I love traveling, always have. It didn't matter where I lived; I wanted to go further and see more. By the time I turned 33, I have visited four continents and lived on three of them; it hasn't always been exciting, especially at the beginning, still...
As a kid, I was a big fan of Geography at school; the more I learned, the more I wanted to get out.
I wanted to stay in Marina Bay, Singapore, toboggan down the Great Wall, see Notre Dame de Pari, ride an Indian elephant, take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, see pyramids, swim with the sharks in the Bahamas... I wanted, I wanted, I wanted. And even though I have always been a positive person with a glass half full, I wasn't so sure at the time that all those dreams were about to come true; I just had to be patient for another 20 years or so.
When I turned 25, that was the first time I traveled abroad; I went to Israel first, just for a few days, and it was fantastic.
Half a year later, I was assigned to visit a few trading shows in Beijing and Shanghai.
Shanghai stole my heart; it was love at first sight, the first step, the first breath( I didn't mind the pollution at that time).
I realized it was the city I wanted to live in. When I came back home, I really missed Shanghai. It was a bizarre and unexplainable longing. I didn't have anyone in China, no friends, no acquaintances, I didn't speak the language, so I couldn't understand what those feelings were about. Who was I missing?
Pacing back and forth for months, I realized it's the CITY.
So, I zeroed my bank account, sold the old car I owned and bought a one-way ticket to Shanghai. All happened in a blink of an eye.
I didn't know what I was going to do there; I just packed my suitcase, booked a cheap hostel for two weeks, and went.
I think China is the kind of place you either love it with all your heart, or you can't adjust and leave after a few months. Luckily, I loved it.
I lived in China for almost eight years, met so many amazing people from all over the world, including my future husband.
It was a real adventure.
In those eight years, many things had happened, there were highs and lows, lots of laughs, but some tears as well, there were disappointments and difficulties, but so many victories!
Now I live in another beautiful country, the land of free, it's a new chapter of my life, and I have just started writing it. Still, China will always have a place in my heart, and every time I think about my life in Shanghai, I feel so warm and cozy. Even though it was bloody cold in winters.
All the tears and struggles are long forgotten, but the adventures, laughs, friends, experiences will always be with me.
When I left Russia for good, I felt like a tiny, inexperienced, scared girl. But I felt braver just by following my calling.
Dear friends, be brave, be bold, listen to your heart's desire, be true to yourself, and, most importantly, travel. Nothing broads your mind as much as traveling does.
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