by Abbas Sayed
CAIRO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The first Chinese characters I ever saw meant nothing to me.
It was 2002, and classes at Ain Shams University in Cairo had not yet begun. I wandered into the library of the Chinese Department out of pure curiosity. I wanted to see what the language I was about to study actually looked like on the page.
Rows of unfamiliar strokes confronted me. I stared at them, uncertain. Should I really choose Chinese? Eventually, I decided to give it a try.
I could not have imagined where that decision would lead. I only knew that I wanted to learn this strange and beautiful language.
During my first year, I made a habit of speaking Chinese whenever I could. I even talked to myself in Chinese, avoiding Arabic as much as possible. My professors encouraged me, and I formed a close bond with a Chinese teacher who spent just one year in Egypt.
Looking back, I realize that I was gradually falling in love with the language. I was not thinking about a job or a career. I simply wanted to speak Chinese well and express my thoughts and feelings through it.
Over time, I found that the real value of a language goes far beyond earning a living. It can reshape the way you think and open a path into another culture.
Chinese did exactly that for me.
I have always loved ancient Egyptian civilization. After graduating, I became a tour guide because I wanted to introduce Egypt to Chinese visitors in their own language. But my work also became a way for me to learn about China.
Every Chinese visitor I met taught me something new. Through tourism, translation, and conversations, I learned from people of different ages and backgrounds. I later visited China more than 10 times, traveling to cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Urumqi.
My favorite is Shenzhen.
When I first visited the city, I was struck by its openness and the speed of its development. I could understand why people called it a "city of miracles."
But what impressed me most about China was not only its buildings, roads, or infrastructure. Beyond these visible changes, through my travels and conversations with people there, I also became interested in how they understood life, happiness, and culture.
One word that has stayed with me is "harmony."
Again and again, I was touched by the warmth ordinary Chinese people showed foreign visitors. They were friendly, respectful, and willing to understand others. I believe this spirit of harmony is deeply rooted in Chinese culture.
My work as a tour guide has also taught me what cultural exchange really means.
I still remember taking Chinese visitors to the airport at the end of their trips. Sometimes, as we said goodbye, tears rose to my eyes. My greatest sense of achievement is seeing them leave Egypt carrying beautiful memories of my country, and sometimes wishing to stay longer.
That is why I believe tour guides are ambassadors in the truest sense. We represent our country, but we can also become bridges between people.
Later, I also had the opportunity to help build that bridge in the other direction.
From 2010 to 2013, I worked at the China Cultural Center in Cairo, where I shifted from introducing Egypt to Chinese visitors to introducing China to Egyptians. I knew many Egyptians still had limited knowledge of Chinese culture.
So I helped create what we called the "Chinese House," an exhibition space bringing together elements including the 12 Chinese zodiac animals, famous Chinese architecture, and photographs of China's cultural heritage.
I did not expect it to attract so much interest. Schools in the surrounding area began bringing students to the center specifically to visit the Chinese House.
Watching young Egyptians discover a culture they knew little about made me realize that the bridge I had imagined as a tour guide could take another form.
Now more than two decades have passed since I stood in that university library, unable to decipher a single Chinese character. Today, those characters are woven into my daily life. Sometimes Chinese comes to my lips so naturally that I do not even notice I have switched languages.
They led me to China, to friendships, and to a culture I have come to love. They also led me to a mission I never imagined when I first entered that library: to help Egyptians understand China and Chinese people understand Egypt.
Perhaps that is the greatest gift a language can give us. It does not simply teach us how to speak to someone from another country. It opens a window into another world, and helps build a bridge between civilizations.
Editor's note: Abbas Sayed is an Egyptian tour guide, researcher in Chinese culture, and honorary member of the Egypt-China Friendship Association.
