趓sula Neves, a Brazilian Cultural Envoy

Ursula in Barcelona

Ursula Neves studied English Language and Literature in Brazil, earning a bachelor's degree in 2004 and in 2006 a master's degree in tourism management from the University of Westminster. She has traveled through a variety of countries in Europe and Asia and has a keen understanding of cultures.

Ursula in Amsterdam

Although her family has never visited China, they have come to understand China through Ursula. According to her, "my mum has seen the world through my eyes." She recounts details from her experiences in China. For example, when she first came to China and went to a restaurant, a waiter brought her a glass of hot water. She was shocked. Brazilians never drinks warm water. They only drink water with ice. "This is a perfect example of something you cannot learn from a book. It is something you have to experience."

Foz do Iguacu，the most beautiful waterfalls in Brazil

 Ursula also helps us to understand Brazil better. Before meeting her, our understanding of Brazilians was of a passionate and straightforward people, with a zeal for football and samba music. Ursula confirmed our suppositions. She told us most of Brazilians are very friendly and talkative. "You can find yourself having a conversation with a stranger and after one or two hours, you will know almost everything about each other." Though Chinese and Brazilians have different national characters, we have found that they share some similarities. For instance, Chinese and Brazilians are fond of family life and maintain strong family ties. "Brazil and China are both developing countries. Like China, Brazil also enjoys fast economic development. In addition, Brazil has an abundance of natural resources and can provide China with more than just coffee and football, I assure you," Ursula added confidently.

Ursula's hometown Rio de Janeiro, a famous tourist attraction

Besides her interest in culture, Ursula is also an enthusiastic student of language. In addition to her mother tongue Portuguese, she can also speak fluent English and Italian. Now she is studying Chinese. She considers language studies a means of cultural enlightenment. "The best way of experiencing the culture of a nation is to study its language. Through the process of learning a language, you can understand every aspect of a nation, not only superficial observation. When I live in a new country, I am eager to study the local language."