German-American influencer Rachel (RachelR Star), with deep roots in the Greater Bay Area, has a father from Germany and a mother from the United States, who met and married while working in Hong Kong. Rachel attended kindergarten in the city, where she first learned Cantonese. In 2002, her family moved to Dongguan, and she now resides in Guangzhou.
Understanding China through dialect differences
A childhood language experience has left a lasting impression on her. "We all look quite similar, and sometimes I could understand what they were saying, but once class started, I couldn't understand a word," she recalls, feeling confused when she first arrived in Dongguan. For a long time, she couldn't distinguish between Mandarin and Cantonese and even thought she disliked her teacher. Her parents were also not well-versed in the two Chinese language systems. "I asked my mom how to say 'trash can' in Chinese, and she could only tell me the Cantonese term 'laap saap tung,' not realizing it was Cantonese." Rachel had to rely on listening and mimicking to gradually learn both languages, sometimes pretending to understand even when she didn't. This confidence allowed her to switch seamlessly between Mandarin, Cantonese, and English.
Rachel completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at Xiamen University, where she began creating short videos. Initially obsessed with beauty, she often directed and performed her own makeup tutorials in her mind: "Today, we will use this foundation." She laughs, recalling how she thought she was going crazy but didn't want to have regrets, so she filmed her first beauty tutorial. Fortunately, her third video went viral, surpassing 100,000 views. "I still remember sitting in the living room with my mom, constantly refreshing the data and excitedly shouting, 'Oh my gosh, I gained two more followers!'"
Rejecting formulaic cross-cultural expression
After consistently producing beauty content for three to four years, the repetitive nature of testing lipsticks and foundations left her feeling spiritually drained. She decided to switch gears, gradually transitioning from beauty videos to family life vlogs and cultural exchange topics.
As a foreign creator fluent in Mandarin, Rachel is aware of her inherent communication advantages but is unwilling to exploit this identity. "I don't want to be the kind of influencer who just films 'foreigners trying jiaozi for the first time.' That's just a low-bar attention grab," she states. "The time people spend watching my videos is precious, and I don't want to waste it." She insists on sharing stories that she genuinely loves and finds worth telling, balancing both fun and authenticity in her content.
Guangzhou, a city where one can live without a masquerade
Having lived in Guangdong for many years, Rachel particularly enjoys Guangzhou's relaxed and down-to-earth atmosphere. "Here, you don't need to wear a mask to live; you don't have to pretend to be someone else when you go out. You can live very freely and comfortably." In her spare time, she loves exploring Guangzhou's history. Standing in front of the Chigang Tower, built in 1619, she can't help but urge, "Many people are filming the Canton Tower, but we should also showcase our tower from 1619; it's beautiful too."
For Rachel, learning the local language is a form of respect. Besides "thank you" and "please," phrases like "Where can I scan the QR code?" are essential for living in China. The Greater Bay Area has long been her home, and she hopes to present a vivid and multi-dimensional view of everyday life in China through her lens.
(Reporter: Ella Qu; Camerapeople: Rachel Liu, Shuai Cheng; Video Editor: Ella Qu; English Editor: Rachel Liu, Darius)
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