Song Yingwen

    ALTHOUGH he describes his experience in Shenzhen as good, U.S. language teacher Darian Gier has decided to head home to Chicago in May. “I won’t deny how much I am proud of my country and Chicago. I miss my family in Chicago, the people and the culture there,” said Gier, leaning his back deeply in a soft sofa and sipping a bottle of Pierr as his eyes stare into the air.

    Before landing in Shenzhen, Gier made a short stay in Jiaozuo, Henan, working as a language teacher in a local institute. The experience of having lived both in a comparatively underdeveloped city in Central China like Jiaozuo and a relatively affluent coastal city like Shenzhen, gave him a view of the different sides of China.

    “I’ve seen different patterns of Chinese life and got to know the different ways of thinking. This is a growing economic power, with a lot of opportunities and a growing middle class. But I’ve also noticed the unhappiness of people and the lack of communication between the public and the government,” said Gier, who has spent most of his time in China after graduating from the University of Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology in 2008. His academic background and the goal of becoming a travel writer have made him a keen observer while working as a teacher during his stay in China.

    Lacking a common sense of identity is his observation of the city. “Shenzhen is a fast-growing city. But the character of the city is yet to be defined,” Gier said and explained further using the coffee shop he was sitting in as an example. “Just like this place. It looks modern, serving Western-style beverages and food that most decent Chinese middle class are fond of. But beneath the look there is with a Chinese twist, like the food they serve.”

    Gier’s favorite part of the city is OCT-Loft, which is quiet. The area around Shenzhen Book City CBD store, where the language training center he works for is located, is also highly praised. He recounted his seafood-restaurant-hunting experience on Leyuan Road in Luohu with great interest. Having lived in Shenzhen for 17 months, he knows the city well enough to write a city guide for Shenzhen on Web sites.

    “The experience of living in China is good for a foreigner, but not for everyone. To be adapted to the culture, one has to be self-reliant. Otherwise, the experience could be difficult,” Gier summarized his time in China.

    However, he said the highlight of his life in China is to explore the country in a time when it is the focus of the world. “One day when looking back, I will be proud to say that I was in China at this point in history. I witnessed things happening at this time,” said Gier.