Life of Guangzhou - David Abrahamson, from English Teacher to NGO Staff

In Guangzhou, there are a number of Non Governmental Organization staff members who serve in different fields such as education, agriculture, labor, etc. David Abrahamson is one of them, but slightly unique - he is an American.

In fluent Mandarin on the telephone, he gave me the impression of an optimistic and easy-going foreigner.

After finishing his degree at Colorado College, David came to China in 2001 as a student learning Chinese in Beijing. Then he worked as an English teacher at the Beijing-based Capital University of Economics and Business. Later, he moved to Kunming and worked until 2006, when he moved to Guangzhou.

I met David in his office, a place admired by me and others, near the entrance of Sun Yat-sen University. From the balcony there is a lovely view of the Pearl River and the piano-shaped Xinghai Concert Hall.

"Can you see the crowd during the torch relay in front of the North Entrance of Sun Yat-sen University?"

"The Beijing Olympic torch passed through here," says David as he looks down to the street, recalling the scene. "There were so many people...It was marvelous."

In this apartment with an office; David and his assistant do their work. "I am Guangdong manager of the Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation. We handle projects like small loans on credit for rural farmers and tuition donations to middle school students."

Photo with students

Photos with a farmer of the rural small loan on credit project

David began to show me many photos on his computer, including solo shots, or with students on campus or farmers in the field. "I often go to the country to check the progress of projects. We do everything we can to help encourage their development."

I found that David takes a lot of photos with students. I wondered if his role as an English teacher helps him get closer to students. "Both roles for me are ok and acceptable. I used to work with students in the summer camps in Kunming. Now we have organized middle school students from Hong Kong and Macau to visit rural schools in Guangdong for communication. They call me 'Da Wei Ge Ge' (Brother Dawei, Dawei is David's Chinese name)," smiled David.

I try to find out if David is addicted to sports like most Americans. But David told me he is not a big sport fans. "I will play Frisbee with friends in my spare time. Come and see me at the Tianhe Sports Center every Sunday! Ha-ha!"

(By Jessie Hwang and Stephen Roach, photos by courtesy of David Abrahamson)