Communication: "China opens the door to opportunities for me" - A Chinese Love Journalist for a Honduras Youth | China | Honduras
Xinhua News Agency, Tegucigalpa, June 7th - "China opens the door to opportunities for me" - A Chinese love story of a young man from Honduras
Xinhua News Agency reporter Xi Yue Zhu Yubo
On June 5th, the Chinese Embassy in Honduras officially opened. Ms. Paula Palacios, who has worked and lived in China for nearly 5 years, is particularly excited. She, who has been looking forward to returning to China, has put the procedures for going to China on the agenda.
33 year old Palacios is a dentist in Honduras. At the end of 2017, she coincidentally came to work at a dental hospital in Beijing and began her career across the ocean.
On August 19, 2019, Palacios gave a speech at the "Chinese Physician Day" event at the hospital. Images provided by respondents
"At that time, most people thought that China was too far away from Honduras, but I interned in China for two weeks and saw many opportunities there. I wanted to gain new experiences, so I bravely chose to try." Palacios said passionately in an interview with reporters in the capital city of Tegucigalpa, "Looking back on this experience, I feel that China has opened the door to opportunities for me, and these years in China have changed my life."
![Communication: "China opens the door to opportunities for me" - A Chinese Love Journalist for a Honduras Youth | China | Honduras](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/d383f1105db0bd6495578ccd91570d38.jpg)
At first, Palacios worked as an assistant in the hospital for nearly half a year, starting with basic tasks such as examinations and teeth cleaning. Later, he gradually learned more difficult techniques and began to independently undertake more complex dental implant work. She received weekly and monthly training and learning at the hospital, which greatly benefited her.
"I feel like I am constantly growing on my career path and constantly acquiring new knowledge. I have left my comfort zone and become brave and strong in the face of difficulties and setbacks," said Palacios. In order to better adapt to the work environment, she began learning Chinese.
According to Palacios's recollection, when she first encountered patients who were difficult to communicate with, she didn't know how to express herself. A Chinese doctor of the same age enthusiastically helped her and gave her advice, and the two gradually became good friends. "In order to better communicate with patients at work, I learned to imitate her way of speaking when treating elderly patients, affectionately calling older patients' uncles and aunties', narrowing the distance with patients and making them accept me."
The patients treated by Palacios usually have a treatment period of six months to a year, and she gradually establishes friendships with many patients who are meticulous, serious, and friendly. The patient will send her a banner, write a letter, and recommend other friends to see her for dental treatment. "I have treated a patient who knows how to massage traditional Chinese medicine. When I work hard and my shoulder hurts, he even pinches my shoulder to relax," Palacios said with a smile.
Palacios, who treats people sincerely, has also received the love and care of her Chinese colleagues. When she found out that she is alone in China, her Chinese colleagues celebrate her birthday with her every year, allowing her to feel the warmth of home in a foreign country.
This is a photo of Palacios at his job in Beijing before returning to Honduras in 2022. Images provided by respondents
![Communication: "China opens the door to opportunities for me" - A Chinese Love Journalist for a Honduras Youth | China | Honduras](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/b2bcce165b94b941700ada4d53519e9a.jpg)
In 2022, Palacios returned to Honduras due to family reasons. After the official establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hong Kong on March 26th this year, she contacted Xinhua News Agency reporters on social media platforms, hoping to tell more people about her story with China.
Palacios plans to return to China to live, hoping to learn Chinese more systematically and understand Chinese culture. She said, "I hope to tell more stories about myself and China to Hondurans, and I also hope to introduce my hometown more comprehensively and truthfully to Chinese people. I hope to become an ambassador to promote mutual understanding between the people of Hong Kong and China."