Terry from Kenya has spent 20 years in the city he now calls home. Having lived in Beijing for more than 20 years, Terry has finally made his Chinese dream come true—becoming a volunteer.
He often gives tourists directions, gets water for a baby and even helps a neighbor sell cold drinks. "I like helping other people," he said. "This is where I live, where my friends are and where I call home." Terry became interested in Chinese culture as a teenager when he read the Tao Te Ching by Laozi.
In 1981, he went to Shanghai. His first visit to Beijing was six years later on business. Terry and his family moved to Beijing in 1997, and since then he has lived and worked in Beijing. Now Terry can make traditional noodles, and when he goes to a restaurant, he usually orders dumplings and some traditional Beijing dishes.
He likes chatting (聊天) with people there, especially taxi drivers. "I am more familiar with the lives of taxi drivers than most Beijingers," he said. "When I see their license numbers, I can tell how many years they have worked." "They are so knowledgeable," he said. "I learned many Chinese from them."
Terry does not want to leave Beijing. He said, "Your home is where your things are. In this sense, Beijing is my home. Now I just enjoy living here."
