An orientation session designed to assist recently arrived expats in Shenzhen with adjusting to local life was held in Shekou on Saturday afternoon. The event attracted approximately 40 participants from the U.S., Morocco, Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands, and other countries.
The event, hosted by the Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats (MSCE), featured guest speakers, including an immigration police officer, a notary, a doctor, a bank manager, a lawyer, and a social worker.
Moroccan Anass Chbarte, who arrived in the city just three days ago, thought that the orientation was highly informative. The 18-year-old will begin studies at Shenzhen University soon and plans to major in international trade and economics.
“Shenzhen is an innovative city with ambitious people,” said Chbarte. He added that he was looking forward to the next four years in Shenzhen, “or maybe 10 years, who knows?”
Noting that Shenzhen’s robust international trade performance has led the country for 31 years running, Chbarte said he hopes to work in international business after graduation.
Irish Emma Wakeham arrived in the city two weeks ago. She shared her excitement about exploring the city and meeting new people by attending activities organized by the MSCE.
The Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration — an event where expats can engage in cultural activities like making Chinese-style lanterns and mooncakes that are exclusive to this traditional festival — will be held next week. It is just one of many activities hosted by the MSCE to introduce expats to Chinese culture, according to Gao Ziyan, a social worker with the Shekou service center.
Saturday’s event also served as a platform for newcomers like Jaeda Khalilifar to embrace the innovative and tech-savvy atmosphere of Shenzhen. “I like how everything here is done with my phone. No wallet, nothing. I can just scan, scan, scan. I love it,” said the English teacher, who works at a public school in Nanshan District.
German Alex Hangst, who has worked in Shenzhen for two years, attended the event with his wife and two children.
“We come, hoping to find out about more of the city’s exciting offerings,” said Hangst, who works for German machinery manufacturer Arburg.