I was told China was too dangerous to visit and that I shouldn’t go. I went anyway. Over 10 years ago, I met my girlfriend who was living in Beijing. I’d never been to China before, and almost everything I knew came from the news and people around me. The only thing I was hearing was that it could be dangerous. Maybe I'd get wrongly accused of something and thrown into prison. Or "they're communists, they don't have the same world view as us"....whatever that means in relation to my trip I don't know 🤷‍♂️ My mum had repeatedly said "are you sure you want to go?" It wasn't her fault, she was drip fed propaganda through the Australian media for years. Beijing. Day 1. I arrived. Straight away it was different just at the airport. Fingerprints scanned, photos taken..this wasn't a thing in any countries I'd been before haha. I jump on the train. It's clean, on time, efficient and 20 yuan or so to where I needed to go. I was thinking...this is alright, considering Melbourne is the polar opposite, and no train to the airport...not bad at all 😂 Over the next few weeks, everything I thought or had been told quickly fell a part. Safety: Incredible, anywhere I went, at any time, I never felt like I was ever in the slightest bit of danger. I remember asking my girlfriend, where's the area of the city that's dangerous, has drugs or homeless people? I just got a blank weird look back 😅😅. It didn't exist. People: I got a lot of looks and stares haha, but people were very nice, accommodating and just interested in talking to me as a foreigner! It was great actually. Food: Loved it all, couldn't get enough. Turns out my taste is really northern China style haha. I got obsessed with the convenience of delivery and street food vendors late at night! -- One trip to China turned into quitting my job to move there, returning to Australia after running out of money, visiting every year since, travelling through 16 cities, and now planning to move back all over again. China and I have come a long way together... Not bad at all from where it started 🇨🇳♥️