"I love China, but…”

International academia has shown a growing interest in African student migration to China. However, comprehensive investigations grounded in the specific cultural contexts of these students, rather than treating “Africa” as a monolith, remain notably scarce. To advance research on African student migration, this study examines the adaptation of Ethiopian students dispatched by the government in China. Grounded in the demand-control-support (DCS) model, this qualitative study employs an ethnograp