Cao Zhen

caozhen0806@126.com

SAMUEL SADIQ, a German language teacher from Hamburg, Germany, at Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU) in Pingshan District, has enthusiastically participated in numerous community events in the district. Leveraging his expertise in languages and drawing upon his cultural background, he endeavors to foster a sense of belonging among locals and fellow expatriates in the community.

“China has given me a lot. I have a good job here, and my wife is Chinese. Everyone is friendly to me. I thought I should give something back to the community whenever possible. That was my main motivation,” Sadiq said.

“You always try to be useful, and maybe I could be of help getting Chinese people new perspectives through these events. My interactions with local people during volunteer work have also made me feel more at home,” he added.

On Oct. 20 last year, Sadiq took part in a bilingual picture book reading event in Maluan Subdistrict. He and his SZTU student Su Shengliang read “The Unicorn That Said No,” a picture book presented in both German and Chinese, to local children unfamiliar with the German language.

“I simply wanted to give them the experience of listening to German, allowing them to feel how German sounds because German has a bad reputation for its harsh tones. This is not true in my opinion; every language can sound really nice,” Sadiq said.

During the event, Sadiq read the German story as gently as possible, using expressive gestures to narrate it. Su read the book in Chinese, and the children responded in English or Chinese throughout the event. “The children enjoyed both the reading and the activities. We are now planning a similar event in Shijing Subdistrict, which will incorporate more interactive games,” Sadiq added.

Sadiq graduated from Hamburg University, majoring in Japanese, German and applied linguistics. He relocated from Germany to Shenzhen in 2018 with his wife. “I simply searched online using the keywords ‘German teachers in Shenzhen’ to find job opportunities, and then SZTU turned up.”

Recalling his arrival in Pingshan five years ago, Sadiq noted: “Everything was under construction, with dust everywhere, including SZTU. But relying mainly on buses in Pingshan back then helped me see a lot in the district: the factories, the business district, old Hakka villages and restaurants.”

His Japanese proficiency also facilitated his understanding of some Chinese characters, and his prior teaching experience at Hiroshima University in Japan made it easier for him to acclimate to China.

With basic proficiency in Chinese, Sadiq continues to learn Chinese to enhance his engagement with the local communities. For future events, he suggests organizing long-term themed activities that delve into various cultural aspects.