I originally wasn't planning on moving to China. When I was looking for a place to work as an intern in 2015, I planned on going to Japan. I did not move to Tokyo, but moving to Shanghai was an experience I did not expect. Eight years later, I am still living in the city that has shaped me as a young adult.  

I have faced many challenges. I have cried waving goodbye to many friends. I have lost my hair stressing over Chinese bureaucratic mess when it comes to visa application processes. I have raged over the language barrier.

But mostly importantly, I have never felt more capable of accomplishing things and understanding what becoming a global citizen meant. I have kept a YouTube channel running dedicated to my life in China. It also serves as an avenue for expressing my creative side. I have also proved to myself that I am capable of being the entrepreneur I thought I could be, by opening myself to opportunities and initiating various projects. I have found my ideal path, it is all thanks to the people I have met, from the CEO of a famous multi-national beverage brand to the two-year old students in my class, who helped me understand the meaning of positive discipline and mindfulness.

In the end, moving to Shanghai has taught me many lessons:

1. Anything is possible.

2. There is always a solution to every problem.

3. Learning the language will make your life easier, even if it is learning only few sentences.  

4. Moving to a new country means acknowledging the cultural differences and in the long run accepting them.  

5. When a local says "no" it doesn’t always mean "no" and if you insist a little more, you will get the actual answer you are looking for.

6. Expect the unexpected.

5. Be brave enough to step out of your comfort zone and explore the possibilities around, especially when it comes to local food!