Helpful Wang wins kudos for guiding city visitors
June 26, 2010, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
"WE'RE very appreciative of your passionate support for the World Expo 2010 Shanghai. You keep learning English despite your age and serve as an off-staff Expo volunteer to help foreign friends learn more about China. You take great efforts to explain China's country image. It's very respectable for you to do so."
Such was the accolade accorded recently to Wang Mingcheng of Gumei Community by the Shanghai Bureau of World Expo Coordination in appreciation of his hospitality to foreign guests during the Expo.
But for Wang, it was not such a big deal. "It's very common actually," he says of his efforts. "Also, it's given me a lot of surprises and happiness."
His story actually started two years ago when a visitor named Willy brought his family from Indonesia and they got lost by accident during a trip in Shanghai.
When Wang passed by, he saw Willy and his family by the roadside looking very worried.
He started talking with Willy in English and learned that the family wanted to go to the Swan Hotel so Wang led them to it. In the hotel, Wang and Willy took a photo together as a souvenir.
After Willy went back to Indonesia, he sent a postcard with the photo to Wang.
Since then, their connection has become stronger. Willy recently brought his family back to Shanghai to visit the Expo.
This time Wang arranged all the bookings and tours for them, and his passion moved Willy and his family a lot.
Willy is not Wang's only foreign friend. In Wang's home, there are many photos of him taken with foreigners, most of them met when he helped them find their way.
"They're all my good memories," says Wang flicking through the photos.
"Many of the foreigners in the photos tell me that when they come here to visit the Expo, they also want me to be their tour guide."
Wang is 79 this year and his health is still good. He especially likes to walk around the city center and his English is self-taught.
Five years ago, when Wang was walking on Xizang Road, two foreigners came and spoke to him with worried expressions.
But he felt helpless because he had no idea what they were talking about so he decided to learn English.
His learning materials came from everywhere in life -- shop signs, road names, buildings, Metro broadcasts, and the English introductions on medicine.
Although it's not easy for such an old man to learn a second language, he still enjoys the process of learning.
"When I decided to learn it, I know it would be useful for me some day," says Wang.
"When I'm helping others, I can also get a lot of happiness at the same time," adds the senior resident.
Such was the accolade accorded recently to Wang Mingcheng of Gumei Community by the Shanghai Bureau of World Expo Coordination in appreciation of his hospitality to foreign guests during the Expo.
But for Wang, it was not such a big deal. "It's very common actually," he says of his efforts. "Also, it's given me a lot of surprises and happiness."
His story actually started two years ago when a visitor named Willy brought his family from Indonesia and they got lost by accident during a trip in Shanghai.
When Wang passed by, he saw Willy and his family by the roadside looking very worried.
He started talking with Willy in English and learned that the family wanted to go to the Swan Hotel so Wang led them to it. In the hotel, Wang and Willy took a photo together as a souvenir.
After Willy went back to Indonesia, he sent a postcard with the photo to Wang.
Since then, their connection has become stronger. Willy recently brought his family back to Shanghai to visit the Expo.
This time Wang arranged all the bookings and tours for them, and his passion moved Willy and his family a lot.
Willy is not Wang's only foreign friend. In Wang's home, there are many photos of him taken with foreigners, most of them met when he helped them find their way.
"They're all my good memories," says Wang flicking through the photos.
"Many of the foreigners in the photos tell me that when they come here to visit the Expo, they also want me to be their tour guide."
Wang is 79 this year and his health is still good. He especially likes to walk around the city center and his English is self-taught.
Five years ago, when Wang was walking on Xizang Road, two foreigners came and spoke to him with worried expressions.
But he felt helpless because he had no idea what they were talking about so he decided to learn English.
His learning materials came from everywhere in life -- shop signs, road names, buildings, Metro broadcasts, and the English introductions on medicine.
Although it's not easy for such an old man to learn a second language, he still enjoys the process of learning.
"When I decided to learn it, I know it would be useful for me some day," says Wang.
"When I'm helping others, I can also get a lot of happiness at the same time," adds the senior resident.
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