In 2021, Jiang Danni, from Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, embarked on a journey to Africa alone. In the past two years of marching, she traveled to nearly 20 countries, traveling through cities and villages, and experiencing African customs.

In the vast desert, life is still thriving. On the African continent, there are lions running against the wind, zebras with black and white colors dotting the loess, and giraffes with the setting sun hanging around their necks. In 2021, Jiang Danni, from Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, embarked on a journey to Africa alone. In the past two years of marching, she traveled to nearly 20 countries, traveling through cities and villages, and experiencing African customs. Later, small towns and villages on the African continent became Jiang Danni’s preference for traveling. In June of this year, she walked into a rural school and signed up to become a foreign volunteer. She said: "If I leave this continent, I don't know when I will come back next time, so I am eager to do something."

Jiang Danni Take a photo with students from a Hope Primary School in Uganda. Photo provided by the interviewee

"Wild" and "simple" Africa coexist

Jiang Danni, who graduated from university, left her job after one year and started her travels in East Africa . Back and forth, she traveled to Tanzania , Kenya , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Rwanda and other countries. When talking about her impression of Africa, she said: "There is a kind of wild beauty here."

Africa is a big place The geographical concept ranges from Egypt to South Africa. The reason Jiang Danni chose to live in Africa was just out of curiosity. She said: "In my mind, Africa is an unknown land. I want to explore the unknown."

After having a simple plan, Jiang Danni quit her job and embarked on a journey to East Africa. It’s more about life than a sojourn. Jiang Danni said: "Traveling is more about checking in some scenic spots and taking photos, and I prefer to use life to describe the state of being in Africa, because here I cook my own meals, wash my own clothes, and live like the locals."

For her first stop in Africa, Jiang Danni chose Zanzibar Island in Tanzania, where she stayed in a remote village for five days. Jiang Danni recalled that only three restaurants could be found for dozens of miles around the local area, namely a fast food restaurant, a grocery store and a fruit shop. There was only a 3G network, and cattle, sheep, chickens and ducks could be seen walking around everywhere. She said: "While walking on the road, I accidentally... You will step on cow dung.”

Danni Jiang is traveling in Africa. Picture provided by the interviewee

Environment and scenery are part of life. When Jiang Danni observes Africa, she must also observe the people living on African soil. "People are concrete, not symbols, so I would chat with the locals and exchange stories." Jiang Danni recalled the people she met on the Zanzibar island. "The locals are very simple. Although they are very poor, they He would still smile and hand me a free glass of juice, and when he saw me, he would nod and say hello in Swahili. "

Just last October, when the winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature were announced, Jiang Dani realized that she had won the prize. Gurna is from the island below her feet, and she excitedly shared it with two local friends. Friends asked: What is Nobel Prize , is it football? Jiang Danni saw the confusion on their faces and explained the award to them. This episode gave her new insights. She said: "Their lives are poor and spiritually barren, but they live happily."

teaches Chinese at Hope Primary School in Uganda

red bread tree , scattered in large areas Next to the green lake, it embellishes the earth-colored earth. Looking up, you can see the blue sky and white clouds. In front of you are women carrying bananas or plastic pots on their heads, cows, sheep, chickens and running children everywhere. This is what Jiang Danni saw. In early summer, she was doing volunteer activities at a Hope Primary School in Uganda, eastern Africa.

In mid-May, Jiang Danni applied to this Hope Primary School in Uganda to teach. After receiving a positive reply, she came to the primary school to teach children in grades one to four. The primary school is built at the foot of a hillside, with walls painted in orange and roofs painted in sky blue. The children's school uniforms are bright grass green. They run under the white clouds, and their laughter can be heard far away.The

course was arranged for a week. Jiang Danni set up Chinese classes, cooking classes, handicraft classes and game interaction. She said: "I will dance with the children during morning exercise time, telling them to relax and dance out." Self." In the handicraft class, Jiang Danni takes the children to cut window grilles, and in the cooking class, she teaches them how to make tomato scrambled eggs. She said: "These Chinese elements can give them a concrete understanding of China as quickly as possible."

Jiang Danni's Chinese class received a positive response from the children, which was something she did not expect before coming. "I have done several volunteer teaching activities before, but some local children do not speak English, so communication between us is difficult. The children in this Hope Primary School communicate in English, and we can communicate better." Jiang Danni Teaching greetings and numbers to the children in the classroom, "I feel very proud. They will study very seriously, take notes in class, and go back to review every day."

After getting along with each other for a few days, the children in Jiang Danni's class have already Ability to count from one to ten in Chinese, greetings, replies and simple conversations. She said: "Every day they meet me, they say hello to me. Even the principal comes to ask me what the 'hello' the children mean." Jiang Danni turned "hello" into this school A popular catchphrase in primary schools, she gained overwhelming love from the children.

"The children would touch my hair and pull me to teach them. One child was very enthusiastic and hand-knitted a garland for me." Jiang Danni stayed in this primary school for a week and came into contact with nearly a hundred people. Children, she said: "I gradually learned how to get along with children, and also realized how difficult their lives are and the lack of education." The nickname given to Jiang Danni by children, they regard her as their second mother. During the Spring Festival this year, Jiang Danni came to a small town called Mafunga in western Tanzania. Through prior application, she became a volunteer at a rural nursery called Laisen Nursery.

