A twenty-four-years-old Samoa reporter, Seia Ualesi is ready to leave her family and country to further studies in China for five whole years.

She said the goal is to strengthen the media standards in her Samoa as it’s still progressing, and help her family financially.

Held at the Embassy of China in Vailima, a farewell reception was conducted to farewell with the chosen Samoan students leaving for China including Ms. Ualesi who was the only reporter in the scheme.

“As a journalist, I always wanted to learn new things everyday so that’s me. I want to further my studies on communications which is also related to journalism because the media here in Samoa is still progressing,” she said.

“But I think having this opportunity to study bachelor in communications in China will help with the development of the media here in our country.”

Ms. Ualesi has been working at the Ministry of Prime Minister and Cabinet under the persons’ communication division as an English reporter for three years plus one year in TV3 Television station.

From two office trips to China in 2016 and 218, the Samoa reporter was able to understand the basics of the Chinese language although it might be one of the challenges.

“”I love learning new things from other countries and language is one of the challenges of course because in our interviews, it regarded that question about learning the language as it is difficult to learn,” she said.

“But I think for me with the trips that I went to in 2016 and 2018, I’ve tried to learn the basics which I am okay with but I think what’s difficult and challenging for me in this journey is the writing because it’s very different from our normal writing.”

“Chinese language is one of the hardest languages in the world, so I wanted to go try because I wanted to learn another language.”

Out of gratitude, Ms. Ualesi acknowledged the government of Samoa through the bilateral relationship with the people’s republic of China which has given them the opportunity to further their studies in China as opportunities like these are hard to get.

“You don’t just go out there and get it, it only comes once in a lifetime and also I’d like to thank my dad and mom, my supporters and everyone who have prayed for me, and lastly thanks to my boss and my office for encouraging me to take this opportunity,” she said.

Ms. Ualesi is ready for the five years away from my family, my country and her culture as she is confident that through God, anything is possible.