A master’s student pursuing a double degree in Automotive Engineering and Transportation at RWTH Aachen University-Tsinghua University, Gonçalo Teixeira has managed to find a way to imbed himself into Tsinghua’s community outside the classroom, through his childhood passion.

"You will always find a little piece of home wherever you are if you look hard enough." That is what Gonçalo Teixeira has managed to do as head coach and co-founder of the Tsinghua Water Polo team, by cultivating the interest in a sport that he loves at Tsinghua University.

Through fostering a growing community with close friendships and competitive ambitions, the water polo team has managed to play a big role in helping Gonçalo find a new family in a foreign country.

For Gonçalo, an enthusiast who has been playing water polo since he was 12 years old, the sport has followed him wherever he has travelled.

From his early years playing in his home country of Portugal, to his higher education university in Aachen, Germany, Gonçalo now looks to share his love for the sport with his fellow students in China at Tsinghua.

From humble beginnings, the Tsinghua water polo club began as a project between Gonçalo and his fellow student Chen Jing, where they were joined by 10 other passionate students.

What began as a group of enthusiasts training in small weekly sessions, has now expanded into a serious sports team with 30 active members.

Now, with their ever-growing organization, the water polo team has much larger ambitions, with their sights set on competing in a water polo competition.

In spite of their growing competitive ambitions, the team has not forgotten their original purpose, which is to provide a place to play water polo for anyone who wants to play the game.

By staying true to their goal, the water polo team tries to foster a friendly environment where they are more than happy to welcome, train and educate any potential new members who are interested in the sport.

Weekly training sessions generally consist of an hour of swimming practice followed by an hour of water polo training in the form of practice drills or friendly matches.

In spite of their growing competitive ambitions, the team has not forgotten their original purpose, which is to provide a place to play water polo for anyone who wants to play the game.

Writer: Eric Chan

Editors: John Olbrich, Liu Shutian, Sangeet Sangroula