Meet Captain Johnson from Barbados

In Nanshan's University Town, Joshua Koebe Johnson from Barbados, a Caribbean country, is a "building captain" who helps other expats blend into the local community.

At 27, Johnson is pursuing a doctoral program at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (Tsinghua SIGS). He arrived in Shenzhen last year after completing a master's program in Beijing.

Joshua Koebe Johnson (C) poses for a photo with family and friends after his commencement ceremony in Beijing last year. File photos

Having experienced the care and warmth of China's grassroots services, Johnson happily joined the service team and became the first expat building captain registered in Nanshan District at the beginning of this year.

Speaking fluent Chinese, he assists with the daily management of his dormitory building.

He has helped improve bilingual signage in the community, assisted with safety inspections, organized cultural exchange activities, and collected feedback from residents.

Before the winter break in January, he visited the residents in his building to remind them of household safety precautions and visa‑related matters, and to give them gifts of Chinese New Year decorations.

"It's meaningful to serve the community. I can help make daily life a little smoother for others. Besides, this is a good opportunity for me to get involved in local life beyond the classroom. It helps me improve my Chinese language skills, deepen cultural understanding, and build a stronger bond with the SIGS community," he said.

Joshua Koebe Johnson (2nd L), together with local community workers, presents a "fu" character written on red paper to a SIGS international student (2nd R) ahead of the Chinese New Year.

"I was impressed by China's grassroots services. In my country, if a stranger knocks on your door, you may be surprised or even feel nervous and worry that something bad might happen. Here in China, though, people are willing to open the door and chat with the grassroots service staff. Perhaps that's because the community is quite safe and we have built trust in people over time."

During one visit, Johnson provided useful information to a Georgian woman who wanted to register for a free Chinese‑language course.

Grassroots services consist of numerous small details — explaining the visa application process, reminding someone about the deadline for handling documents, helping settle a small conflict, or even finding someone a computer repairman.

Joshua Koebe Johnson (R) takes part in a cultural exchange event in Nanshan District.

Liu Huanrong, an official with the Taoyuan Subdistrict social work service station, said Johnson has been a great help. "Our subdistrict has more than 4,000 international students, and Johnson is a valuable asset to us. His language skills and cheerful personality help us better reach out to expat residents," Liu said.