Do as the Beijingers Do

LI YUAN

AIGBE Henry Erhauyi from Benin City, Nigeria, is the youngest of seven children. In the early days of his adulthood, Henrys father gave him a piece of good advice: to be truly successful in life, you need to spread your wings and fl y to new places. And so in 2009, 30-year-old Henry did just that as he packed up his belongings and took a 20-hour fl ight to China. There, he would begin a completely new life studying Chinese – though already profi cient in French, English and German.

Immersion in study and Life

“I can pretty much quote a whole movie if Ive seen it twice. But I cant add numbers together to save my life – mathematics isnt my thing.” Henry is proud of his flair for language.

Henry obtained a Bachelors degree in linguistics in Nigeria. He was supposed to study French, the in-vogue major at the time, but missed the cut-off date for applying. Linguistics seemed a good second choice for him, and as the major was reputed to be difficult there were still places left. Henry found the study of language fascinating and excelled.

After graduation, Henry wanted to learn an Asian language. His eldest brother, working in Canada at the time, advised him to choose based not only on his interest in a language, but also on its usefulness and influence. Chinese seemed the obvious choice after some research on the region. Henry is now a proud student of Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT).

“My second oldest brother also studied here several years ago,” Henry says. “He highly recommended BUCT, praising the quality of its teachers. He also said that since foreign students at the university were few and far between, teachers are able to get to know each student, and teach them on an individual basis.” Henry says that even at the beginning, he was asked to practice Chinese characters while other students were studying Pinyin, the system for transliterating Chinese characters. His teachers knew that Henrys main language problem was written, not spoken Chinese, unlike most of his peers.

As for the spoken language, Henry has his own methods. “Improving oral Chinese means just speaking, speaking and never stopping.” His view is that language is a tool of communication; being able to open your mouth and be coherent is the most important thing. “Everyone is my teacher. If I make a mistake, Chinese people point it out and say the correct sentence back to me for my benefit.” He has even asked passers-by to read Pinyin text messages sent to him.

Talking with strangers improved his oral Chinese rapidly, and also allowed him to make many new friends, from cooks in the university canteen, to grandpas exercising in the morning in the park to pupils waiting for buses in front of the university.

“Environment is important for learning a language. And knowing people from all walks helps to understand Chinese culture.”

Henry gradually developed a feel for the language. “People have different ways of expressing just one sentence.” He found that often in class his teachers would try to explain something that his classmates understood as something completely different. So he would help out when needed, pointing out instances of “lost in translation.”

Henry also sometimes watches cartoons in lieu of working on his textbooks, as the speaking speed is usually slow and diction clear. He also likes to imitate the voices of his favorite characters, which is good for his pronunciation. The Pleasant Goat and Duoduo Big Eyes are his favorite shows.

Compared to speaking, Chinese reading and writing are a headache, Henry says. While chatting with teachers on QQ, an instant messaging service, Henry would sometimes be slow to respond. His teachers would tease:“Are you looking for the dictionary, Henry?”

Henry gets along well with his teachers. He raises a lot of questions in class and is a regular guest in the teachers lounge. “Let me sing a song for you, sir,” he would say when a teacher looked tired.

This year, he was selected to participate in the fourth Mandarin Star Competition. After five fierce competing rounds, Henry became one of the 20 finalists selected from almost 1,000 contestants. The competition lasted over three months, during which time Henry would lock himself in his dormitory restroom and practice in front of the mirror.

As Henry didnt receive any financial aid, he paid for only one semester of university as a trial. Satisfied with his progress, he decided to stay on till he reached his goal of fluency. Next semester he plans to spend a lot of time practicing Chinese calligraphy.

After many years of studying without a break, Henry has come to regard study as a way of life. But he does worry that hes getting on a bit as most of his classmates are younger than him. He admits that the future is what concerns him the most.

Kindred Countries

Having traveled in many countries, Henry says he has found China the easiest place to settle down and get into the swing of life. This is partly thanks to the thorough arrangements made by his university, he says. “But more than that, I think China and Nigeria are kindred spirits. Chinese helped my country build its railways. We have our National Days on the same day – October 1. China is 11 years older than Nigeria– we are brothers.”

