Latin American basketball coach says traditional Chinese game helps ‘distract the soul’, is ideal way to make new friends

A Mexican woman who has lived in Shanghai for 12 years and teaches foreigners there how to play mahjong has trended on social media.

Over the past few years, the woman, identified as Carmen, has taught overseas students the traditional Chinese game every weekend in a restaurant in the city, the Shanghai Morning Post reported.

Many of the students do not speak fluent Chinese, but they understand the mahjong terms, according to a viral video about Carmen’s class.

They do not play the game for money. Carmen awards winners a slice of cake in the shape of a mahjong tile.