Zhang Jianna is 49 years old. She is from a village in North China’s Hebei province. These days, some videos of her have become popular on the Internet. In these videos, she talks to foreigners with fluent English.Zhang used to work as a restaurant server and a store seller. In 2012, she took on the role of a cleaner in Beijing’s Chaoyang district.
One morning, a foreigner came up to her and said something. But Zhang couldn’t understand and didn’t know how to react. The foreigner then gestured for her to look ahead, giving a thumbs-up while saying, “Good, good!” Zhang suddenly realized that the foreigner was appreciating her work in keeping the streets clean. It moved Zhang and she made up her mind to learn English. “My goal is quite simple. I just want to help whenever someone is in need,” said Zhang.
Thus, at the age of 40, Zhang began to learn English. Without a teacher, she began learning English from her children’s textbooks. While others rested, she memorized words and practiced speaking. Upon arriving home after work, she would note down new knowledge points and review them. She reviewed words at night and then repeated them one more time the next day morning. She also downloaded (下载) many English learning apps on her computer and phone, spending any possible time learning and practicing.
“Growing up in a village without a college education, I sometimes feared being looked down upon. But every time I help a stranger in English, I feel confident,” said Zhang. “To serve others makes me happy. After retirement (退休), I also want to introduce my hometown in English and promote local tourism.”
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