Polokwane native on her life in China

POLOKWANE – Born and bred in South Africa, Ingrid Guo has called China home for the last decade.

Her family, however, still reside in Polokwane and the Polokwane Observer met up with her during a recent visit.

Guo (pronounced the same as the beginning of ‘guava’) said she first went to China in 2004 after graduating from university and was contemplating different career options at the time.

“I knew I wanted to travel and I had always been interested in eastern cultures and countries and was fortunate to have been introduced to the possibility of teaching English in China by a Canadian friend of my mom, so I followed her advice off I went,” she said.

While working at the same school in 2005, Ingrid met her husband. They have a daughter, Zheanne who turns 11 in September.

“Zheanne is actually a South African passport holder and was born at Mediclinic Limpopo. We have lived in Shanghai for almost 10 years. For her, coming to South Africa is a holiday because she has grown up in China. Visiting South Africa is her time to see her cousins and grandparents and everything else, like the beach and wildlife in the game reserves, are extra.”

Zheanne does not understand Afrikaans but she spent time with her two-year-old cousin who is learning to speak. She picked up some Afrikaans words and phrases and expanded her vocabulary.

Ingrid is a Gr 1 teacher at an international school in Shanghai and says even though she can recognise some of the Chinese characters, writing them is a different story.

“Writing Chinese is almost a form of art. Each character has specific lines or strokes written in a specific direction and sequence. There are 41 basic and compound strokes. They are generally categorized into eight types also known as the yongzibafa – Eight Principals of Yong.”

Ingrid says she can understand when people speak to her but does not always know how to respond.

Since Ingrid’s family and friends are still in South Africa, she usually visits the country once a year. Back in Polokwane, she gets refreshed with her African roots, visiting her parents and family.

Her visits in South Africa normally include visiting friends in Cape Town and Mossel Bay and this year, she mostly travelled with her family and went on a four-day National Kruger Park safari with Zheanne.

“I miss my friends and family the most. Living in China is neither worse nor better, it is different. The Chinese food is better, the public transport system is superb, the technology is more advanced and the lifestyle is much faster. In South Africa, a braai is one of the best things and there are more open spaces and natural beauty. Every country has its pros and cons. In China, movies, websites and chats are monitored and censored. The language used to be a big issue but digital translators have helped that barrier. You learn to live and adapt to the country you are in,” she said.

The Gou family live on the eighth floor of their building, making it hard to have pets. Leisure activities include dining at restaurants with friends or online shopping.

Ingrid says every province has their own unique snacks and treats. “My favourite is the peanut and sesame new year’s candy. It is a rectangular candy with thin layers of crushed peanuts and sesame dripped in sugar. Other Chinese delicacies include mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival and sticky rice cakes for the Dragon Boat Festival.”

Being a Christian has not stopped Ingrid from celebrating the Chinese New Year. “The Chinese New Year is not about religion. It is a cultural festival celebrating both the year that has passed and the new year with your family eating home-cooked meals and visiting relatives.”

Ingrid and Zheanne visited learners at iiCreativity and told them more about China.

Read more in this week’s Polokwane Review.