I last visited China 11 years ago, and I hated it then. Hate is a strong word, but that's what I felt. The toilets were a nightmare, the people were strange (what's with the constant spitting, pushing, and queue cutting?), and a million other reasons that set my mind to avoid this destination at all costs.
It's quite shameful on my end, really. I can easily name European cities and capitals off the back of my hand, yet I don't even know where Beijing and Shanghai are located in China. Is it up north? Is it down south? I had no idea, and have never made any effort to know anyway. Apart from it's political involvement, I have unknowingly disregarded this place. And I say unknowingly, because it happened without effort. It's not like I made the effort to not learn anything more about the place. I didn't, and it's even scarier, because it shows how I didn't even treat it as a place worth recognizing.
So joke's on me.
I embarked on this trip without a single expectation to like this place. It was more of a "ok, let's see how different is it now".
And every moment I spent there really just showed how ignorant and arrogant I have been all these years.
Case in point - The assimilation of cashless transaction in China is like nothing I've ever seen before. Pushing it out into the market is one thing, but the wide-scale acceptance and usage by the society is an entirely different thing. And they are so successful in the latter. Honestly, their adoptation and advancement in that area, and many others, is unparalleled and definitely at a level that we can never catch up (at least here in Singapore).
You think we can catch up? I doubt we can. Because when we finally catch up on that 100 steps, they are probably another 100 steps (at least) ahead of us.
And you know what? I saw and felt the effort put in by the nation to improve. How powerful is that?
As a country, they have so much beauty to offer, and I've been treated with so much warmth by the people in my short stay of 10 days.
Open hearts, open minds, never know who (& what) you'll find.
I've found a deep admiration and respect for China, and can't wait to return to this vast land rich with history, culture, and wonders.
Photos will be uploaded in days to come!
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