Mike, a "Xi'an local" from France, first got to know the city of Xi'an in 2001 when he was working as a tour guide in his hometown Bordeaux. He met a group of fifty to sixty Xi'an dancer performers visiting France to put on a performance. The performers were dressed in Tang-style costumes with long sleeves, and their performance left him stunned. As Mike spent more time with the team, he found these Xi'an performers very talented, hearty, and warm. They soon became friends. Because of this encounter, Mike decided to visit Xi’an in China.

Mike initially came to Xi'an for travel but was captivated by the city's delicious food and historical sites right away, which prompted him to settle down there. Twenty-three years later, he can speak the Xi'an dialect fluently. Now, Mike has a warm family in Xi'an. He marries a local girl and has a lovely child. As a language teacher, he also creates language-teaching videos and publishes them on Chinese and international social media platforms. He likes to be called "Teacher Mike." 

As a language learner and now a language teacher, Mike deeply appreciates how language serves as a bridge between people. "Mobile payment is like a language in itself," he says. Whether you're a Chinese or a foreigner in the country, you can use Alipay to do most things in life." Mike is now pretty used to mobile payments in China. Whether dining out, shopping, or taking the subway, he uses Alipay.

Given his work in language education, Mike believes that Alipay's translation service, which supports 16 languages, can also facilitate cross-cultural communication. When foreign friends come to Xi'an, he recommends using Alipay, which is very convenient. He wants them to experience the ease of mobile payments in China as he did.

Mike, who has lived in Xi'an for 23 years, shared, "I have seen Xi'an grow. The environment here keeps improving, and living here is becoming more convenient. With an increasing number of foreigners like me traveling to and living in Xi'an, I hope to bring the beauty of Xi'an and China to a wider audience."