Armin Schober (back) watches as his daughter Alina (R) paints at his shop in Hongcun Village, Yixian County, Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, July 31, 2024. Armin is an Austrian businessman living in Tachuan village of Yixian county. In 2021, Armin traveled with his family to Tachuan, where they were attracted by the picturesque landscape and distinctive local culture.
Armin and his Chinese wife Huang Qiong decided to settle in the village with their daughter Alina and take over a homestay. The homestay was named after Alina as "Alina's Garden," indicating the couple's expectation that their daughter could grow up in an environment close to nature. In 2023, Armin expanded his business by opening a shop nearby in the Hongcun village, an ancient village known for its exquisite buildings and listed as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO.
Armin restored one of the old buildings as his shop in which he has served customers from all over the world his hand-made pizza and coffee. Besides running his own business, Armin has a special interest in promoting the Hongcun village to the world. Noticing that Hongcun is increasingly popular among foreign tourists, he has set up free English class in his shop every Thursday night.
Owners of other shops, village cadres, and even tourism practitioners have become his students. Three years' living in Yixian county has brought Armin a deeper understanding of the history and culture in local area. Meanwhile, his homestay and coff.