Indian PhD student cherishes Macao's unique cultural blend

Prakriti Mukherjee, an Indian PhD student in philosophy and religious studies at the University of Macau, embraces the city's unique cultural fusion and envisions building her future there.

She has lived in Macao for the last two and a half years and chose to pursue her PhD at the University of Macau to explore Chinese philosophy, religious studies, and the unique intersection of Eastern and Western cultures that the city offers.

"I chose to study in University of Macau because it has a department called Philosophy and Religious Studies. I come from a background of Chinese language and cultural studies, and I wanted to learn the philosophy of China and the religious studies, how it is done in China. This is the most important reason why I'm here. I can see the two different cultures meeting here: one is the Western culture and the other one is the Chinese culture. So, in terms of my educational purpose, it’s quite interesting and quite important," she said.

The student described Macao as a welcoming and fascinating place for foreigners, emphasizing its appeal to Westerners and her enjoyment of living there.

"Macao is actually very, very inviting [for] Western people, foreigners, and that is very important, I guess. For me, it's one of the very most interesting places that I can stay in, and I love to stay here," she said.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the return of Macao, which had been under centuries of Portuguese rule, to its motherland China.