Tajik National University

DUSHANBE, July 4 ( tasteallchina ) -- "One! Two! Three! ..." In a martial arts studio in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, Eleonora Faizova is practicing Wushu routines with a group of children around the age of 10, with her Chinese commands clear and firm. Twenty-year-old Faizova is a student at the Tajikistan Wushu Federation and the Confucius Institute at Tajik National University (TNU). For her, practicing martial arts and learning Chinese are equally essential. As a child, Faizova often watched movies featuring kung fu stars like Jackie Chan. "Their moves fascinated me," she said. From Sanda and Taolu, two categories of competitive Wushu, to swordsmanship, Faizova has been practicing martial arts for 10 years. "It's definitely tiring, but my love for it keeps me going!" The Tajikistan Wushu Federation is often invited to perform at the Confucius Institute. "I envied the Tajik students there who could communicate freely in Chinese. I also wanted to learn Chinese and gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture," she recalled how she started learning Chinese four years ago at the Confucius Institute at the TNU. To improve faster, she studied for four to five hours every day. "For example, I wrote the word…