China:The place I found my dream

Mariatu Kargbo

W hen I was a young girl growing up in Africa， I dreamed of visiting Europe and America， as these were the far-off places that we learned most about in school. So， when I had the chance to visit China to perform with an arts troupe as a teenager in 2004， I was a little scared and unsure about what I would find there. Little did I know back then， that this first trip would introduce me to a wonderful country with a deep and fascinating culture， full of people who would give me the opportunity to change my life forever.

Shortly after my performance at the Weifang Kite Festival， I was traveling alone by train when my appendix burst and I was doubled over with pain and had nobody to help me. I spoke no Chinese and had very limited money. Then， at this time of personal crisis， I was approached by a Chinese woman， whom I now call my Chinese mother， who was distressed to see me in such pain and took me under her wing. Though we did not know each other and could not communicate easily， she treated me like her own daughter， taking me to the hospital， paying for my operation and inviting me into her home to recover.

Though I had to return to Africa， the love and kindness she showed me has stayed in my heart and I made it my goal to return to China and learn more about the fascinating culture. My opportunity came a few years later and it was with great hope that I set off again to build a life in China as one of the first African performers in the country.

Over the past 15 years， I have been fortunate to travel to many incredible places in China to perform. From north to south and east to west， I am always struck by the friendliness. It meets me wherever I go. Unlike some other countries where outsiders are greeted with suspicion， I have found that the Chinese people are warm hosts to those from afar， always ready to help with a smile and to share what they have with strangers. Chinese people are also loyal to their friends and treat people the same whether they come from big or small countries， rich or poor.

Over time， I came to love this beautiful country like my own and I have tried hard to embrace the culture， not just by observing but also by participating and contributing to its popularity around the world. In this way， I have been honored to have learned amazing disciplines， including the martial arts and Peking Opera， even becoming one of the first foreign women to be taught the mysterious art of “face-changing”.

And when China faced hardships， I felt compelled to help as much as I could， becoming one of the first foreign volunteers to step in after the Sichuan Earthquake in 2008 and serving as a COVID-19 volunteer in my district in Beijing in 2020. I did these things because China has become my home and the Chinese people my family. China has given me the chance to follow my dreams of singing and dancing， encouraging me to keep fighting even when things are tough.

When I was younger， I could never have dreamed that I would find myself performing at the Birds Nest stadium with Jackie Chan or singing for President Xi Jinping and the leaders of all 52 African nations in the Great Hall of the People. And these were just two of the amazing things that China made possible for a small girl from Africa.

It is my ambition and responsibility to share my story and the arts that I have learned with a wider audience outside China， in places like Europe and America， where many people still do not know much about the kindness of the Chinese people or the great efforts made by the government to bring China into the modern world. China has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty and built a proud nation that is now sharing its love with the world. I have seen this with my own eyes as China has built many great projects in Africa， including the longest railway in East Africa and the largest AU office in Ethiopia.

In my own country of Sierra Leone， China has helped build the biggest stadium， the tallest building， the best hotels and many roads. I was also deeply moved by Chinas response to the Ebola crisis， being the first country to send medical personnel and equipment in our hour of need.

To show my gratitude for everything China has done for me， I have started a program called Smallsmallchinese， which is an easy way for foreigners to learn simple Chinese words and phrases. With the help of the CPAFFC and the Chinese embassy in my home country， this program is now being introduced to schools， encouraging a new generation of young people to take their first steps on the same journey I began nearly 20 years ago.

In the end， though， my greatest love is music， and I have written a special song to express my heartfelt feelings about China. It is called simply Thank You China！

（The author is founder of the Sierra Leone China Friendship Association.）