On the Dragon’s Wings

On the Dragon’s Wings

Let’s start from the beginning! After 13 hours on the plane, I finally landed in Hong Kong. Exhausted! I flew from Belgrade, Serbia, my home country, and this was my very first trip to China. I can say that I am quite a traveler, but I have not been to the Far East. I have been living and studying in the U.S. for almost six years now, so I met the Western side of the world. Now, it is time to meet the East!

I was excited about my ferry ride from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, but I fell asleep as soon as I boarded the ferry. By the time I woke up, we had arrived in Shenzhen. Like they promised, the CRCC Asia’s agents picked me up, and I soon met the peers I will be living with during the next month. They all seem more than excited for new adventures. Our first informal dinner tasted great (well… at least for those who knew how to use chopsticks – they’re so much fun!).

My first impressions of the city are positive and interesting. Some 12 to 14 million people live here, and though I prepared myself for traffic jams and crowds on the streets and in the metro, it was still a surprise to experience it firsthand. It is different from everything that I have seen so far. In China, you can forget about your “personal space.” In order to enter the metro and reach your desired destination during the rush hours, you will have to use your shoulders and shuffle your way in. Otherwise, you can waive goodbye to those who shuffled harder than you and boarded that metro. Taxi rides are also exciting, but not for those with a weak stomach. In Shenzhen, though there may be two street lines, people often drive like there are four. Forget your traffic rules, and like in metro, just push harder and find your imaginary street line! It can be challenging because some taxi drivers speak little English, so it may take you a minute or two just to explain where you are headed to.

These are just a few of my first-week impressions, and I am hoping to be a good shuffler in the next couple of weeks, as my future boss probably wants me to be on time. I’ll tell you more about it in my next blog. Wish me luck!

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