"Even though Shenzhen is a big city with a big population…you don't have to be alone," Joe Macpherson, an outdoor lover from Wales, the United Kingdom, said.
Joe came to Shenzhen five years ago. He knew that newcomers in a country might find it hard to get to know the local life. The newcomers want to meet local friends, and the local people also want to find a way to practice English. Therefore, Joe creates chances for them both. He introduces different clubs and events to people according to their interests when people turn to him for help.
What's more, Joe takes a lead in hiking activities or city walks to bring people together. Different kinds of people have joined in his activities. Some are the local Chinese. Some are expats (侨民) from different parts of the world. In the group, the commonest spoken language is English, but people can speak any language. They have fun in the group. His events are all free and anyone can join in them. The outing usually lasts for two to three hours. In addition to the outdoor social events, Joe also organizes other activities.
With his friends' help, Joe created a community in the WeChat group, Shenzhen Guide. At first, the group was created to invite outdoor lovers to join in the events he organized. Since Joe and his friends would share useful information about entertainment, events and news, the group quickly developed as friends would invite other friends to join. Joe then worked to build Shenzhen Guide into a noncommercial brand where those unfamiliar with the city could ask questions or find useful information.
"I hope everybody likes Shenzhen as much as I do," Joe said. The city is full of beauty, but there were no detailed English introductions to its beauty. This made Joe start writing guides for Shenzhen. He has already published 115 articles about Shenzhen's parks, mountains and other beautiful places.
