I am Maja Nikolic from Podgorica, Montenegro. I am 23 years old and I have been a student of World Politics and International Relations in Beijing at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE) for a year and a half.

China has always treated me with respect and love - the same way I act towards China and its people. Since day one, I have felt exceptionally safe and accepted here in China. For every country and nation there are stereotypes, but China always sees everyone in the best possible light. This enormous country succeeds from day to day in maintaining, through peace and prosperity, social harmony and order.

I could write many pages about China with the knowledge that I gained here and, of course, back in Montenegro. Because of their remarkable hospitality and very long and extremely rich cultural, moral, and ideological history, no contact with the people of China will leave you indifferent. All of this has made me, the only daughter of my parents, feel extremely calm about this coronavirus outbreak. Maybe it’s hard to believe for us Montenegrins that the situation is indeed like that. Even with all the news which they listen to and watch on a daily basis, our students and I think that the situation is not that bad and that we don’t feel endangered here.

This is a feeling we get from the government and people of China, who take care of us 24 hours a day with all the precautionary measures that are being carried out. The level of professionalism and politeness is incredible. Every university has demonstrated exceptional ability to take control over this situation. At this time, all universities in China have declared a state of quarantine. The procedures for keeping track of our health and well-being are elegant and precise. They keep records of our body temperature and exit and entry of each person from the campus on a daily basis. The level of disinfection and maintenance of general hygiene is high and that only makes me feel even safer.

As I studied at a medical high school, I know there’s no need to worry. Of course, my parents, like all parents of Montenegrin students, are worried and wish only the best and the safest for their children, and I’m sure that none of us will end up leaving China with a feeling of discomfort or, God forbid, bitter experience from this situation while the epidemic is ongoing.

Also, I hope that all of the students will return to our dear China and that they won’t give up on it because of coronavirus, because that is something that can happen anywhere in this world.