This young man, Á lvaro Lorite L ó pez from Spain, rides his bicycle from the bustling city to the quiet alleys of Beijing, from the North Second Ring Road to the East Second Ring Road. Although he has crossed half the globe, in this magical land of Beijing, he can always feel a few familiar scenes – perhaps the aroma of rice wafting from the alleys and alleys, perhaps the lingering warmth of the sunset shining on everyone's satisfied faces, perhaps the friendship of "having a cup with a stranger" pushing cups and exchanging glasses… This makes him vaguely feel: "Maybe I am in Madrid" "Maybe I am Chinese". These countless vivid moments make him truly feel the warmth of "home". Having worked and lived in China for 3 years, Luo Ji has been experiencing and understanding China up close in his own way; He will also use his own experience and expertise to bring the 'China fever' to people around him and to Latin American countries.
Childhood aspiration: to go to China and become a journalist
Luo Ji still remembers that when he was young, he was deeply attracted to Chinese objects from his friends' homes.
He told china.com.cn that "there are all kinds of things about China in his home, including Chinese Loong, cups, bowls, and even his dog." These "Chinese flavors" are "faithful reminders" of childhood memories.
When it comes to impressions of Chinese people, Luo Ji said that in the eyes of Spaniards, Chinese people are very introverted. But my friend's father said that Chinese people are "very enthusiastic, they seem to want to give you everything".
Luo Ji envies his friend's father, who is a journalist in China. From then on, Luo Ji set a lofty aspiration in his heart to become a journalist in China like his friend's father when he grew up.
Two way journey: China has chosen me
Luoji's childhood dream finally came true 30 years later.
Nowadays, Luo Ji works for the China Foreign Languages Bureau's "Today's China" and his daily job is to plan and operate a podcast program called "China Hot Words" – interpreting the most popular Chinese keywords in Spanish and analyzing the most authentic China.
This in-depth interpretation of "Chinese buzzwords" stems from Luo Ji's love for China since childhood, and more importantly, from his sincerity in measuring China with his footsteps in the past decade.
In 2016, with a love for China and the Chinese language, Luo Ji set foot on Chinese soil for the first time. Through the Confucius Institute program in Spain, Luo Ji entered Zhejiang Normal University to study Chinese and obtained the HSK Level 4 certificate with excellent grades. To reward himself, Luo Ji embarked on a "spontaneous journey" and set his destination in Yunnan. There, he met his best friend in China and unlocked his first Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. That 'true encounter' reconstructed Luo Ji's understanding of China and Chinese people: Chinese friends made me feel like I was at home.
The brief journey of studying laid the foundation for Luo Ji's decision to officially come to China for work and settlement. In 2023, the position of Professor of Spanish Literature at Peking University provided him with a ladder to work in China. After completing two years of teaching, he regained his original aspiration and became a "Chinese speaking" Spanish journalist. He candidly stated, "Perhaps it was not me who chose China, but China who chose me." He summarized this as "fate.
During his one-year tenure at China Today, he conducted interviews in various parts of China such as Sichuan, Guangdong, and Jiangxi, presenting a real and three-dimensional China more clearly before his eyes. The pace of life in Beijing is a bit fast. However, Sichuanese people often drink tea and play mahjong, which is a bit like Spaniards. "As he gradually understood China, he also increasingly realized the" similarities "between Chinese and Spanish people – extreme hospitality, friendliness towards people around him and even strangers, protection of traditional culture, reverence for history and nature… All of this even made him and his friends have life reflections such as" Are we in Madrid? "And" I may be Chinese.
Future plan: Half in China
In the new episode of the podcast "Chinese Hot Words", Luo Ji will launch a series of stories about the Chinese zodiac. This year is also the Year of the Horse. I know that young people of Latin American descent are very interested in zodiac stories. With the cultural awakening of "Becoming Chinese" and "Chinese Mind," the mysterious East is attracting more and more attention from overseas young people. Luo Ji is no longer satisfied with telling his family and friends about China, but encourages them to go into China and understand it themselves.
For Luo Ji, China is not only a place of career, but also a place of emotional attachment. In the future, Luo Ji plans to live a life of "half in China and half in Spain". China provides new stories and perspectives every day, which is full of charm for a journalist.
Producer: Xue Lisheng
Producer: Cai Xiaojuan
Planning: Liu Jia
Overall Planning: Han Yajie
Text: Sun Xiaotong
Executive Director: Zhang Shuo
Filming: Hu Bojun, Xu Ze, Ni Junqi
AI production: Zhang Yulin, Li Jingyu
Post production: Zhang Shuo and Ni Junqi
Visual: Tao Yihui
Promotion: Liu Qianding will surpass Ni Jingjing, Chang Yao, Shen Xue, Jin Chunxi, Chen Yuehan
Translation: Xu Guizhi
Editor: Wang Yuebo