Surely you came across some problems when just arriving here, I ask. “As a cosmopolitan capital, Beijing is home to many foreigners. Some locals have formed a kind of stereotype of Nigerian people, inevitably from a few ‘bad eggs, and have applied those stereotypes to me,” he responds. Henry advises foreign students to be polite to locals and obey local rules, even though students may only be in the country for a short period of time. “You may leave, but your fellow countrymen will come and be judged on your behavior. Any trouble you cause also means trouble for them.”

Henry prefers remote, quiet places like Guizhou to what he calls Beijings cement forests. While he was traveling there, he was lucky enough to witness a traditional Miao ethnic festival, and was the only foreigner and even non-Miao person in attendance. “Id even dare to say I understand Guizhou better than some Chinese. I love it,” he admits. He misses the village life there and the friendly locals.

Good relations with the people around him have brought Henry much pleasure during his stay in China. A lost cell phone was returned to him, and the canteen chef cooked for him when he missed lunch due to basketball matches. An old timer in his local park told him the stories behind many Chinese festivals. “Henry, you are so dark,” his Chinese friends would joke. “Yes, dark and handsome,” he would riposte.

Henry reckons he is happy in Beijing almost every day. If you are not happy in China, he says, “Its because you havent made Chinese friends yet.”

Some foreigners in Beijing like to hang out with their fellow countrymen and eat their native dishes, but that isnt for Henry. And as for some Chinese who are interested in foreigners as a ticket out of the country or for monetary gain, hes scornful. His friends, he says, are like-minded, honest people that dont pay attention to things like nationality or wealth.

A solid comprehension of culture is crucial to speaking a language properly. Mention Chinese culture and many will think of Peking Opera, porcelain and silk. But in Henrys mind, the culture is embedded in daily life, like in the way to use chopsticks, drinking rice wine, and chatting on the street.

Some of Henrys friends think he is more Chinese than the locals. “When you are in Beijing, do as the Beijingers do,” is his motto. He came to China to study, but also to build a life, he says.

“Before coming to China, I had only heard of Guangzhou, a destination for many Nigerian businessmen. I dont think the two countries know each other very well, despite years of contact. I thought all Chinese practiced Kung Fu, and many Chinese think every Nigerian is good at football and dancing.”

Whenever a friend asks Henry about his thoughts on China, he first inquires: “Have you been to China?” He says unbalanced overseas media coverage of China is due to a lack of understanding about the country.

Henry regularly recommends good Chinese hip-hop music to Nigerian friends through Facebook, which he accesses through a VPN, or virtual proxy network. Music is a part of his life – he plays the African drum, or Djembe, at his university and dances with Chinese friends to popular African music. Before, he had plans to form a band combining Chinese and African musical elements.

Eye on Diplomacy

“Everyone has his or her set goals in life,” he says. “But life will change your plans, and opportunities will be found at every corner,” Henry says.

As his knowledge of Chinese culture and language has progressed, he has gradually developed new plans for future. He used to want to be a teacher or a TV host, but now harbors a goal he previously assumed was out of his reach – diplomacy.“Im going to try my best to become a diplomat. My success is Gods will,” he says frankly.

Henry has developed a respectful love for Beijing as a heaven for dream chasers, a land of opportunities – and a bustling capital that faces problems that many other capitals have confronted in their growth. “I still like smaller cities,” he says.“But while the lions share of the opportunities is in Beijing, Im content to be here.”

Henry has some tips for foreigners who are coming to China. A professional skill is a must. China doesnt lack cheap labor, and fl aunting certifi cates will not convince bosses of your abilities until you prove yourself, he says.

Whether he stays on in Beijing or not, Henry says he knows his life and work future will be related to China in some way. Ideally, he will spend half his time in China and half in Nigeria, he hopes.

“I hope my country and China maintain a good relationship, and that our two peoples are able to continue our peaceful and friendly dialogue.”