Joshua Barreno: Chinese as a Bridge to My Scientific Dream

Editor’s Note：

Joshua Caleb Barreno Quirós, Chinese name HE Shuai, is a Panamanian student enrolled in the 2025 pre-university Program at China University of Geosciences (CUG). He will pursue a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering and Nuclear Technology at Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU). During his pre-university studies at CUG, he made remarkable progress in Chinese proficiency. He passed the HSK Level 6 exam in merely nine months. He also took an active part in various Chinese language competitions and cultural events to broaden his horizons. From Panama to China, from a beginner in Chinese to a confident public speaker, his growth journey stands as a vivid testament to the quality of CUG’s foundation education. Attached at the end of the article is a message he wrote in Spanish for junior foundation students. Here begins his dream-chasing journey through the foundation program.

My name is HE Shuai, and my legal name is Joshua Caleb Barreno Quirós. I come from Panama in Central America and am a 2025 intake foundation student at CUG. Looking back on my Chinese learning journey, it has been a wonderful voyage across mountains and seas.

Mother’s Choice, the Seed of Chinese

Years ago, my mother searched extensively for a top-tier school for me. Among numerous options, she settled on Ren’ai Academy, where Spanish, English and Chinese were taught. That was how my bond with the Chinese language quietly began.

What makes it even more special is the century-long profound connection between Panama and China. In our small country of only 4.2 million people, 200,000 ethnic Chinese residents have long been an indispensable part of society. The Chinese culture they brought has subtly shaped my upbringing, so Chinese culture has never felt foreign to me. Thanks to this special connection, I seized the opportunity of the Chinese Government Scholarship without the slightest hesitation when it became available. After countless nights of intense preparation and application work, I was admitted to XJTU. I first came to CUG for a one-year pre-university program to solidify my Chinese language proficiency.

Conquering the HSK Summit thanks to CUG’s Pre-University Program

I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to all teachers of CUG’s pre-university program. Thanks to their dedicated tutoring, my Chinese proficiency has improved far beyond my expectations.

I first knew Chinese back in preschool, yet my practical language ability was not even up to HSK Level 3 when I first arrived in China. Mandarin had always been a huge stumbling block for me. When I was little, my ethnic Chinese classmates already spoke fluent Chinese, and I could barely keep up in class. Even after moving to China, I was still haunted by a sense of intimidation. Nevertheless, my teachers constantly urged me to give it my all. I was utterly astounded when our teachers set a collective goal for the whole class to strive for HSK Level 6 — a proficiency level usually only achieved by peers who have spoken Chinese since childhood.

With a clear goal in sight, I redoubled my efforts. Supported by teachers who maintained both rigorous standards and heartfelt care, I signed up for the HSK Level 6 examination after nine months of study pre-university program. On June 1 this year, I received my HSK Level 6 score report: 199 out of 300. If I could tell my six-year-old self in preschool about this achievement, he would never believe it. Beyond language training, my teachers encouraged me to participate in a wide range of Chinese competitions. I took part in the 2026 Chinese Bridge — Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Students, Chinese recitation contests and the campus International Culture Festival. Every new experience has helped me broaden my horizons step by step.

Friends makes the world a smaller place

At CUG, I have not only advanced my Chinese proficiency but also gained friendships with peers from all corners of the globe. I took part in cultural exchange activities such as Chinese Bridge before, yet none of those experiences can compare to spending an entire year living alongside friends from every continent.

I met fellow students from my own continent. Though we are a small group, we stand firmly united. I also made numerous friends from across the oceans, as we Panamanians often put it. Living and interacting with such a diverse community day in and day out has granted me invaluable life insights and deepened my understanding of different national cultures. Thanks to their company, those late nights spent burning the midnight oil preparing for pre-university program exams never felt grueling; instead, they were filled with warmth.

Home is Where the Heart Belongs

Today, my bond with Chinese culture is stronger than ever. Since childhood, I have been used to studying and communicating with ethnic Chinese classmates at school every day. Now that I am in their motherland, I never feel out of place. Instead, I am filled with a sense of warmth as if I have returned home.

I am profoundly grateful for China and my pre-university program studies. They have witnessed my growth and brought me countless inspiring teachers and dear friends. More importantly, they have brought me much closer to my dream of becoming a genuine scientist. In the future, I will pursue further studies at XJTU. With Chinese as the key, I will unlock access to the broader world of science. The Chinese language is exactly the bridge linking me to my aspirations.

Lastly, I would like to leave a message in my native Spanish for junior students who are about to join the pre-university program at CUG:

“Primero que nada, un fuerte abrazo a todos y felicidades por haber llegado hasta acá. A decir verdad, las cosas no se ponen más fáciles estando aquí. El chino, sobre todo para nosotros los hispanohablantes, es un idioma difícil de aprender. No obstante, no hay nada que no se pueda lograr a través del esfuerzo y de la disciplina. Confíen en ustedes mismo en todo momento y apóyense mútuamente para salir adelante. Les mando otro fuerte abrazo y, ¡denlo todo!”