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The country has offered him more chances to promote his work, he says. He is able to find solutions for soil problems by discussing them with government officials.

He has also developed a liking for Changsha, especially the spicy Hunan dishes.

"People, especially senior citizens are dancing every evening and everywhere. It's a sign that they are happy and the city is happy," Matychenkov says, adding that foreigners have to stay in smaller cities like Changsha, instead of Beijing and Shanghai, to truly experience different local lifestyles.

Matychenkov's Chinese colleagues call him "Old Ma".

They have also taken him on several trips to scenic spots and smaller cities of the province and to other parts of China. Matychenkov's wife, Elena Bocharnikova, who is also a soil scientist, has been on a couple such trips while visiting him last year.

In October, Matychenkov received the Friendship Award, the top honor given by the central government to foreigners who've made significant contribution to China's development in various fields.

"The award is fantastic and unbelievable," says Matychenkov, who attended the ceremony in Beijing with Bocharnikova.

Matychenkov admits that he was a little shocked when he became the first award winner to shake hands with Premier Li Keqiang during a meeting the day after the presentation ceremony, and believes that it showed the importance of ties between China and Russia, his homeland.

Matychenkov says relations between the two nations have become even stronger in the recent years.

"Many of my friends and fellow scientists in Russia are looking forward to working in China. ... They often joke that I am one step ahead of them," says Matychenkov. "I hope I can continue to work in China."

Contact the writers through liuxiangrui@chinadaily.com.cn