Striking up a conversation with a man or woman in Zhuhai is easy. Just ask, "Where are you from?" Although there are no official figures, it is estimated that more than two-thirds of the population in this city in Guangdong province are sojourners.

With the cities of Macao and Hong Kong next door, and the industrial hubs of Guangzhou and Shenzhen just an hour away by public transport, Zhuhai has grown from a village to a bustling metropolis.

Founded in 1979, the city was among China's first four special economic zones, designated in 1980. Then-leader Deng Xiaoping's words, "Zhuhai Special Economic Zone is good", are etched into a wall at Gongbei Port that is a much-photographed spot.

Zhuhai was home to 1.56 million people by the end of 2010, compared with 360,700 in 1979, according to the city's bureau of statistics.

Hundreds of thousands of Chinese from inner regions have headed here since the 1980s, and as a result the city's common tongue is Mandarin, rather than Cantonese, which is heard throughout other parts of Guangdong.

While wandering the aisles of grocery stores or jogging along the beach, it is possible to hear many different dialects from across China.

However, many of the migrants who have witnessed Zhuhai's development now stand at a crossroads: Do they settle in the city, or do they still feel like outsiders?

Here, three people share their stories.

1 Qi Xiaonan, now in her 40s, came to Zhuhai in the early 1990s from Beijing after graduating from college.

My generation, when we were younger, had this thing about the south coast. I just wanted to get away from home, away from parents.

It was difficult at the beginning, heading straight into the job market. Students used to be assigned work by the government or a university, but we were among the first graduates who had to go out and find jobs for ourselves.

It was hard, but I'm proud I witnessed the glorious change in Zhuhai; the ups, the downs and the excitement about the Giant building (a 70-story skyscraper that was planned but never built because of debt issues).

There were rarely people on the street in the early 1990s. It would have been hard for a nonnative who didn't speak Cantonese when I arrived. I studied the language intensively for three months and found a job in Macao. I was the only employee from the north in an office of about 20. Now, not knowing Cantonese is no problem in the workplace. I think more than 70 percent of residents now speak Mandarin.

I'm a music and culture fan, but back in the early days this place was a cultural desert. I felt like I was living in a plastic city. There was one bookstore, compared with Beijing, which was filled with them, as well as newsstands. I was lost.

The city has been working to develop a cultural character. Avant-garde artists have moved in, and the place will always have its natural beauty. It's like a garden, good for all outdoor activities. The mountains are just an hour away by car. And my parents fly here in the winter to escape the cold.

I was born in Beijing, but when I travel now I tell people I'm a "Zhuhaier".

2 Qiao Ye, 26, is from northeastern Jilin province and has spent eight years in Zhuhai.

I feel as though I blend in Zhuhai. That doesn't mean I've decided to stay, though.

This is an immigrant city. It has a tolerant attitude toward different cultures from across the country, and unlike other parts of Guangdong, such as Chaoshan, the locals are more agreeable.

When I first arrived in September 2007, as a freshman at Beijing Normal University's Zhuhai campus, I remember the leaves were falling at home, but here they were still lush and green. After graduation, I got a job at the city's environmental detection center.

I've got used to the warm weather of the south coast, but I still feel like an outsider. For me, Jilin is still where I call home. I go back every Spring Festival to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Working here has not been difficult. I can't speak Cantonese, but I can understand some. In Zhuhai, it doesn't matter. Nearby, in Guangzhou or Hong Kong, if you can't speak it, you'll never blend in.

Like I say, I've settled, my hukou (household registration) is now in Zhuhai, and I have lots of friends here. But I haven't bought an apartment. I'm not sure if I will.

Maybe I'll stay, maybe I'll move on.

3 Wang Bo, 30, has been an assistant professor at Beijing Normal University's Zhuhai campus since the fall of 2013.

This is a city for living, rather than just a place for transition. Migrants in Beijing and Shenzhen, they endure living in basements and commute in crowded subways for hours. Those places are just to gain experience or resources, somewhere to dig gold on a temporary basis.

I'm a native of Beijing, but I couldn't afford to buy a house. It's too expensive.

My friends here like the place; it has a relaxed and friendly environment. It's not a case of people being ready to leave at any time.

As well as Beijing, I also lived in Hong Kong before settling in Zhuhai. I prefer a less stressful environment to conduct my research. At my university, I can get on with projects that have pragmatic purpose or offer a community service, not only focus on academic research and publishing papers. As an assistant professor of psychology, I'd say I'm pretty practical and down to the earth.

The weather is also a factor in liking Zhuhai. My wife is from northern Hubei province and prefers the weather in the south. She's now studying in Hong Kong. It's very convenient to travel between Zhuhai and Hong Kong, also Shenzhen. We're close to all the megacities in the Pearl River Delta.

My parents still live in Beijing and they support my decision to stay. I don't know what the future holds, but I plan to be here for at least five more years.

luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/04/2015 page7)