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Leaving London to help in hometown
By Wang Lihui and Xu Wei |
July 25, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IT is definitely hard to picture 25-year-old Wen Wei, who has adorable curly hair, exquisite make-up and fashionable dress, as a village official. But the moment she puts on a red vest, a red cap and a red armband participating in a combined campaign for better administration of the village, it suddenly becomes clear that she really is a village official.
Holding her hands, aunties in the village usually warmly introduce her to people: "Look, this is our overseas returned Youth League Committee secretary."
The girl who received her Master's degree of Fine Art from the London University of Arts gave up job opportunities overseas and returned to her hometown of Fengbang Village, Jiangqiao Town to start her career. She says that no matter where she is, no matter how trifle the job is, the meaning of life is to realize her value.
The native of Fengbang Village finally chose the way home, although the outgoing Wen told her parents that working overseas would be her priority when she just arrived in London. In addition to study, she spent a lot of time attending training lessons provided by big companies, which has proved to be a rewarding experience to her current role as a village official.
Wen clearly remembers that before her graduation in 2009, she and a group of friends, in partnership with ORBIS (a nonprofit humanitarian organization devoted to blindness prevention and treatment in developing countries), presented an interactive multimedia charity exhibition titled "What if Love is Blind" at the famous OXO Tower building overlooking the River Thames in London. The exhibition was a huge success and was reported by BBC Chinese.
When everything was done and Wen went back to her home along the Thames, she couldn't hold back her tears. She didn't cry even when her nails and hands were hurt by preparing a stand for the exhibition. But after the exhibition closed its curtains, she cried as wandering the streets of a foreign country. She missed her family and her hometown so much.
When Wen made up her mind to come back to China, she had already received a two-year work visa, which could allow her to find a fairly good job in the United Kingdom. Was it worthwhile to return to China?
"I am the only one who can tell whether it is worth it," she says.
In July 2010, Wen set up a studio in Shanghai. She was involved in the multimedia visual design for well-known pianist Song Siheng's piano recital. The concert was widely acclaimed. However, on her way home after the concert, Wen was stricken by a nameless loss once again. It occurred to her that a stage production, even after lengthy preparation, was just like a firework which after a sudden magnificence left nothing.
"I realized that the values for my work should not be temporary, but continuous," she adds.
In August 2010, after Wen returned to Fengbang Village, she was invited several times by the village official Zhang Yinjuan to be an intern League branch secretary. Wen decided to have a try. Wen's first mission was to make a video recording the changes and development of Fengbang Village over the past three years. During the production, Wen was impressed by the hardship and achievements of the village. The video was shown at a charity event called "True Love under the Blue Sky" encouraging many entrepreneurs to make donations. All the 170,000 yuan (US$26,174) proceeds went to poor and needy families in the village.
"Compared with my former work related with concerts and exhibitions, working as a village official is more meaningful and it gives me a strong feeling of fulfillment," Wen says.
However, at that time she also felt pressured by the gossip and traditional concept of people. She didn't know whether she could do the job well.
Wen has learned a lot from her colleagues, who made her realize that she should always make her words and her ways of expression more simple in getting along with the village people.
Wen has developed and improved many abilities through the job. She organized a youth salon at the culture center of Jiangqiao Town ahead of May 4 (Chinese Youth Day) this year.
Young talented people from the United States, Hong Kong and Shanghai shared with the locals of Fengbang Village their unique experiences of starting and running a business.
"I asked those young people to say something about their experience when they were in difficulties and their attitude toward failure," Wen recalls.
The salon was well received and recognized by all the 50 young attendees who hoped that Wen and her team would host similar events again.
Wen still remembers that when she invited a lawyer friend to attend the youth salon stressing that it was an event for the village's Youth League, he joked and shrugged it off. Many young people in the village were also hesitant to spare their leisure time on it. But the success of the event has largely strengthened her confidence.
Her plan is to present more creative and interactive activities to attract the young people, helping them have a better life in the future. "I don't know what awaits me, but I'm already on the way," she says.
Holding her hands, aunties in the village usually warmly introduce her to people: "Look, this is our overseas returned Youth League Committee secretary."
The girl who received her Master's degree of Fine Art from the London University of Arts gave up job opportunities overseas and returned to her hometown of Fengbang Village, Jiangqiao Town to start her career. She says that no matter where she is, no matter how trifle the job is, the meaning of life is to realize her value.
The native of Fengbang Village finally chose the way home, although the outgoing Wen told her parents that working overseas would be her priority when she just arrived in London. In addition to study, she spent a lot of time attending training lessons provided by big companies, which has proved to be a rewarding experience to her current role as a village official.
Wen clearly remembers that before her graduation in 2009, she and a group of friends, in partnership with ORBIS (a nonprofit humanitarian organization devoted to blindness prevention and treatment in developing countries), presented an interactive multimedia charity exhibition titled "What if Love is Blind" at the famous OXO Tower building overlooking the River Thames in London. The exhibition was a huge success and was reported by BBC Chinese.
When everything was done and Wen went back to her home along the Thames, she couldn't hold back her tears. She didn't cry even when her nails and hands were hurt by preparing a stand for the exhibition. But after the exhibition closed its curtains, she cried as wandering the streets of a foreign country. She missed her family and her hometown so much.
When Wen made up her mind to come back to China, she had already received a two-year work visa, which could allow her to find a fairly good job in the United Kingdom. Was it worthwhile to return to China?
"I am the only one who can tell whether it is worth it," she says.
In July 2010, Wen set up a studio in Shanghai. She was involved in the multimedia visual design for well-known pianist Song Siheng's piano recital. The concert was widely acclaimed. However, on her way home after the concert, Wen was stricken by a nameless loss once again. It occurred to her that a stage production, even after lengthy preparation, was just like a firework which after a sudden magnificence left nothing.
"I realized that the values for my work should not be temporary, but continuous," she adds.
In August 2010, after Wen returned to Fengbang Village, she was invited several times by the village official Zhang Yinjuan to be an intern League branch secretary. Wen decided to have a try. Wen's first mission was to make a video recording the changes and development of Fengbang Village over the past three years. During the production, Wen was impressed by the hardship and achievements of the village. The video was shown at a charity event called "True Love under the Blue Sky" encouraging many entrepreneurs to make donations. All the 170,000 yuan (US$26,174) proceeds went to poor and needy families in the village.
"Compared with my former work related with concerts and exhibitions, working as a village official is more meaningful and it gives me a strong feeling of fulfillment," Wen says.
However, at that time she also felt pressured by the gossip and traditional concept of people. She didn't know whether she could do the job well.
Wen has learned a lot from her colleagues, who made her realize that she should always make her words and her ways of expression more simple in getting along with the village people.
Wen has developed and improved many abilities through the job. She organized a youth salon at the culture center of Jiangqiao Town ahead of May 4 (Chinese Youth Day) this year.
Young talented people from the United States, Hong Kong and Shanghai shared with the locals of Fengbang Village their unique experiences of starting and running a business.
"I asked those young people to say something about their experience when they were in difficulties and their attitude toward failure," Wen recalls.
The salon was well received and recognized by all the 50 young attendees who hoped that Wen and her team would host similar events again.
Wen still remembers that when she invited a lawyer friend to attend the youth salon stressing that it was an event for the village's Youth League, he joked and shrugged it off. Many young people in the village were also hesitant to spare their leisure time on it. But the success of the event has largely strengthened her confidence.
Her plan is to present more creative and interactive activities to attract the young people, helping them have a better life in the future. "I don't know what awaits me, but I'm already on the way," she says.
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