STORY: American vlogger records vibrant rural life in E China
SHOOTING TIME: Aug. 14, 2024
DATELINE: Aug. 23, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:10
LOCATION: RIZHAO, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Ryan Norman shooting TikTok videos 
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): RYAN NORMAN, American vlogger
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): RYAN NORMAN, American vlogger

STORYLINE:

Ryan Norman, originally from California, USA, has been living in Rizhao, a coastal city in eastern China's Shandong Province, for 18 years.

Proficient in Chinese, he gained popularity as a vlogger two years ago by sharing videos on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, where he highlights local customs and food culture.

Norman arrived in Rizhao in 2006 for work and married a Chinese woman. After many years in China, he grew fond of Chinese culture and witnessed the nation's rapid development.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): RYAN NORMAN, American vlogger
"My first thought was to travel. I went to Europe, I went to Africa, I went to China, and then I found China. I love China, I love the food, and the people. The changes are big. I mean you still see the construction going on. The development is very quick. You have the infrastructure, the train stations, the highways. They're all world-class."

Since the end of 2022, Norman teamed up with local Chinese friends under the Chinese name "Lei Ge," which means "Brother Lei," to make videos that capture local cultural customs.

Inspired by the vibrant rural bazaars, known for their vivid stalls, charming atmosphere, and lively energy, he decided to concentrate the theme of the videos on traditional markets in the area.

In more than a year, Norman and his Chinese partners created over 100 videos that rapidly gained popularity online, gathering a following of over one million.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): RYAN NORMAN, American vlogger
"I go into the rural areas. I can understand the people more. You can travel anywhere in China and find the best food in the rural areas, not a five-star restaurant. So I think the first thing is to understand the culture through food and then also the language. You need to learn some of the language to understand the culture."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Rizhao, China.
(XHTV)