One day in Beijing, once in a lifetime

0 CommentsPrint E-mail Xinhua, September 30, 2009
Adjust font size:

For 181 foreigners living in Beijing, Oct. 1, 2009 will be a "once in a lifetime" experience as they join New China's 60th National Day celebration, which will feature a foreign formation for the first time since the founding of New China in 1949.

"It was a big surprise to me when I was invited to participate in the parade. I was really excited and honored because this was the first time that China had foreign paraders," said David Tool, 67, an U.S. national who has lived in Beijing since 2001.

Beijingers are familiar with Tool as a torch bearer for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. He is a university professor and was a Beijing Top-Ten Volunteer in 2006, after volunteering to help correct translation errors at cultural relics and tourist sites and taught elderly people English.

"I was very happy also because (participating in the parade) meant Chinese people value my contribution," Tool said.

The foreigners come from 53 countries. Twenty-six will wear Chinese-style dress or their national costumes on the float themed "One World" and 155 will march in T-shirts with "I love China" on them and waving China's national flag.

Of the marchers, 97 are students and the remaining 58 are mainly foreign experts and representatives of foreign companies. The 26 foreigners on the float are mainly winners of the Friendship Award and Great Wall Friendship Award, and volunteers in Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

"When foreigners knew there was an opportunity to be in the parade for the National Day, they were eager to attend the event," Li Honghai, deputy director general of the Foreign Affair Office of the Beijing Municipal government, said.

Some foreigners living abroad even wrote to the office that they wanted to take part, saying they would cover their own costs, including transport and accommodation, he said.

The oldest foreign participant is 70-year-old Frenchman Francis Wacquant, and the youngest are 8-year-old twins from Italy.

Tired but happy

The foreigners have been preparing for the official parade on Oct. 1, attending the rehearsals twice, gathering hours in advance before the rehearsal started and walking about 7 kilometers in the rehearsal.

"The rehearsal was hard. We spent 12 hours on that on Sept. 18 which ended at 3 a.m.," Michael Crook, a Briton who was born in China and runs an international school in Beijing, said in fluent Chinese.

"I suggested to other foreigners on the float during rehearsal that we should sing 'Happy birthday, dear China' when passing Tian'anmen Square."

1   2   Next  


Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Comments

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • Your Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲天堂一区在线| 四虎成人精品一区二区免费网站| bt天堂网...www在线资源| 无码成人精品区在线观看| 久久精品这里有| 欧美乱妇在线观看| 亚洲欧洲视频在线观看| 狠狠色丁香婷婷久久综合| 十九岁日本电影免费完整版观看 | 男人免费桶女人45分钟视频| 口工里番h全彩动态图| 调教家政妇第38话无删减| 国产成人综合欧美精品久久| 1000部拍拍拍18勿入免费视频软件| 在线拍揄自揄在线播放| juy-432君岛美绪在线播放| 强波多野结衣痴汉电车| 中文字幕人妻高清乱码| 日本一在线中文字幕天堂| 久久精品人妻中文系列| 最近中文字幕国语免费完整| 亚洲人成777| 欧美国产一区二区| 亚洲天堂成人网| 欧美福利在线观看| 亚洲精品乱码久久久久久不卡| 狠狠干2022| 亲密爱人免费观看完整版| 男人让女人爽30分钟免费| 免费看的成人yellow视频| 精品人妻少妇一区二区三区在线 | 征服人妇系列200| 久久久久亚洲AV成人网| 日本高清视频网址| 久久天天躁狠狠躁夜夜不卡 | 无限资源日产好片| 久久亚洲国产精品五月天| 日本按摩xxxx| 天天操夜夜操免费视频| 久久se精品一区精品二区| 日本tvvivodes人妖|