Wang Yuanyuan, Jane Lai
RUSSIAN Maria Rose has been busy preparing for a semifinal of the first Shenzhen Expats Chinese Talent Competition on Sunday. I ve been practicing Chinese and designing a costume for myself. I m looking forward to a big prize, said Rose, an artist who has appeared in a number of TV series.
She has been in Shenzhen for four years and is able to write and speak fluent Chinese thanks to her hard work and outgoing character. My Chinese colleagues always consider me one of them and I m also very active in communicating with them.
Starting out as a customer relations manager at the Shenzhen Pavilion Hotel, Rose had worked as a senior language trainer at the executive office of the 26th Summer Universiade to be held in Shenzhen next August. She also modeled for magazines before she finally settled as an artist.
She loves Chinese culture and tries to blend into the local society. She knows how to use QQ, the most popular instant messenger in China, and is practicing Chinese martial arts.
Organized by the Shenzhen Daily, the final of the first Shenzhen Expats Chinese Talent Competition will be held at the Westin Shenzhen in Nanshan District on Nov. 19 and aired on Shenzhen TV. The competition will feature speeches in the Chinese language and performances given by expatriates interested in Chinese culture and speaking Chinese. It is open to expatriates living in the Pearl River Delta region.
Contestants will deliver a five-minute speech on topics decided by the organizer in the first half. The second half will involve telling stories, reciting Chinese poetry, performing stand-up comedy, crosstalk or traditional Chinese folk drama for no more than 10 minutes.
