15 years ago, I was in the process of immigrating to Canada.  As one of the first Internet developers in China, I felt a website could be helpful for newcomers to Canada.  That was why Rolia was created.  It went online on this day of 14 years ago.

Thanks to the very warmhearted people in the Chinese community, Rolia has grown to be a very popular website.  On this virtual platform, newcomers receive helpful information on almost everything.  They also join the online community and give more help to others.  The website has become better and better.

Other than those practical things, Rolia has also become a website for cultural and spiritual topics.  Based on this website, the Rolia Cultural Association was formed in the real world of Toronto, Ontario.  RCA has been hosting the annual Rolia Gala, a stage performance event around the new year time, for 12 years in a row.

12 years is long enough to see a toddler become a teenager.  It's so great to see that there are more and more second generation Rolians volunteering in Rolia Galas, as either performers or supporting workers.  Growing up in Canada, most of these young Rolians can understand Mandarine Chinese during conversations, but it's more difficult to understand Chinese as a written language.  When their parents are browsing Rolia, they are not able to participate because the Rolia online community was mostly in Chinese.  How could they communicate with their parents on the same website?  

The solution is very straightforward:  an online forum in English!  How about adding a new forum to Rolia?  That would be in English only.  The current Rolians are all good at using English.  How great it is if they are able to use the same forum with their kids!  For those young Canadians from Chinese families, with the same root, it's also natural to meet and make friend with other young Chinese-Canadians on this website.   

There is another reason for an English forum here.  Recently I've traveled a lot.  One exciting thing about traveling is that you meet many other fellow travelers from all around the world.  You learn a lot from them, and you know the world better by chatting with them.  Many of my traveler friends are interested in knowing Chinese culture, or even traveling to China.  However, it's really not easy because of the language barrier.  Most Chinese people stay on Chinese websites, which could not be understood at all by non-Chinese.  But how about a forum in English on Rolia?  The Chinese Rolians are all good at English, they are able to communicate with non-Chinese very well!

After 2 years' work, (forgive me for the slow progress), the Rolia Forum in English is finally created!  People on this forum will be using English only, and everyone is welcomed!  This will be the place to connect you and me, to connect people of different cultures, different generations, to make friends, from cyber world to real world!

Welcome to Rolia!