China

As the boat gently glided on the Huangpu River at night, I took in the magnificent night view. All around me, lights glistened and shined, and the only noise to be heard was the gentle lapping of water on the boat’s hull. The Jin Mao Tower and Shanghai World Financial Centre towered above the landscape, as if pillars to support the sky. I breathed in the air, and I thought to myself, “So this is China.” As a “Foreign-Born Chinese”, I spoke the language, but I seldom had the chance to feel what it was like to be a “real Chinese person”. This past summer, I had this opportunity when I visited China for a summer camp. Over the span of a month, I learned about the many things that I can take pride in about my homeland, from its long history to its modern present to its promising future. The trip was truly one of self discovery, and one that I will treasure forever.