① Eledir Busanello watches as an instructor demonstrates during a Chinese painting class.

② Sizov Kirill interacts with an instructor during a tai chi class.

③ An instructor interacts with Perrossier Alexandre Igor during a Cantonese class.

④ Expats learn to practice tai chi during a night school class.

⑤ Dominka Sobolewska Gola learns to paint during a class.

⑥ Chukhua Tsotne takes a cooking class.

⑦ Mayis cooks pineapple spareribs during a class.

⑧ Tafadzwa Mackenzie Kadere (R) and Gudkov Oleg (in yellow) compete during a frisbee party.

Participants pose for a photo during an early evening cycling tour around Shenzhen Bay, a module of Shekou's Expat Night School . Photos courtesy of the Shekou MSCE

Participants pose for a photo after a night school class at the Shekou MSCE.

On the evening of Dec. 11, Alexandre Ambrosio and 20 other expats gathered at the Nanshui Village History Museum in Shekou for a workshop on Chinese painting.

Zhang, the workshop instructor, kicked things off by introducing the expats to the history of Chinese painting. Participants were intrigued as Zhang discussed techniques, materials, and brush postures. Zhang also demonstrated how to properly use the tip, belly, and base of brushes to create intricate details.

In just a couple of minutes, a vivid tree took shape under Zhang's brush, igniting the participants' eagerness to try their hand at painting. Ambrosio, inspired by Zhang's effortless demonstration, picked up his brush and set to work on a water-ink painting of a tree.

Oksana, a painting enthusiast from Ukraine, could hardly contain her excitement after attending the workshop. "This is my first time trying Chinese painting. It was such a fascinating experience, which also deepened my understanding of the art form."

Night school a hit

The workshop was part of the cultural experience module offered by Shekou's Expat Night School, a program launched by the Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats (Shekou MSCE) in early September. Ambrosio and Oksana were among roughly two dozen expats who embraced this opportunity to explore traditional Chinese art and culture. 

"We hope to create a friendly and inclusive environment for both Chinese and expat residents in the community through these diverse courses and activities," said Yang Yan, head of the Shekou MSCE.

This nonprofit program builds on the former Chinese Language Class that the Shekou MSCE hosted twice a year for expats. It has since been expanded to incorporate new modules for sports and culture, which were held in October and November, respectively, according to Yang.

In addition to the Chinese painting workshop, the cultural experience module also hosted a "Learn to Cook Chinese Food" event Nov. 13. Participants learned to prepare several classic Cantonese dishes, including pineapple spareribs and boiled kale enhanced with a unique sauce shared by the instructor.

Oksana, who joined the cooking class, praised the boiled kale as a healthy and simple dish. "I really like it. It is easy to make and very healthy," she said after sampling a few pieces with the instructor's special sauce.

Since its launch, the expat night school program has garnered strong enthusiasm and praise, with many classes filling up quickly after registration opened. Nearly 1,000 expats have participated in a range of activities, including Chinese and Cantonese language courses.

The weekly Chinese language class, held every Wednesday night, has been especially popular. For expats, mastering the local language is key to integrating into local life, improving work performance, and enhancing communication within the community.

Although Yang and her colleagues anticipated high demand for the Chinese language class, they were pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming interest from expats. Yang added that the center had received numerous complaints from expats who have struggled to secure a spot in the Chinese class.

Ambrosio, who was lucky enough to secure a seat in the Chinese class Sept. 4, believes language is a vital component of any culture. Though he has lived in Shenzhen for 12 years, the Brazilian executive — who transitioned from engineer to executive at a European multinational — only speaks basic Chinese, as English dominates his workplace. 

"It was a great opportunity to dive into the basics of Chinese language," said Ambrosio, who attended the night school program whenever his busy work schedule allowed. "I missed a lot of good stuff, but I have to say that the few I joined were well worth the experience," he told Shenzhen Daily.

What surprised Yang and her colleagues at the MSCE was the unexpected popularity of the Cantonese class, which made its debut Sept. 24 and was held every Thursday night.

Wade Putman, an American expat who speaks fluent Mandarin after living in China for seven years, was thrilled to have an opportunity to improve his Cantonese pronunciation. He had always wanted to learn Cantonese after making several local friends in Shenzhen.

Alex, a French expat, found Cantonese more difficult than Mandarin. He explained that while the four tones in Mandarin pose significant challenges for non-Chinese speakers, Cantonese has nine tones. "The class was enjoyable and filled with laughter. I look forward to the next session," Alex remarked.

Yang mentioned that they received a considerable amount of feedback from the expat community, with many expressing a desire for more Cantonese classes in the next season of the night school program.

Diversified program

This October, the sports module featured activities like "Hello, Tai Chi," a frisbee party, and an early evening cycling tour around Shenzhen Bay, with each event attracting about 30 expats.

Yang explained that the inclusion of the sports module aimed to give expat participants an opportunity to explore their community and become more familiar with the area.

In mid-October, a cycling tour took participants along the coast of Shenzhen Bay Park from Shekou to the Sunrise Amphitheater near the Shenzhen Bay Sports Center. The group passed several landmarks, including the Shekou Lighthouse and the Shenzhen Bay Bridge, where they enjoyed stunning sunset views of the sparkling sea.

Jek, a Filipino expat who led the cycling tour, expressed his hope to lead future tours, while Brazilian expat Eledir shared that she thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The sports activities also created an effective channel for communication, fostering mutual understanding and exchanges between local and expat residents. "We encourage both Chinese and expat residents to take part in these activities, which enhance cross-cultural friendship and help build a supportive and interactive international community," said Yang.

Challenges and future plans

The unexpected popularity of the night school created challenges for Yang and the Shekou MSCE. "The venue for hosting the night school program has really been an issue. Due to limited space at our service center, there were always expats who couldn't attend the sessions," said Yang.

To address this, the team introduced a waiting list system, allowing those on the list to attend if someone cancels at the last minute. "We hope this will help us make full use of the limited seating," Yang explained. 

Additionally, Yang mentioned that they had to identify suitable venues for each type of class to accommodate the growing demand. 

Despite these challenges, the Shekou MSCE remains committed to ensuring the long-term viability of the night school program, aiming to better support expats in the community in integrating into local life.

In response to the positive feedback from previous cultural events, the Shekou MSCE plans to expand the night school program with more activities. These may include traditional handicrafts like wire enamel painting and bamboo weaving, as well as opportunities to participate in the Shekou Kaiding Festival.

Yang also noted that the program has inspired some expats to reach out and offer to contribute by hosting sessions to share their skills in photography and video making.

"We also plan to launch a 'morning school' next year, specifically designed for stay-at-home mothers who want to expand their social circle but typically don’t have time in the evenings," Yang said.

The efforts of Yang and her team at the MSCE have paid off, with many night school attendees expressing their gratitude for the support provided to the community. Yang, whose English name is Rita, was even nicknamed "Super Rita" by the expats in Shekou.

"The MSCE has done an outstanding job not only supporting the expat community with multiple daily issues, but also creating opportunities for us all to better integrate into the local culture and life," Ambrosio said, giving all the credit to the MSCE team.

Chukhua Tsotne, from Georgia, thanked the MSCE staff for making his life much easier and more interesting after attending the night school, where he gained insight into Chinese culture and made many new friends.