Ahad is selling Afghan goods in his shop which is located in Kunming. [Photo/Chen Yingying]

A state of drifting, to Ahad, is not as dreamlike as many other people may long for. His motherland Afghanistan has endured warfare for dozens of years. Even though Ahad is only 22 years old, he had moved from one place to another in many countries.

Drifting around many countries before coming to China

At a younger age, Ahad had rove with parents to Pakistan. As his uncle ran business in Austria, he had also lived there before.

Before his arrival in China, his family have just settled down in Kabul for a few years. At that time, he studied in an Afghan university and was majored in economy. However, it did not last long, he was asked to do business with Chinese, together with his uncle only after the first semester in the university. "I could also learn economy in the process of actual operation, " Ahad explained.

"I will attend a good-sized expo that includes over 100 companies in Italy soon, " Ahad told.

Due to his rich experiences, he can speak several languages, Pushtu, Urdu, English, and a little Chinese.

"I think I can accept cultural diversities now, " Ahad defines himself, "My life seems like drifting on a small boat." Actually, he had been resettling in different cities in China.

Loving both China and Kunming due to various reasons

Ahad, has been in China for over 2 years. "Chinese people are as friendly as our Afghanistani; China has a very long history like Afghanistan," Ahad thought that China and his motherland Afghanistan share many similarities.

Compared with living in other countries, he loves to live in China most. "When I stroll on the streets, I don't have to worry that foreign police may rush out to check my passport or visa. Furthermore, I don't need to consider that time in evenings are late or not if I want to go out for a walk. In contrast, Afghan people usually feel scared to walk out of houses after 9 o'clock. "

Ahad explained some reasons why he loves China. To him, it is very easy to find a sense of safety while living here.

The first city he has ever been in China is Shanghai, a metropolis in the country. Ahad attended the Shanghai World Expo 2010 there, and had dwelt in the city for half a year. He sold Afghanistan-featured handicrafts and colorful jewelries at the expo with his uncle and other relatives. Then, he took part in another large-scale exhibition held in Xinjiang, northwestern China.

Now, Ahad rents an apartment in Kunming with his elder brother Safiu since their uncle had established a foreign company mainly engaging in Afghan goods. Ahad and Safiu are responsible for daily works in the company and manage shop in turn.

Having lived in Kunming for over one year, Ahad is loving this city. "I have a quirky idea, " he said, "When I stayed in Kunming, I always missed my mom, dad, fiancee, and brothers in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan; but after I came back to home in Kabul to accompany my relatives, I began to miss Kunming."Ahad stressed that climates, friends, work in Kunming can trigger his concerns over this city.

Longing for a stable life at home

However, "If possible, I would rather only live in my motherland Afghanistan for a long time," Ahad said. He supposed that he lived in Kabul, he could accompany his heart-loved relatives every day, and earn regular salaries. "If so, it is not necessary for me to get employment visa here then. "

Ahad said that in Afghanistan many young people at his ages could not find suitable jobs or even have no chances to work. "Thank god. I'm a lucky guy and don't have to face difficulties that other young Afghan people may encounter. "

A sign that Ahad keeps many beautiful photos of ancient architectures taken in 1967 in his iPhone proves that Ahad strongly wishes quick rehabilitation in Afghanistan. "Look, at that time, many western tourists came to visit Kabul as it had such grand architectures, " Ahad was proud of showing former brilliance and glory of the country to the journalist. He indeed dreams of stable life.

　　 (Editors: Cathy Chen, Lynn)