GUIYANG, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Beverly Andrea Hermosilla Serrano maneuvers her electric scooter with practiced ease through winding alleys of the bustling downtown just like many others. Few would guess that she is from halfway across the globe.
The 36-year-old educator from Santiago, Chile, is an English teacher at an international school in Guiyang, capital of southwest China’s Guizhou Province. She often astonishes others with her ability to fluidly shift from English to Chinese, while even managing a sprinkle of the local Guiyang dialect.
Over the past decade, Serrano has grown to understand China, falling in love with its culture and becoming an ambassador of its traditions, sharing them across the ocean.
This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Chile.
From June 1, 2025, citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile and Uruguay are able to enter China without a visa for up to 30 days for business, tourism, cultural exchange or transit. This policy was unveiled at the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in Beijing last month, aligning with China’s broader initiative to expand visa exemptions and foster friendly exchanges with more Latin American and Caribbean countries.
After earning a degree in English literature and linguistics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Serrano traveled through more than 40 countries, living and working in North America, Latin America and Africa. None of those places kept her longer than a year -- but this trend came to an end in Guiyang.
In 2015, when she was given two job offers as an English teacher in Beijing and Guiyang, respectively, Serrano chose the latter.
"Beijing would’ve been more convenient. But I’ve always wanted to truly immerse myself in a different culture and connect with local people. Guiyang was the indisputable choice," she explained.
Her first days in Guiyang were challenging. Although she was astonished by the city’s breathtaking mountain landscape, she was taken aback by the language barrier as well as the spicy food, for which the city is famous.
"When I first tried Suantang Hotpot, also known as Guizhou hot and sour tomato hotpot, my tears ran out right away," she said with a smile. "In fact, the first Chinese phrase I learnt was ’bu yao la jiao,’ which means ’not spicy please’."
Serrano considers learning Chinese to be one of the most valuable accomplishments of her time in China to date, as it has opened the door to adventures, friendships and unexpected experiences.
"When I started learning the language, I began to get the jokes, and I realized my friends or uncles back home would make the exact same kind of joke," she said. "Once the language barrier comes down, the human connection is surprisingly easy."
With the passage of time, she has developed an interest in the four-person table game of mahjong as well as baijiu liquor.
"They are not only food or game, but keys to building deeper connections with my Chinese friends, their families and their culture," she chuckled, adding that she has also become a spicy food lover.
Serrano, meanwhile, flipped through pages of herself surrounded by smiling students at school events in a photo album she has kept. At school, she hopes to instill global curiosity in her students, helping them imagine a bigger world.
"Students love to hear my stories about traveling to different countries and meeting people of diverse cultures," she revealed.
Serrano often takes innovative gadgets from China back to Chile when she visits family. "One time, I bought an automatic nail clipper for my one grandpa and a self-heating vest for my other grandpa. They loved them very much," she said.
She also shares Chilean food and traditions with her Chinese friends. To celebrate Fiestas Patrias, Chile’s Independence Day on September 18, she usually cooks some of her favorite Chilean dishes, such as completos, which are Chilean hot dogs, and pastel de choclo, also known as Chilean corn pies -- serving these to an eclectic mix of Chinese and international friends.
When Serrano’s family visited her in Guizhou in 2017 and 2023, respectively, Serrano made a point of taking her family on a trip to explore this province’s cultural and natural treasures -- such as the vibrant Xijiang village featuring Miao ethnic culture, the thunderous Huangguoshu Waterfall and the centuries-old Qingyan Ancient Town with its well-preserved Ming and Qing architecture. Seeing their amazement as they experienced the richness of her adopted home filled her with pride.
Now, thanks to China’s visa-free policy, Serrano’s family is planning to visit her again soon, she said with excitement.
Deeply in love with Guiyang, Serrano has repeatedly renewed her one-year contract to work there -- reaching 11 years to date. She plans to settle down in this city.
"Now, I can’t imagine calling anywhere else home," she said.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0616/c90000-20328253.html