"Mafenga is really cold." According to incomplete statistics, the incidence rate of AIDS in the area where Jiang Danni came is as high as 60%, and some children in the Laisen nursery where she is located are also HIV carriers. She said: "These children often have coughs runny noses, but they still run happily on the dirt floor."

Laisen Kindergarten was founded by a local teacher couple in Mafenga, with only two classrooms and An office and a toilet. There are 40 children in the kindergarten. They are all under 5 years old and all come from low-income families. Currently, 18 children have successfully graduated and entered local public primary schools. Jiang Danni’s volunteer task is not difficult. She needs to be responsible for taking care of the children in the kindergarten and preparing lunch for them. "The children here really want attention. As soon as they see me, they will stagger over and hug me." Jiang Danni said that even if she doesn't understand the language, she can still get along with the children here.

The conditions in the kindergarten are difficult. Even going to town to buy daily necessities requires passing through a large eucalyptus forest and cornfield, and then taking a half-hour bus ride. During her time as a volunteer, Jiang Danni was treated the same as all teachers. She had to sleep in a tin room, drink rainwater when it rained, and use charcoal fire to boil water for bathing. She recalled: "Here, there are no lights at night, and you can only eat in the dark. Even so, I enjoy it very much. We work during the day and look up at the stars on the dark forest floor at night."

This New Year's Eve, Jiang Danni lived in a kindergarten, and local volunteers cooked pumpkin leaves for her to celebrate the New Year. Jiang Danni said: "I like to eat pumpkin leaves. This feeling of celebrating the festival in a foreign country makes me particularly touched." Shillings), preparing to provide the children with a sumptuous lunch of love on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.With the donations raised, Jiang Danni and local volunteers purchased a total of 20 kilograms of rice and beans, 60 eggs, 5 kilograms of beef and other supplies. She said: "1,000 yuan can buy far more things than you can in East Africa." There are more than you can imagine.”

Chinese steamed buns are the absolute protagonist of Jiang Danni’s love lunch plan. On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, she and the volunteers spent the whole morning making nearly 200 buns. This was also Jiang Danni's first time making buns. She said: "My hands are not very skillful and it took me all morning. The appearance is mediocre, but the taste is still very good."

In Mafenga, the children will pray before meals. After the prayer is completed, they Grab the food with your hands, bite after bite, and eat with relish. Jiang Danni said that there is a scene that she will never forget - "I saw a child holding up a bun that took a big bite and told other children that it was delicious. I felt very happy. This may be the first time in their lives. The first time to eat Chinese steamed buns may also be the last time for many people, because most of them can only eat rice, beans or dough year after year. It is difficult to have the opportunity without going to a Chinese restaurant or traveling to China. Trying steamed buns again. "

Eating Chinese steamed buns and celebrating Chinese festivals may be the most ordinary thing for Jiang Danni, but because the story takes place in a distant continent and a strange country, everything becomes special. Together, food creates connections between people in foreign countries, brings the world closer, turns symbols into taste, and becomes the most precious moment in memory.

"Life will lead me to the next destination"

Jiang Danni opened a social platform account and shared her experience on the African continent. She said that seeing is not necessarily believing, and hearing is not necessarily true. There is only life. Won't lie to you. In the early days of her birthday this year, Jiang Danni went to a small island on the east coast of Kenya alone. This small island called Lamu was once called an island "not recommended for travel" on the Internet. "This place is listed as the most dangerous place and a place where travel is not recommended, but I went anyway." Jiang Danni said.

Jiang Danni’s trip to the island was her birthday gift to herself. This small island in East Africa is listed as a World Cultural Heritage by the United Nations. There are no vehicles on the island. Donkeys and boats are the main means of transportation.

Jiang Danni encounters a little donkey transporting goods on Lamu Island. Photo provided by the interviewee

"I was really curious about that island, so I went there after I was ready. Only when I went there did I realize that it was a paradise." Jiang Danni still gets very excited when she recalls that experience, She said that the kindness and enthusiasm of the islanders gave her a great sense of security. During the week she lived on the island, Jiang Danni didn't meet any foreigners except herself, which made her feel strange and felt that she had strayed into the Peach Blossom Land by mistake.

There are various tall stone buildings on Lamu Island. The wooden doors are carved with exquisite and complicated patterns, and some are weathered and slightly faded. The islanders will spread the dried banana leaves neatly on the wooden beams to make a roof. When the wind blows, there will be a rustling sound. Jiang Danni would wander along the winding paths every day, making way for the little donkey carrying food from time to time. When she met the stray cats on the island, they would arch their backs and tilt their heads to look at her.

On her birthday, Jiang Danni took a boat to a nearby beach. The weather was very good, and she sat on the beach alone for a long time. The sea water was sapphire blue, and Jiang Danni stepped on the sand with her bare feet. She stopped the boy passing by and took a commemorative photo of herself. She said: "That was a 15-year-old boy who was a fisherman on the island." This birthday experience gave Jiang Danni the confidence to continue exploring Africa.

She has lived in a tree house and ridden a camel. Jiang Danni has traveled across the desert and seen the rose-colored sunset and sunrise over the Indian Ocean . The destination in July is still unknown. She said that Africa is a mysterious continent and she will move towards the next destination under the guidance of life.

Beijing News reporter Chen Lu

editor Zhang Shujing proofreader Zhao Lin