Shangri-La helps Shenyang become more foreigner friendly

Liaoning University sophomore student Xing Yuxin won the chance to work for a day with Raymond Teo, general manager of the Shangri-La Hotel in Shenyang.

The youngster gained the opportunity after her outstanding performance in the Standardize Bilingual Public Signs public service event on Jan 11.

"I am happy to have this precious present given by the top hotel in the world. It is inspiring for me and I really appreciate it," she said.

The event was held by China Daily's Liaoning Office and the Shenyang Information Office and aims to promote an international image and build an English-friendly city.

More than 500 local and foreign volunteers joined in and nearly 1,000 inappropriate public signs were identified in the city.

Delegates from local universities and high schools, international chambers and the Shenyang Youth Volunteers Association shared experiences and exchanged views at the Standardize Bilingual Public Signs Summing-Up Meeting at the Shangri-La Hotel, Shenyang on Jan 11.

"There are really a lot of inappropriate public signs in our life here," said Adam Roy, executive chef at the Shangri-La Hotel, Shenyang. "I think this kind of activity can improve the city's image and it is good for building an international Shenyang."

"It will definitely help attract more foreigners to the city in the future," Roy said.

The expat joined in the event as a volunteer and gave his opinion on the translations of Shenyang signs.

For example, he helped revise the translation of the area's local ice cream from "Zhongjie Frozen Novelties" to "Center Street Popsicles".

"I take translation very seriously as I am really not happy when my customers don't understand what they are eating when I make a special menu or do new food at the Shangri-La," Roy said.

"My team and I work very hard to get the translations right so customers can get excited about what they are about to eat and order," he said. "It has been my number one battle in my four short years in China."

To further advance the city's public services the Shenyang Volunteer Association for International Construction was set up at the meeting.

The new volunteer association gained support from the Shangri-La Hotel, Shenyang. The hotel regularly joins in other public service events.

In 2003, the hotel signed a 10-year contract with Liaoning Guangming School to provide pupils with a more family-like learning atmosphere and work experience to help prepare them for the outside world.

The school was established in 1965 and is the largest orphanage in the country. It is home to more than 1,500 orphans and is China's only social service school with both nine-year compulsory education and vocational education.

The contract is part of Shangri-La's corporate social responsibility initiative known as "Embrace of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts", which started in 2009. As part of the project, every Shangri-La Hotel promised to cooperate with an organization, including schools, rehabilitation centers or orphanages, to provide support for infrastructure construction, fundraising and internships.

"Currently there is a gap between what university graduates can offer and what society requires. We think we can help bridge the gap," said General Manager Teo.

"Fifty percent of our guests are foreigners. We can provide a platform for the students to interact with our guests and also to see how a hotel works," Teo said. "We can get them more involved and they can improve themselves."

Contact the writers at liuce@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 02/14/2015 page10)