Landing in Beijing threw up a whole mix of feelings for me immediately. The biggest thing hitting me was pride — thinking back on that four-year journey abroad where I learned how to handle the challenges posed by China's language barrier, cultural landscape, and daily routines. But, as I returned, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation.

Would China still be the same country I once knew? Would I still be able to easily handle its complexity? 1. In recent years, China's massive infrastructure growth, evolving social attitudes, and rapid technological progress have unquestionably stirred significant turmoil. The country I once knew was vastly different from the one I was about to experience.

As I made my way through customs, I was struck by the sheer efficiency of the process. Mountains of paperwork and lengthy wait periods were no longer an iss