WUHAN, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Celia Esquivel Salguero, from Guatemala, first arrived in China in 2014 as a foreign student of Chinese Language and Literature, and began sharing wide-eyed snippets of her life on Facebook as a simple act of curiosity.
Back then, as a student at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in central Hubei Province, her posts mostly attracted friends curious about Chinese cuisine, tourist attractions, and the art of writing complex Chinese characters.
What started as an online diary for a small circle of friends has, over the past decade, blossomed into a vibrant platform that connects two cultures.
Today, at 36, Celia is a Spanish teacher at Wuhan University, where she teaches courses like "Latin American History and Ideas." Her Facebook page, Chapina en China, which translates to "The Guatemalan Girl in China," has amassed over 300,000 followers. Her livestreams draw audiences of more than 3 million, a testament to how her voice has become a trusted bridge between Latin America and China.
These days, her Latin American followers are particularly interested in topics like studying in China, new energy vehicles, and humanoid robots.
"Over the past decade, cultural exchanges between China and Latin America have been like a high-speed train. As a Latin American influencer, I have been fortunate to witness and participate in this journey, recording and witnessing the emotional exchange and cultural collision with my camera and words," she said.
Nearly 15 years in China have left their mark on Celia, so much so that her fluent Mandarin now carries a hint of the Wuhan dialect, thanks in part to her local husband.
Looking back on her years in China, Celia feels increasingly at home, not only because she has developed a taste for local Wuhan delicacies, but also because Latin American influences have become increasingly visible in the city.
"When I first arrived in China, avocados, which are common in my hometown, were rarely seen here, and they cost over 20 yuan (about 2.78 U.S. dollars) each. But now, avocados are available in many supermarkets and fruit stores in Wuhan, and many milk tea shops along the streets use avocados as an ingredient for their drinks. The taste of home is now within reach," Celia said.
Celia's role as a cultural ambassador took on new weight during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan in 2020, waves of misinformation swept across international social media. While many foreigners chose to leave, Celia stayed and decided to show the world the Wuhan she knew.
Through her live-streams, she showcased daily life amid lockdowns, from grocery shopping to vaccination drives. "I saw so many rumors about Wuhan on social media. I had to do something," she said. Her authentic, on-the-ground storytelling helped counter the noise, earning the trust of her followers back home.
"Even now, many Latin American followers still send me Chinese news and ask me to verify it," Celia said. "I'm happy to have their trust, and even more pleased that what I do allows people to understand the real China."
Celia believes that China's understanding of Latin America has also deepened over the years. "Now, Wuhan University and Central China Normal University have many Spanish-language learning students, and Hubei University has even established a Latin American research institute. More and more Chinese people are eager to learn Spanish. With the language as a key, they have opened the door to the Latin American world and enhanced the cultural exchange between China and Latin America," she added.
In January 2023, thanks to Celia's efforts, her alma mater, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, signed a cooperation agreement with Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala -- Guatemala's only public university -- to launch a student exchange program, paving the way for more frequent academic and cultural exchanges between the two sides.
Last summer, Celia visited Guatemala after a gap of five years and was surprised by what she found. Chinese restaurants, milk tea shops, and even supermarkets stocked with Chinese vinegar and dumpling wrappers were now part of the local landscape. She finally fulfilled a long-held wish of making dumplings for her family.
Looking to the future, Celia hopes to see more breakthroughs in educational exchanges between China and Latin America.
"I hope more Latin American students will come to China to see and experience the real and lovely China. I also hope more Chinese people and Chinese businesses will enter Latin America and benefit the region through cultural and technological exchanges," she said.
Through the lens of "Chapina en China," Celia has not only chronicled her own journey but has helped thousands of others embark on theirs.
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