Ahmed al-Saeed never imagined that his life in northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region could be so fulfilling.
In the last three years, Ahmed has built a family and a career in Ningxia. He is married to a Chinese woman, studies at a local university and has even opened his own company, which translates Chinese books into Arabic and provides Arabic language training for local residents.
Ahmed was fascinated with China and its culture when he started studying at Al-Azhar University in Cairo in 2001, the same year that the university launched its first Chinese language degree program.
"I had originally planned to major in German when I graduated from high school," he said. "But when I found out that the university had opened its Chinese major, I chose it in the hope of learning more about China."
Ahmed was introduced to Ningxia in 2010, when he was working as a tour guide. After bringing tourists to the region, Ahmed was asked to provide an Arabic translation for the official website of the first China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum, which was held in Ningxia that same year.
Ahmed also served as an interpreter at the forum, as well as worked as a cultural advisor for the regional government. These jobs inspired him to make greater efforts to promote cultural exchanges between China and Arab countries.
"I wanted to let more Arabs know about Ningxia within a shorter time. I wanted to tell them that Ningxia is an autonomous region for the Hui ethnic group, as Hui people are Muslims, just like many Egyptians. They share the same culture and customs as we do," he said.
To achieve his goal, Ahmed needed to know the locals better. He chose to move to the regional capital of Yinchuan, where he enrolled at Ningxia University to obtain a doctorate in ethnology.
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