Ukrainian Zvenyhorodskyi Pavlo says he has learned two things in his journey to learn Chinese. "First, is to adjust your attitude, and second, to respect and embrace the culture. Hotpot, for instance, could be a good start."

In October, the 21-year-old, whose Chinese name is Zeng Ziru, won the second prize in Chinese Bridge, an annual language competition for foreign college students to demonstrate their knowledge of Chinese and the culture through speeches and performances.

The event featured 146 contestants from 108 countries.

He is now in his fourth year of a bachelor's degree course in Chinese-English translation at Kyiv National Linguistic University.

In 2015, he studied Chinese at Tianjin Foreign Studies University, with a scholarship from Hanban, the Confucius Institute headquarters.

At the competition, Pavlo did a demonstration of kuaiban, a traditional form of rhythmic storytelling to the accompaniment of bamboo clappers, to show his linguistic ability and his knowledge of Chinese culture.

"I love kuaiban very much. During my stay in China, I used to visit local teahouses and enjoy the performances," says Pavlo.

Pavlo has been interested in Asian culture since he was a child. And, by 18, he was a student at the Confucius Institute in his Kiev university. At 19, he was ready for national competitions.

As a student, Pavlo is observant, diligent and communicative. He enjoys watching Chinese TV dramas and sharing stories on his Sina Weibo micro-blogging account.

Speaking about his experience at Tianjin Foreign Studies University, he says: "The professors and the students there were very nice to me. They were there for me when I was trying to adjust to a new life." After graduating, he will continue to perfect his Chinese, he adds.

The Confucius Institute in Kiev opened in 2013 with 59 students, and the nonprofit now has about 600 students, aged between 2 and 58.

About 20 events were held by the institute in 2016, to help locals understand events like the Spring Festival, with support from Chinese companies such as Huawei Technologies.

"It is really like a family here," says Zhu Jingtao, a teacher at the institute.

Speaking about the Confucius Institute, Shi Yajun, the Chinese director there, says: "There are conflicts and challenges especially from a cultural standpoint, so what we are always trying to do is be honest, blunt and caring."

Regarding the popularity of Mandarin in Ukraine, Zhu says: "It has become a big hit in Ukraine, which is kind of like the English-learning tide in China in the 1980s.

"Students say they hope their grasp of the language will improve their job prospects or even change their lives."

zhangmin@chinadaily.com.cn