Expats experience Nanjing's way of life with Go Jiangsu

The latest Go Jiangsu trip kicked off at Nanjing International Youth Cultural Center on Feb 17 with a group of 12 expats from seven countries setting out to explore the heart and soul of Nanjing culture.

Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province, is a central cosmopolitan city in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Cluster in eastern China. It has topped the list of China's Happiest Cities for 13 consecutive years and has attracted many international talent to begin their entrepreneurial journey.

Danny Lingham, a long-term expat from Singapore and the General Manager of Modena by Fraser Nanjing, found that living in Nanjing for just over two years was one of the best experiences he has had so far. For him, "traveling to Suzhou and Shanghai is a breeze," and he invites people to come and have an immersive experience in Nanjing during a speech at the launch ceremony.

The expats visited the East Nanhu Road and learned about how the "Memory of Nanhu" urban renewal project improves livelihood throughout the community while preserving the city's history dating back to the 1980s. Mugeeb Al-Samh, a PhD student at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said that he had a sense of belonging to the city when watching people stroll in the street and hearing people talk in the Nanjing dialect at the Nanhu Coffee.

Walking down to the Little Westlake Block in Qinhuai district, the group was amazed by a variety of colorful lanterns created by local cultural inheritor Gu Yeliang, who has shared this cultural heritage in over 50 foreign countries worldwide.

In the afternoon, they came to the Qinglong community in Jiangning district and learned how the community is contributing to rural revitalization by integrating distinctive agricultural projects of its 11 villages. Stopped by resident Zhou Bangbin's two-story house, our international friends had a glimpse of how the farmers worked hard and were then able to renovate their homes into grand villas.

They've also learned the community's development history at a museum and joined locals' to try the cultural practice. Muhamad Ali Arshad from Pakistan joined a group of women to draw pictures on dustpans, which won applause from locals.

Song Danfeng, a retired teacher, opened a women's center where women of all ages can improve their painting, dancing, and traditional etiquette skills. The group of expats enjoyed traditional performances. The center also provides elderly care and has a free after-school education classroom for young children.

The band of expats concluded the trip at the Three Kingdoms village in Jiangning district, exploring the intangible cultural heritage and enjoying outdoor games such as archery and horse riding.

Khan Muhammad Aamir Shafique from Pakistan is an associate professor at Jiangsu University, he said that "Intangible cultural heritage skills are much more difficult to practice than I thought, and this is a meaningful experience."