Speech at the Graduation Ceremony of 2010

Tao Wenhao

25 June 2010

Good afternoon: my dear faculty staff, parents and all guests, particularly — our graduating students here.

May I take this opportunity to express our warm congratulations on the success of the graduating students on behalf of the Faculty of Foreign Languages. I understand that your parents are either here or at home sharing your happiness and achievements. I also know that you would like to share this particular significant moment with everyone you love and or the ones who love you. I would like to thank your family members, relatives or friends who have been supporting you all the time.

At the same time, may I also suggest that we all express our thanks to all the teachers and faculty members who have educated you with their love and sincerity in the past four years?

At the feeling of thanks and happiness and achievements, we cannot help but have a sense of sadness today, a feeling of loss that you''''re leaving us, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai where we have so much to remember.

I can still clearly remember the summer 4 years ago. It was that day that I first met you. You lovely boys and girls were so enthusiastic and full of energies. In your eyes, I saw the youth, I saw the hope. Your familiar hometown was far away, but you were more attracted by the beauty of the campus, by the new classmates around you. There are so many first times, your first love, your first English class, your first time to speak to a native speaker, your first examination, etc and etc.

There is happiness and bitterness. Aristotle said “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” So we can say that sweetness is based on bitterness.

We still remember the military training. I knew how tired you were. But you carried on and made it into sweet memories. The sun, the wind, the rain, all proved your great efforts.

Do you remember the time when you had your TEM4？It was a hard time for all of you. You worked hard on it, and there are so many sleepless nights behind it. And now you feel so great, so happy. It was really a milestone. I am proud of you.

Your life here, in this university is made of happiness, sweetness, surprise, wonder or maybe even a little sorrow. But now, you become you, a different you, and real man, a real lady!

How time flies, it’s summer again.

Summer is a time full of hellos and goodbyes. Now my lovely children, you have already grown up. You can fly on your own wings. You can write your own legends. You can change the world.

Yesterday afternoon, I was writing this speech of graduation for you. I was moved to tears by the Graduation Speech of the President of Hua Zhong University of Science and Technology. He said, what is your Alma Mater? It is the place where you scold for eight times a day, but you won’t let others scold at it. “什么是母校？就是那个你一天骂他八遍却不许别人骂的地方”

My dear children, don’t you think so! I would like to share the same experience with you. Before you go abroad, you may complain a thousand times a day about the things around you, but once you are overseas, you become so patriotic! China is so lovely and powerful, because China is our motherland! We may hate other people for some reason, but we all love our mother! You may have some unhappy feelings about our university when you are here, but I am sure you will grow stronger love for us after you leave us!

Tomorrow you are leaving us, but no matter how long is your departure, the time we spend together is always a treasure, a never ending fragrant memory, she will be with you in the rest of your life. No matter where you are in the future, the Faculty of Foreign Languages is always standing together with you. We will miss you, because we love you! No matter how many years will roll on, it is still your home. I will be waiting for you to come back to tell me your stories, your new stories in the future in the new world.

My dear children, may these fragrant memories and sweet talks stay in your mind forever and ever.