[Video provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Pakistan native Irene is a teacher at the Qilu Institute of Technology, which is located in Qufu, the birthplace of the great ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius.

She came to China in 2017 and found Qufu to be a peaceful city to live in. According to Irene, her daughter loves traditional Chinese culture and can even speak fluent Chinese.

"Qufu is a combination of ancient and modern, with advanced facilities and transportation," said Irene.

Like many foreigners, Irene encountered a language barrier upon her arrival in Qufu. But she has received much support from her colleagues and the locals to overcome this challenge.

"Qufu people always try their best to help you. When I'm shopping in a supermarket, the staff members always give me a helping hand," she added.

Irene, who has been a teacher since 2008, said that she has been inspired by the learnings of Confucius since working in Qufu.

"Confucius views on education have a great influence on modern teachers like me. Although we are teachers in different eras, we share the same thoughts beyond time and space," she said.

Speaking about the future, Irene said that she will stay in China for as long as she is needed.

Jining in Foreigners' Eyes is a series of short clips focusing on expats living and working in Jining and sharing their experiences in the city. Watch this episode to learn more!