I recently came across a Chinese song on Weibo that instantly stood out: It was sung by a blond-haired, blue-eyed Australian who goes by the name of Hazza. It’s not very common to come across foreigners living in China who fully embrace local language and culture, so I just had to track him down and have a chat.
Hazza’s new song “I Was Wrong”
Q: Tell us a bit about yourself.
A: My name is Harry Harding, but everyone calls me Hazza, and I am a radio and television host at Guangdong Radio and Television in Guangzhou. I also do a little bit of singing here and there too. I’m from Brisbane, Australia, and instead of telling people I just turned 30 this year, I prefer to say I’m a ‘90s kid.
Q: When did you come to China and why?
A: I first came to China in 2004 on a school trip. We went to Beijing for seven days and did all of the touristy things, including climbing the Great Wall and visiting the Forbidden City. I visited China a number of times since then, including on trips with my family, and a couple of trips alone to visit high-school classmates from China in their hometowns over the school holidays, and then a couple of months at Zhejiang University on an exchange trip during university. Then I finally made the move to China in 2011.
Q: That’s a long time! How do your parents feel about you being away?
A: For the first few years that I was here, I think my parents were hoping that I would eventually make it back to Australia, but now after nearly 10 years, I think they have made peace with the fact that I’m probably here for the long haul. I know they miss me a lot, as I do them, but they are also happy for me that I am enjoying my life here and get to work in a position that I very much enjoy.
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