Exaule Ngolo Serge is from the Republic of the Congo. His Chinese friends call him Xiaojiang. He has been a student in the southern city of Guangzhou for over six years. His friend brought him to the Dengfeng Community Service Center in the summer of 2013, a facility that organized activities encouraging greater interaction between Africans and Chinese. Inspired by the social workers, Xiaojiang himself followed in their footsteps, becoming a social worker himself.
These social workers provide language services, medical and legal advice as well as other information. Most Africans who come to Guangzhou experience language barriers and face difficulties in finding accommodation. Xiaojiang said as long as he has time, he comes to the center to help with translation, and also pays visits to some Chinese and foreign families. Language acts like a bridge of communication, and because he can translate, he can help and allow for a better understanding, especially between Africans and Chinese.
Xiaojiang says that while he is used to life in Guangzhou, he has not fully integrated into the Chinese way of life. It's not easy -- China has a rich history, and he feels like he needs to know more about its culture and traditions. Xiaojiang expressed his hope that more young volunteers can join as social workers to provide professional services, and help boost mutual understanding.
Integration is not easy for many African businessmen living in Guangzhou. While most work hard to fit in, there are still many problems. Thanks to the efforts of a growing number of volunteers like Xiaojiang, progress is being made towards boosting mutual understanding between Africans and locals.
