Day Eleven：A smart phone madein China
□ Time: June the 24th, 2016
□ Location: Capital Museum, Tianyi shopping mall and Hunan Plaza
□ Reporter: He Liwei
Located on the west part of the ChanganStreet, the Capital Museum is a large and comprehensive museum in Beijing, andthe last destination China Investment arranged for Severine to visit.
The museum was holding an exhibition of theartifacts unearthed from a 2000-year-old tomb of the Marquis of Haihun, who hada short-lived reign of 27 days as emperor of Western Han Dynasty (206 BC — 24AD). Haihun’s grandfather was the Emperor Wu, whose reign ushered in one of themost prosperous periods in China's history.
After visiting the museum, Seveline saidshe wanted to go shopping and buy some presents.
We talked on the way that she wanted to buya cheap smart cell phone made in China. We were quite surprised and didn’t knowwhat to say when she told us the price she was ready to offer is 20 dollars, 30the most…
The phone she had been using was bought inKenya, but made in China. She paid 20 dollars for it.
After a careful examination, we found thatthis smartphone was made by a Shenzhen manufacturer called iTel, and its targetmarket was not China but Africa, more specifically, rural Africa.
We arrived at Tianyi Shopping mall at10:30sm. After some pick-and -choose and hard bargaining, she spent 15 dollarson 5 pair of PinSheng earphones, as gifts for her friends back home.
The magazine organized a culturalcommunication event that afternoon, with a special guest named Tang Guoqiang tospeak about “Chinese film and TV characters in the eyes of African youth, frompersonal experience playing Chairman Mao”. Mr. Tang had been a heartthrob onthe screen since the 1980s and played many historical figures such as ZhugeLiang, prime minister of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period,Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing dynasty, whose reign was known for beingdespotic, efficient and vigorous, and Chairman Mao zedong, the founder of thePeople’s Republic of China. Mr. Tang was an important conduit for peopleoverseas to understand China. The movies and TV series he had worked with werevery popular abroad.
Before the event kicked off, Mr. Tang, onbehalf of the magazine, gave Seveline a farewell gift: a Huawei smart phone.
This would be the last night in Beijing forSeveline. Tomorrow she would fly to Guangzhou and then go back home. After thefarewell dinner, I accompanied her back to the hotel to help her pack.
As soon as we entered the room, she tookout the new smart phone she received that afternoon and tried to put the SIMcard in, while finding the data cable to recharge it.
I helped her pack the gifts she receivedduring the journey and tried to explain to her what they meant.
“You see, you are going to carry hundredsof years of Chinese traditional culture with this luggage. The scarf is a workof Chinese silk embroidery, the bamboo fan a symbol of refined scholars, theporcelains part of our tea culture, the Han Costume ancient costumes andetiquette, the mud figurines of Chinese dramatic art, the plate Chinese ancientgarden style…. ”
Day Twevle：China Behind ChinaBefore
□ Time: 21:00pm, June the25th, 2016
□ Location: New Baiyun Airportof Guangzhou
□ Reporter: He Liwei
We accompanied Seveline to complete theboarding process and luggage check-in.
Seveline would take Flight QR875 fromGuangzhou to Doha, and then take a connecting flight to Nairobi.
Finally the time came for her to go throughthe boarding gate.
She had told everybody that the flowerswere as important as food to her. At the farewell dinner she expressed herexpectation to come to china again. “I hope to study or work in China, andsettle here for my whole life.” She said.
She stayed late that night, unwilling toleave. I literally pulled her back to her hotel to rest for the journey ahead.
Safe journey Seveline!
She looked back and smiled.
Work hard for those flowers, for yourdreams, girl, and we will wait for you here in China!