Old man thrills China's netizens with his drive to master English

A 64-year-old sanitation worker in northeast China was brought into focus for writing English on the side of the road with chalk, an official WeChat account of Heilongjiang’s Xinwen Yehang reported.

The man, surnamed Wang, is a sanitation worker in northeast China's Harbin in Heilongjiang Province.

Wang has learned English for more than 10 years, practicing whenever he is free. Remembering vocabulary, writing English words, finishing discarded English test papers and practicing oral English with strangers, the old man tries very hard to improve his English.

Every Monday morning, Wang will ask for a leave to take English lessons at a university for senior citizens. 

In his teachers' and classmates’ minds, he is one of the most diligent students in the class, taking notes of everything and asking questions whenever he doesn't understand something.

Netizens praised the old man’s learning spirit after reading his story. “One is never too old to learn — this is a good example for young people to follow,” one person commented. "I feel ashamed!" another joked. "The old man is better than me!"

Wang is a firm believer in believing in yourself. “I am a beginner,” he said. “But if you think you can, you can!”