Musa Dace, a 25-year-old woman from Latvia, has been studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for four years. She is now a senior student at Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Dace pays for her tuition and living costs on her own, but she thinks it's "100 percent worthwhile."

"When my friends hear that I'm studying TCM, their first reactions are all the same: 'Wow! It must be very difficult!' But I really think it is interesting. Everything about TCM attracts me, from basic theory to herbal medicine. Above all, it is useful," she told the Global Times.
 
There are more than 2,400 foreign students studying TCM at the Tianjin university, 900 of whom plan to get a degree.
 
"About 90 students receive scholarships from the Chinese government, and the rest of them pay for themselves," said Ying Senlin, dean of the International Exchanges Department and the International Education College of the university. "The number of students from Western countries has grown in recent years. I think this indicates the growing influence of Chinese culture," Ying told the Global Times.

Worthwhile challenge
 
When asked to describe the experience of studying TCM, most foreign students at the university will answer, "Challenging, but interesting."
 
K.C. Pradeep, a 31-year-old graduate student from Nepal, started his studies after getting a scholarship from the Chinese government three years ago. He has a bachelor's degree in ayurvedic medicine and surgery, but he quit his career to study here.
 
"It was really hard at first, as I had never learned Chinese before," he told the Global Times. "What I hear in class is sometimes confusing. But the more you learn, the more you will like to learn."
 
Pradeep said he was attracted to TCM because of its use of holism, organ-image theory and Chinese herbs.
 
"TCM can be really helpful. I frequently use needles to treat my headache now. I will apply TCM theories in my treatments after I go back to Nepal," he told the Global Times.
 
Nicolas Escaffi Martinez, a 25-year-old freshman from Chile who arrived in China one year ago, said that he was attracted to the way life, health and disease are approached in Chinese culture.

"It's holistic and has its roots in Taoism," he said.
 
He went on to say that basic TCM theory is his favorite course, and ancient Chinese is the hardest. Even though he may recite a passage over and over, he finds it difficult to commit works to memory.

"My parents think that I'm really brave to live in a country so far away for five years and choose to major in Chinese. They are very proud of me," said Nicolas.
 
According to Ying, the TCM concentration at the university is divided into two forms: For short-term study, TCM courses are taught in foreign languages, such as English and Japanese. For long-term study, there are overseas teachers to teach students Chinese before they really get into their TCM coursework.
 
"A group of teachers at our university are currently working to transfer TCM into foreign languages now," Ying said.
 
Cultural attraction

Chinese culture begins to attract more and more TCM students from abroad. Musa Dace thinks that people in Western countries are beginning to better understand Chinese culture.
 
"I will go back and make a living on this. Of course I can because TCM really works," she said, adding that through her program she has met people from all over the world, making her life in Tianjin very enjoyable.
 
According to Ying, the university also holds activities to enrich foreign students' lives.
 
The school organizes outings to the supermarket for students to practice Putonghua, or holds competitions testing students' knowledge of Chinese culture.
 
"In addition to TCM, we are trying to help them get in touch with the Chinese culture," said Ying.
 
Nicolas told the Global Times that he will go back to Chile after graduation.

"I want to open a school and a hospital, and I'll work as a doctor as well as a teacher. My wish is to import TCM into my hometown," he said.
 
Some graduates have already done very well after going back to their home countries.
 
Vladimir G. Nachatoy, from Russia, is now head of the Chinese Medical Center at Saint Petersburg State Medical University.