Melissa Sim tracks down a man who brings the Olympics to street kids.

In Beijing

WHEN Paul Qin knew the Olympics was going to Beijing seven years ago, it inspired him to to do something for society.

His dream - turn street kids into translators for the Games.

In 2003, Mr Qin, 48, who is retired, bought an apartment in the town of Zhang Mu Tou, near Hong Kong, and befriended all the street kids who were begging or collecting bottles to make a living. He then spoke to their parents about taking them off the street and teaching them foreign languages.

Mr Qin speaks Mandarin, English, Japanese, Spanish and Korean, but never attended language classes.

Photo: Melissa Sim

In fact the high school graduate's first job had nothing to do with languages - he was a bellboy.

"I wasn't a good learner," he said. "But I knew that if I wanted to survive, I would need a skill." So he started learning Japanese on his own.

And when he mastered the language, he started working as a Japanese tour guide. He later also became a part-time Japanese teacher.

"I started earning HK$30,000 to HK$40,000 a month which was a lot of money over 20 years back," said Mr Qin. He then made money through real estate investments in Hong Kong and this money is what he lives off now.

His Japanese wife and children live in Japan, but Mr Qin said he wanted to come back to China to share his knowledge of languages.

Five children took up his offer. So Mr Qin fed, clothed, and housed them and taught them languages every day for four and a half year, all the time working towards to goal of taking them to the Beijing Olympics to be translators.

Said Ms Zhang: "Lessons were very relaxed. We would talk to each other for six to seven hours each day. That's how we learnt."

The team are not official translators of the Olympics, but station themselves at crowded beijing areas with a sign that informs tourists of their free translation services.

Jenny, who has mastered English and Japanese, said she helps about 50 people a day. Usually just giving directions to popular tourist spots.

Mr Qin is proud of his students but was quick to add that "everyone can learn a new language. It's just a matter of having the chance."

Asked if he will continue teaching street children now that his Olympics dream has been fulfilled, Mr Qin said: "If you love your job, you won't stop."