Hello, Mozambique

On September 14, 2023, four colleagues and I came to Mozambique, an East African country, with enthusiasm for the international Chinese language education, the longing for the mysterious Africa, and deep expectation from our family, teachers, and friends, to engage in international Chinese language education.

I departed from Shanghai Pudong Airport, transferred at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport in Ethiopia, and finally arrived in Maputo, Mozambique.

I was tense and nervous with my debut on the real platform. I'm afraid that my students wouldn't like my teaching methods, agree with my teaching philosophy, or understand the content. However, all the anxieties and worries dissipated when I stepped into the clean and bright smart classroom, and heard their well-spoken greetings.

In the beginning, I taught an HSK Level 5 training class, where each student had studied Chinese for over two years. The warm community impressed me with the friendship and kindness of the Mozambican people. Each Thursday, a student in her 60s named 'Ai Meili' brought me a flower from her garden, sometimes a blooming lily, sometimes a beautiful rose. They made me feel love and hope around. Zhou Yishu also greatly impressed me, for she passed the HSK Level 4 test through only four training sessions. She was a Chinese language learner and a Chinese language teacher for three children. A blackboard, a marker, and a dining table constituted the Chinese language classroom and dream of her children and her. With the joint efforts of Zhou Yishu and her children, both of her children passed the HSK Level 2 test. It is gratifying that this year, Zhou Yishu's two children, Zhou Yiyi and Zhou Pengpeng, won the global champion and the third winner of the second "Cangjie Cup Global Chinese Characters Competition", respectively.

In Mozambique, in addition to the countless amazing moments in teaching, I can always feel the kindness and warmth from colleagues in my daily life. Our five freshmen as volunteer Chinese language teachers were better cared in both work and life, like settling down in Mozambique upon arrival, applying for certificates, daily care, and work communication. I was warm, touched, fulfilled and satisfied.

Attend the welcome ceremony of the Chinese Navy 118th fleet's visit to Mozambique

Experiencing different cultures in foreign countries is another important reason why I chose Mozambique. There are rich and interesting cultural activities here, among which Women's Day impresses me most. On April 17 every year, all local men, whether taxi drivers or white-collar workers in a company, will prepare a romantic gift for their wives at home to express their gratitude for women's long-term dedication. On that day, women in Mozambique will dress in local costumes, wear distinctive headwear, and participate in celebration activities organized spontaneously by local communities or masses. With a speaker and a space, a group of happy people could hold hands and sing and dance. On that day, I also wore Calpulana (a traditional costume in Mozambique) for the first time and spent the festival exclusively for women with the cheerful singing of my students.

Clear pronunciation is delivered by students based on the written phonetic system. The legendary "Chinese language fever" in Africa was shown on the faces of the students, transforming into pairs of eager eyes. As a volunteer Chinese language teacher, I walk through the streets and alleys of Maputo to serve as a bridge for cultural exchange between China and Mozambique. For me, Mozambique is a choice, a journey in my life, a milestone, and a starting point for me to set off again. The laughter, passion, and emotions I have gained in the ten months will nourish me, and encourage me to travel to distant places one after another to experience touching moments and achieve a better self.

Author: Fang Chenchen