Exchange teacher discovers Kenya's class

Chinese educator credits support from wife for success in five-year program in friendly nation

Zhang Wenqiang has been opening the minds of Kenyan children to China, its culture and the wider world for the past five years.

He has taught in schools across Kisumu, a lakeside city 265 kilometers from Nairobi, and has become a popular figure in the process.

Yet he says his achievements would not have been possible without his great motivator: Xie Xingyan, his wife.

Zhang recalls the day he told her he had been selected as one of two teachers for an exchange program that required spending half a decade living in rural Kenya: "She looked at me and said, 'You're a teacher. You need to explore what else is out there.'"

Xie is also a teacher, "and a very good one", he says. "She is passionate about her job, and her closest friends are former students and their parents."

He admits that it was a great sacrifice for both of them, but more so his wife, who stayed in China to care for their teenage daughter and aging parents.

When the couple's daughter was born in 1998, Zhang was the family's breadwinner by working as a teacher at No 27 Middle School in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, where he worked for 18 years.

He found time to embark on further studies at Hebei Normal University, where he majored in English and obtained a master's degree. He also encouraged his wife to train as a teacher. "She had the knack for it," he says.

With a larger income, the couple was able to save and eventually buy a house in 2010, which is when Zhang learned about the African exchange program.

Shakeel Shabbir, the member of parliament for Kisumu Town East, launched the initiative, and the teachers were to be stationed in his constituency.

"We knew very little about Kenya, let alone Kisumu. The little we knew was about security concerns," Zhang says. "On the flipside, we were aware of the great national parks. I also had the chance to explore something new. I wanted to debunk the fallacies about the region and learn about this culture."

For her part, Xie was apprehensive about the high prevalence of malaria in equatorial climatic regions and the length of time it would mean being separated. But Zhang says she put on a brave face and helped him pack.

The flight took more than 10 hours. When he landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport he was amazed by the modern infrastructure. Together with his colleague they found accommodations at Shabbir's Nairobi residence for a week before taking the eight-hour drive to Kisumu.

Zhang recalls the energy he saw in the towns they passed along the way, small and large, as well as the neat tea bushes in Kericho town and the scorching weather upon arriving in Kisumu. "It was impressive. I wouldn't have had it any other way," he says.

There are about 50 schools in Kisumu East constituency. Zhang and his colleague divided them and spent at least a week in each institution. He taught students aged 10 to 13 years old, with the older ones preparing for their first national exams.

"The little ones are creative, very active. They are interested in learning and can imitate Mandarin sounds easily," he says, adding that he also taught his students games and traditional Chinese handicrafts such as paper-cutting, and gave older students lessons in martial arts.

The Kenyan youngsters asked numerous questions about China. "They asked me about Bruce Lee and the philosophy behind kung fu. They'd ask me about our infrastructure and culinary dishes. Teachers were also really interested in China's one-child policy."

Early into the program, he says, he was deeply impressed with the local Dholuo culture, especially the music.

"It has a strong and happy beat. One easily forgets your worries when immersed in the tilting tunes of the nyatiti," he says, referring to a traditional five-stringed Dholuo instrument. He says he has bought a lot of records to listen to when he returns home to China.

Another custom he likes is using the fingers to eat - "there are no chopsticks here" - and adds that he also cherishes the weather and the beautiful scenery around Lake Victoria, which he often visited during weekends to jog, practice tai chi or meditate. "I never had a boring moment in my life. There was always something new."

He quickly immersed himself in the rhythm of the town, while the locals dubbed him Ochieng, which is a Dholuo name referring to a male child born at midday. "I immediately found a connection with the people."

Zhang has traveled to China twice during his stay in Africa, while his wife and daughter also visited him for two months in 2011. He picked them up in Nairobi and traveled to Kisumu by road.

"My wife was riveted by the green scenery in Kericho," he says. "But what made her emotional were the small red-roofed houses at the farms. They reminded her of China in the 1960s."

The family also visited the Maasai Mara, the large wildlife reserve, and has since become advocates for conservation.

The teacher says they all learned that the initial perception they had of Kenya was false: "Kenyans are a happy, peaceful and warm people. They received my family well, and it was hard when it finally came time for them to leave."

The African country has a promising future because the people are not lazy, he says. "The youth have a vibrancy in them that shows they want to replicate China's economic success."

However, he urged Kenyans to move away from divisive issues and focus on efforts to improve living standards.

"They need to believe in something they share in common, which can be found in their history. More research needs to be done on their history and ancestry," he says. "Together they can develop their economy, especially in rural areas where the majority live in poverty. If these people do not prosper, then peace will be elusive."

He says Kenyan culture is regularly showcased during annual school music and drama festivals, and this should be exported to China.

"Culture is better taught through song and dance," adds the teacher, who plans to write a book about his experiences, a tool for Chinese coming to Africa and Africans visiting China.

Zhang is proud of the exchange program but says more can be done. Kenyan teachers and students need to visit China, he says, and suggests even graduates from secondary schools should gain direct admission to Chinese universities.

lucymorangi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 09/11/2015 page28)