Editor's note: Waddy Thwin, 55, is from Myanmar and has been teaching her country's language at Guangxi University for Nationalities for six years. She speaks to China Daily reporter Zhao Xinying.

I came to China in October 2008 after I retired from the University of Foreign Languages, Yangon, where I taught the Myanmar language to international students for 21 years. Most of the students were from China.

Before I came, I had never imagined that I would work in a foreign country because I was afraid that I couldn't adapt well to life in other countries, not to mention my poor health.