Lu Weiyi, a Chinese-language teacher, has been dedicated to teaching Chinese, and spreading Chinese culture, in Comoros and Gabon, both in Africa, for the past six years. She has helped her students experience the unique charm of Chinese culture through various colorful activities. Lu has also recorded her daily life in Africa. Through her video lens, she has documented the customs and culture of Africa, and she has shared wonderful stories οf cultural exchanges.
Connection with Africa
To promote educational and cultural exchanges between China and other countries, and to meet the demand of various countries for Chinese-language teachers, the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), under the Chinese Ministry of Education, launched the International Chinese Education Volunteer Program in 2004. The CLEC selects young volunteers and sends them abroad to teach Chinese. The volunteers are generally graduates of colleges or universities in China.
In 2019, CLEC recruited a group of volunteers to teach Chinese abroad. Lu was one of them. She was sent to teach Chinese at the Confucius Institute of the University of the Comoros, in Comoros, an island country in Africa.
The university's Chinese department offers various courses, including listening skills, oral Chinese and Chinese reading. Lu put a considerable effort into helping her students pass the Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK), a standardized international Chinese-language-proficiency test.
"I adjusted the teaching materials, based on the actual levels of the students. To help them improve their listening skills, I read the textbooks, repeatedly, to them. Comoros is a French-speaking country. The students often confused the grammatical structures of French with Chinese grammar. So I explained, in detail, the grammatical differences between Chinese and French," Lu says.
As she continued teaching, Lu gained a deeper understanding of being a Chinese-language teacher abroad, and, in turn, strengthened her determination to devote herself to international Chinese-language education. In October 2021, Lu passed the interview process, required by CLEC, to officially become a teacher, funded by the Chinese Government, to teach Chinese abroad.
Lu vacationed on Moheli Island in July 2022. "Of the four islands of Comoros, only Grand Comore and Anjouan have Chinese-language teachers. In Moheli, the residents don't know much about Chinese. So, I came up with the idea of recruiting students there," Lu recalls.
She printed leaflets, with details about the Chinese-language courses at University of the Comoros, and she distributed the leaflets among Moheli's residents. She also gave lectures in more than 10 middle schools on the island. "I just wanted people who were interested in China and the Chinese language to know we offered Chinese-language courses at University of the Comoros," Lu says.
During August that year, Lu offered Chinese-language classes to the island's residents, and she hosted a "graduation ceremony" for her students.
In October that year, a new semester at University of the Comoros began. When she read the names of freshmen enrolled in the Chinese department, Lu was surprised that half of the students were from Moheli. "August of that year was the most meaningful month during my stay in Comoros. My work was not in vain," Lu says. Spending time with the students every day made Lu happy, and her classroom was always filled with joy and laughter.
"My students were also my friends. Sometimes, I assigned Chinese homework to them, while they asked me to do 'Comoran homework.' I shared Chinese snacks with them, visited their homes and rode bikes with them along the seaside … I still remember there was a temporary power outage during a class. I had a sudden idea, and I taught them to sing Happy Birthday in Chinese. They all wished me a happy birthday, though it was not my birthday that day. Their kindness and sincerity warmed my heart," Lu says.
She concluded her teaching assignment in Comoros, and returned to China, in September 2023. The next year, she moved to Gabon, a country on the Atlantic coast οf Africa, to continue her teaching career.
Harmony in Diversity
Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, was added to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on December 4, 2024.
Lu, who was working at the Confucius Institute of Omar Bongo University, in Gabon, was excited when she heard the news. During this year's Spring Festival, she integrated Chinese-language teaching with the celebration of Spring Festival, and she taught the students how to write Chinese calligraphy and make paper cuts. The students were full of enthusiasm, and they said they gained a lot from the activities.
Omar Bongo University has organized various cultural activities to celebrate traditional Chinese festivals, such as Spring Festival, Lantern Festival and Dragon Boat Festival. Such events have helped the students become more familiar with traditional Chinese culture. During her spare time, Lu likes to cook Chinese dishes for her students, and she teaches them how to make dumplings, and how to use chopsticks.
"As a cultural communicator, I am proud I am able to introduce the profound history and unique culture οf China to people in Africa. The fine traditional Chinese culture is the cultural foundation for building a community with a shared future for mankind, inspiring people to think about both the present and the future. I expect more cultural-exchange activities will be held in the future," Lu says.
Opening a Window
"With the wind blowing across the Indian Ocean, follow me as I experience this mysterious African country," Lu said, while making a video recording the coastal scenery of Comoros. She posted the video on a popular social-media platform in February 2020. That post marked the beginning of Lu's vlogging to document her life in Africa.
Lu has since recorded various aspects of her life in Comoros and Gabon, including her visit to Mount Karthala, her shopping trips, eating at restaurants, tasting local snacks and participating in cultural activities.
During the past five years, hundreds of thousands of netizens have learned about the customs and culture of Africa, as well as Lu's profession, through her videos. Countless Chinese netizens have said they have been impressed by the African students' standard Chinese pronunciation, and also by the bright smiles on their faces. Many Chinese netizens have expressed an interest in Lu's profession, and asked how they can apply to teach Chinese overseas.
Lu once recorded a series of videos to answer netizens' questions, and to guide them on how to prepare for examinations and interviews during the selection process.
One netizen, inspired by Lu's story, became a teacher. That netizen wrote, in the comment area on Lu's social-media account, "I hope to spread the seed of the Chinese language in the world, just like you have done."
Lu embraces everything about life, including her feelings of joy, anger, sorrow and happiness. "I have my own 'three-step method' for adapting to a new environment — understanding, acceptance and integration. There is nothing to worry about. Once a problem arises, all we need to do is solve it, step by step," Lu says.
Lu's confidence stems from the motherland standing behind her. "After arriving in Africa, I realized nothing can make me prouder than being Chinese," Lu says. "From the mutual help among colleagues and the strong support from the Confucius Institute to the reassuring material and medical support, I can always feel the care from my motherland."
Last year (2024) marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Gabon. In September 2024, the Chinese naval-hospital ship, Peace Ark, arrived in Gabon for a seven-day goodwill visit. Its personnel provided various medical services to residents.
"When I saw the medical staff working tirelessly to conduct physical examinations, and to provide treatment to the locals, and the advanced medical equipment and the orderly working environment on the ship, as well as the bright smiles of the locals, I felt a great sense of pride," Lu recalls.
She believes one should constantly acquire knowledge, and continually accept new things. When she first arrived in Comoros, she knew little French. Now, she can communicate fluently in French with locals.
"Being able to do the job you like is the happiest thing. Teaching Chinese in Africa is the most correct decision I have ever made. With a grateful heart, I will forge ahead and continue to devote myself to teaching the Chinese language, and to telling China's stories well," Lu concludes.
Photos from Interviewee
(Women of China English Monthly June 2025)
Editor: Wang Shasha