by Xinhua writers Hua Hongli, Lucas Liganga

DAR ES SALAAM, May 10 (Xinhua) -- As the sun sets over Dar es Salaam, casting a warm orange glow over the bustling city, a different kind of light begins to shine in a classroom at the University of Dar es Salaam's Confucius Institute.

Beneath the soft hum of ceiling fans, a diverse group of young Tanzanians gathers, including young professionals, eager entrepreneurs, fresh graduates and curious teenagers. Their eyes are fixed on the Chinese teacher, whose voice is gentle yet confident.

Among the students is 29-year-old entrepreneur Rajabu Seleman Malugu, a regular in the front row. Dressed neatly in a striped shirt, he leans forward with a poised pen and an open notebook. For Rajabu, learning Chinese is more than a cultural curiosity -- it is a business strategy.

"I realize that to expand my business, I need to understand the language and culture of my biggest market, which is China," he said. "Chinese people are masters of marketing. Even their advertisements inspire me. I want to learn from them, to speak their language, and perhaps one day, trade with them directly."

A few seats away sits Bhoke Juma Chacha, a 25-year-old aquatic science graduate. For her, Mandarin offers a gateway to new horizons.

"Learning Chinese is not just about language," she said. "It is about access -- access to jobs, access to travel, access to a world that values this language."

Bhoke has her sights set on a career in international trade or diplomacy. But she is also drawn by the beauty of the language itself. "Writing Chinese characters is like drawing pictures. It is an art. But it is also a challenge. One stroke can change the entire meaning," she said, showing her notebook filled with carefully drawn characters.

At the back of the classroom sits Wahad Haji Othman, a 19-year-old high school graduate awaiting the start of his tertiary education. "Learning Chinese is like learning the language of the future," he said.

At the front of the room, teacher Gao Yan moves between the rows. In her class, learning is not a burden but a journey, one filled with stories, games, cultural tales and laughter.

"For me, teaching Chinese is about connection," she said. "It is about helping my students see the world differently, to explore a new culture, to build bridges."

That bridge is already taking shape. Emmanuel Richard Legonga, a Tanzanian teacher who has worked at the Confucius Institute for eight years, has witnessed firsthand how students evolve through the program. Some have found jobs with Chinese companies in Tanzania; others have gone on to teach Chinese themselves.

"Every year, the number of learners grows. And each learner has a story," he said. "Chinese is not just a language here. It is a door to jobs, to education, to a wider world."

As the clock strikes 6:30 p.m., the class draws to a close. Students gather their notebooks, exchanging smiles and a few Chinese phrases: zai jian (goodbye) and xie xie (thank you).

Zhang Xiaozhen, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Dar es Salaam, said evening classes started in 2013 and currently serve 150 students. There are five classes for levels one to four, with five sessions each year.

The vision of the Confucius Institute is to become one of the leading Chinese language training and testing centers, as well as one of the best Chinese cultural and academic exchange centers in Africa, Zhang said.

For Rajabu, Bhoke, Wahad and many others, the Confucius Institute is more than a language school. It is a bridge between dreams and opportunities, between cultures, and perhaps, someday, between continents. Enditem.