of the country, but also explored Chinese life and the similarities between Egypt and China.

Besides the long ancient civilization of the two countries, Chinese closely resemble Egyptians through customs such as marriage ceremonies, the sanctity of the family and respect for others, particularly the elderly.

I learned that societal cohesion, hard work and strict adherence to the law are the most important factors that made China achieve the unachievable over the last four decades. I saw people over 60 dancing, and for the first time in my life, I danced with them to share their infectious enjoyment.

Mingling with journalists who came from different parts of Africa was another valuable opportunity, allowing me to become well-versed in a lot of topics regarding the continent's issues.

The benefits I reaped from my stay in China will stand me in good stead for the rest of my life.

The writer is senior journalist from Egypt

Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo

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