From stranger to local, American teacher finds his second home in Zhangjiagang

In an early morning, Evan Krieger, a teacher at Zhangjiagang Foreign Language School, wheeled his electric bike out of his residential compound. It is hard to imagine that when he first arrived in China 15 years ago, he could only say some simple words in Chinese. He thought at the time that China would be a brief adventure abroad. Instead, fate brought him to Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, where he eventually settled down and made a home.

The e-bike is Evan's favorite way of getting around. Although he holds a driver's license, he still prefers to weave through the city's streets on two wheels. "You can take your time and fully enjoy the city," he said.

The streets of Zhangjiagang come alive in the morning with the smells of everyday life. At the breakfast stall, Evan ordered two steamed buns and a cup of soy milk in Chinese and exchanged a few jokes with the shop owner. At the wet market, he picked out some vegetables and paid by scanning a QR code. At the time-honored Yanyanglou Restaurant, he ate a bowl of noodles with chopsticks. Actually, Evan fell in love with Chinese cuisine in childhood and learned how to use chopsticks when in primary school. Wontons, in particular, have always been his favorite.

In 2019, when his family traveled from the United States to visit him, Evan took them around to taste all kinds of Chinese dishes. "My father even tried stinky tofu and enjoyed it very much. He also drank baijiu (Chinese liquor)," Evan smiled when he recalled the trip. Even after returning to the United States, his family often reminisce about the wontons they ate in Zhangjiagang.

In the classroom, Evan is his students' beloved foreign teacher; back home, however, helping his son with his summer homework can be a different story. When tutoring his son in math, he is confident, breaking down questions effortlessly in Chinese and English. But when it comes to the subject of Chinese language, faced with pinyin and Chinese characters, he often throws up his hands: "About this question, I don't know either. We have to ask your mother when she gets home."

"I can handle work, buying a home, raising a child and dealing with local people," Evan joked. "But Chinese language? That's really hard!"

When he first arrived in Zhangjiagang, Evan was often described as a shy foreigner. The language barrier left him little choice but to respond with a smile. Neighbors, shopkeepers and even sanitation workers became his language teachers. With their help, his Chinese improved, and the quiet newcomer became the outgoing laowai (Chinese term for "foreigner"). "Don't be afraid to speak. People in Zhangjiagang are very friendly!" This is the valuable lesson he shares with his new foreign colleagues.

The change in Evan demonstrates the inclusiveness and hospitality of Zhangjiagang. "I lived in my hometown in the United States for 17 years, and I've now lived in Zhangjiagang for 13 years," he said. "I have an apartment here, a car here and people I love here. This is my home."