When Suzana, a Brazilian exchange student, first landed in Beijing in 2018, she felt like she’d stepped onto another planet 🌍. “Everything was new – the language, the pace, even how people crossed the street!” she laughs. But what started as culture shock soon turned into a love affair with a country she now calls her “second home.”
From scaling the Great Wall 🏯 to devouring street-side dumplings 🥟 in buzzing night markets, Suzana immersed herself in China’s rich tapestry. “I’d study ancient dynasties by day and practice Mandarin with noodle vendors by night,” she recalls. Her biggest surprise? “How tech-savvy everything was – paying with my phone, high-speed trains – it felt like living in the future!”
Two years later, Suzana left with more than just memories. “China reshaped how I see possibilities,” says the 24-year-old, now planning her return. “It’s where history shakes hands with innovation – and I need to be part of that energy.”
