Wang Jingli wangjingli0715@163.com HAVING settled in Shenzhen for over three years, Andy Carney, from the United Kingdom, has observed the city’s rapid development and growing number of opportunities. However, Carney did not hold this view prior to arriving in the city in late 2020. In fact, he had been hesitant about relocating to Shenzhen from Shanghai, where he had lived for about a decade. Interest in Chinese Fluent in Chinese, Carney’s interest in the language began while he was learning Wing Chun, a form of kung fu made famous in the West by Bruce Lee, in the U.K. “My ‘shifu’ [mentor] still used some Chinese terms in teaching, which gradually sparked my interest in the language,” he explained. While studying Chinese at the University of Sheffield, Carney participated in an exchange program with Nanjing University in East China’s Jiangsu Province. Following this, he decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2009. New opportunity Carney is currently the user experience (UX) writing manager at AfterShip, a company based in Qianhai. UX writers create the text that guides users through digital product interfaces in a clear and intuitive manner. AfterShip provides software services to other businesses in the global e-commerce industry. “When users have to stop and think about what something means while using the interface, it indicates a failure on my part,” explained Carney. He emphasized that his role should be largely invisible during the user experience. Although UX writing is a relatively new field, the demand for it is significant and growing. Carney said, “Shenzhen has many hardware companies, and now, with the rise of software companies, the demand [for UX writers] is also increasing.” AfterShip’s primary goal is to empower e-commerce businesses worldwide with a top-tier automation platform. This platform offers tools across more than 10 areas, including logistics tracking, returns management, and multi-carrier shipping. Shenzhen’s e-commerce industry has become a vital driver of cross-border trade. There are over 150,000 cross-border e-commerce export enterprises in Shenzhen currently, according to the local commerce bureau. Nearly half of the Chinese sellers on platforms such as Alibaba International Station, AliExpress, Lazada, and eBay are based in Shenzhen. Additionally, Shenzhen sellers account for one-third of Chinese sellers on Amazon. Carney believes that this environment will help create job opportunities for professionals in related fields. To assist those interested in UX writing, he wrote an e-book titled “UX Writing for Beginners: The Complete Guide to UX Writing: Templates, Tips & Tactics,” which is available on Amazon. “When I first started out in UX writing, there were very few books on the subject. No Facebook groups, hardly any Medium articles, no mentors to turn to for help. This book holds everything I have curated and developed since starting out,” Carney wrote in the book’s introduction. The book has achieved several bestseller rankings on Amazon’s Kindle store, including No. 1 in technical writing reference, No. 1 in documentation and technical writing, and No. 1 in website design. He also has a YouTube channel about UX writing. Open, inclusive SZ Although Carney didn’t arrive in Shenzhen during its fastest growing phase, he has witnessed new infrastructure being constructed and shopping malls opening in Qianhai, where he works, and in Bao’an District’s Bihaiwan, where he lives. However, Carney’s affection for Shenzhen lies primarily in its people. “Everyone is so open. People are very supportive and willing to help,” he remarked. Speaking of this support, Carney said he once encountered an issue while handling an administrative task in Qianhai and went to a service center for assistance. “The staff there were very nice and helped me correct my mistake. They even added me on WeChat to make future interactions easier.” Carney believes that the friendliness and willingness of Shenzhen residents to help others can be attributed to the fact that many of them were not born in the city. He believes that Shenzhen is one of the most suitable cities for non-Chinese people who want to live in China. With residents from various regions across the country, expats can experience and learn about the rich diversity of Chinese culture while still enjoying an international atmosphere. Discussing the city’s expat community, Carney said, “Although Shenzhen has fewer expats than Shanghai, I think that smaller community makes people closer to each other.” For recreation, Carney loves Shenzhen’s natural environment and finds it very enjoyable. “You don’t have to travel far to enjoy the sea and go hiking. I can admire beautiful sunsets outside my office in Qianhai, and I really enjoy watching the sunset after a long workday,” he said. | 