When Mwendanga Musengo travelled from his home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to study in China in 1997, he could not help but notice the difference between Africa and China's music and dance cultures.

In his homeland, people often gather in the streets after supper to sing and dance, but it seemed to Musengo that most Chinese people were too shy to do so.

Forty-year-old Congolese PhD student Mwendanga Musengo and his family in Beijing. [China Daily]

However, Musengo soon found that China has its own street activity yangge, a kind of dance accompanied by drums and gongs.

"Although I don't know how to dance it, I like watching yangge very much," said Musengo.

At first studying music in China, Musengo started at the Shanghai Conservatory, before moving to the Central Conservatory.

He then took a master's degree in journalism at the Central University for Nationalities, and is now studying for a PhD in anthropology at the Renmin University of China.

Having lived in China for nine years, Musengo says he will probably stay here for most of the rest of his life, since he now has a family here.

He met Jiang Yuanbin, who he later married, in 1999. At the time Jiang was studying French at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

They came to know each other while attending an event sponsored by the French programme of China Radio International, which they both listen to. Musengo and Jiang married in 2002, and now have two sons.

"Both my father and mother have passed away, so now my wife's parents are my parents," said Musengo. "Every Spring Festival we go to my wife's home in Zhengzhou. It feels like my own home."

Musengo gave his first son the Congolese name Kamole, which means "light," while his father-in-law gave the boy the Chinese name Shijia, which means "guest of the world."

His second son also has a Congolese name and a Chinese name: Muluzi which means "prince," and "Shijie" which means "talent of the world."

Kamole looks more like his father, while Muluzi more like his mother, but Kamole has Chinese citizenship while Muluzi has a Congolese citizenship.

"I hope that they will come to understand both Chinese and Congolese culture, and will contribute to the exchanges between the two nations," said Musengo.

"They have already helped build bonds between me and my neighbours."

When Musengo firstly moved into his apartment in Beijing's Daxing District, he did not have much contact with his neighbours, and felt like an outsider.

But after his sons were born, he came to know more and more of his neighbours, with his children often playing with other kids in the neibourhood.

"Some people regarded me as a stranger at first, but there were no obstacles between our children," he said. "My sons have helped me integrate myself into the community."

Musengo has not got the right to permanent residence in China, which he sees as tricky to acquire, as any foreigner who marries a Congolese can automatically get the right to permanent residence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Fortunately Musengo has been married for four years, close to the five years required to become a permanent resident.

Talking about the future, he said he hoped his family could live in both China and Africa.

"My country has very rich resources. If only we can develop a stable political situation, the economy will soon catch up," said Musengo. "In this respect, Congo has much to learn from China."

Musengo the ideal solution would be for he and his family to spend every Christmas in Congo, and every Spring Festival in China.