Name: Umberto
Country of Origin: Italy
Occupation: Student
Years in China: 3
The first time I had a Chinese friend was at the age of 6. I had two Chinese classmates who could barely speak Italian, but at that time language wasn’t as important as it is now.
During my high school period around 16 years old, I started to work in a Chinese restaurant in the heart of Genova (my hometown) as a delivery guy, and that was funny because most of my friends were doing the same job but delivering pizza, when I was delivering fresh sushi, so I was the “Special” one.
2012 was when “Sushi fever” hit Italy and many Chinese restaurants (mostly people from Wenzhou) started to offer “all-you-can-eat” sushi, but that’s another story. Working with Chinese people taught me how to effectively manage my time, and also, the value of money as that was my first job.
After graduating high school, I decided to study Chinese language at university and in the final year, I worked as a salesman in a Sunglasses shop in Venice. That was a turning point in my life and a key passage that brought me to Xiamen.
Umberto with a friend’s child in China.
Once, a rich couple from Taiwan walked into our Shop in Venice and we started to have a conversation in Chinese. In some way we ended up talking about Chinese traditional culture while I convinced them to buy 9 pairs of branded glasses. Later this lovely couple invited me out for a dinner where they offered me a job, in Xiamen, as an interpreter, for the 98 洽谈会 (the Xiamen Exposition). That was just a dream for me, because I was already thinking about coming in China to study, and for an extreme coincidence I had already applied for Xiamen University!
I remember when I first got here was no doubt the most exciting time of my life. I traveled from hotel to hotel in Fujian visiting many companies improving my Chinese bringing it from book level to conversation level.
Umberto translating for an Italian company in Xiamen (trying to explain who is Lu Ban)
Now I’m studying Journalism at Xiamen University and sometimes it is quite hard, but I’m living with Chinese people, sharing their passion and their stories, I start to believe in this country and I’ll be part of it in some way.
A little background on his hometown.
My hometown is Genova (Genoa), situated in the north-west of Italian peninsula, facing the Mediterranean Sea. It is said to be the home of famous people such as Columbus, Paganini and more.
Read all the unique stories by expats in China here.
To have your China story featured, click here.
Stories will be shared in English on our LinkedIn page, Instagram and Facebook page. Bilingual stories will be shared on our WeChat account mts_cn. Remember to like and share your favourite one!