Source: Global Information Broadcasting
They came to China because of their yearning, and they chose to stay because of their dreams. When foreigners "meet China," what kind of sparks will collide? Global Information Broadcasting specially plans to "meet China" and listen to the "dialogue" between foreign friends and China.
Tan Jiaxu, an American who has lived in Beijing for more than 20 years, calls himself "Old Tan" and now speaks fluent Chinese with a Beijing accent, and he calls Beijing home. Today, let's walk into the story of Tam Ka Xu's "Meet China".
"My love affair with China probably started in high school, when I saw a Chinese newspaper and thought Chinese characters were as interesting as puzzles. ”
Tan Jiaxu, an American by all, has lived in Beijing for more than 20 years. His Chinese is excellent, and he has a bit of Beijing accent, and if you close your eyes and listen to him, you can't guess that he is a foreigner.
Tan Jiaxu liked Chinese when he was in high school. In college, he chose to major in Chinese. In 1998, when he was in his third year of university, Tan Jiaxu seized the opportunity to go to Peking University for exchange and study, and started his first trip to China.
Tan Jiaxu and his mother in the three-hole scenic area of Qufu
Tan Jiaxu: "The year I studied at Peking University gave me a deeper understanding of the world, especially through exchanges with friends from various countries and regions, which enriched my understanding of the world. I feel that Beijing is very familiar and that this place can develop my life and career. ”
In 2005, already studying for a master's degree in the UK, Tan Jiaxu once again set his sights on Beijing as a field trip for urban planning research, and then decided to live in Beijing for a long time.
Tan Jiaxu: "Although Beijing is a big city, in terms of neighborhood, it is as warm as a small place. ”
Living in Beijing made him feel that the city not only has the rhythm of a bustling city, but also contains the simplicity and warmth of the neighborhood. Over the past 20 years, Tam has witnessed countless moving moments in Beijing, with tradition, innovation, development and change.
Tam Ka Xu: "The changes in Beijing are also directly related to the changes in my life. Beijing can be said to change day by day, I remember when I first came to the subway there were only two lines, now there are nearly 20. ”
Tan Jiaxu said that Beijing is his second hometown, and the city and the people in the city have also given him a lot of warmth and tolerance, so he also wants to do something for the city. In 2013, Tam launched the public welfare project "Handshake China", using wheelchairs or hand-cranked bicycles to help people with spinal cord injuries or limbs reconnect with society.
Tam Ka-chuk (first from left) and the Handshake China team held a charity event in Beijing
Talking about the original intention of founding "Handshake China", Tan Jiaxu said: "I know an American named Damikel, who is in a wheelchair, and he plays a lot of wheelchair accessible sports in the United States. At that time, I found that it was rare for people with disabilities to travel independently in Beijing, so I asked him to come to China to share his life, talk about his feelings about participating in fitness sports, and see if I could promote these fitness sports in China, so that people with disabilities can have more opportunities to participate in social exchanges. ”
Since 2015, the "Handshake China" team has built a platform for people with disabilities who use wheelchairs by organizing sports activities such as cycling, rock climbing, and swimming, helping them improve their self-confidence, broaden their social networks, and enhance their ability to travel independently. With the accumulation of more and more experience in activities, their footprints have traveled from Beijing to Dali, Xishuangbanna, Shangri-La and other places. Mr. Tan said that perhaps one day they would be able to "travel all over China."
Although the scale of the team is not huge, Tan Jiaxu said that as long as he can bring some help, some change and some confidence to the disabled group, his desire to give back to the society will be achieved.
Tam Ka Xu: "I look forward to seeing the results in each individual, whether it is the enhancement of their travel ability, the improvement of their self-confidence, or the expansion of their circle of friends, I think it is very important. ”
Tam Ka-chuk (right) shares a handcart at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University
What makes Tan Jiaxu happy is that over the years, Beijing's progress in the construction of a barrier-free environment is "visible to the naked eye", and the society's understanding of people with disabilities is also constantly improving, and more and more people with disabilities are willing to go out of their homes.
"What attracts me to China is that China is always changing, always exploring new things. Having lived in Beijing for more than 20 years, I have become inseparable from Beijing. I hope to continue to live in Beijing, continue to do 'Handcrank China' and translation work, and I hope that more good opportunities will arise." Tan Jiaxu said.