Mine was about three days after I moved to Shanghai. I was on the Maglev train from the airport, going 431 km/h, looking out the window at this insane skyline of towers I'd only seen in photos before — and I just... started laughing. Couldn't stop. The guy next to me probably thought I was unhinged.
But it hit me all at once: I'm actually HERE. This massive, complicated, beautiful country that I'd read about my whole life. And now I'm living in it.
Other Moments That Got Me:
• The first time an elderly Chinese person stopped me on the street just to say "welcome to China" in English
• Watching a group of grandmas do synchronized dancing in a park at 6 AM (apparently this is normal??)
• Realizing I could order dumplings at 2 AM on my phone and they'd arrive in 25 minutes
• My first Chinese New Year — the fireworks were so loud I thought a war had started outside my window
• Hearing a taxi driver sing opera while stuck in Beijing traffic
The Weird Stuff Too
Let's be honest, it's not all magical moments. Sometimes it's:
• Getting lost because your map app is in Chinese and you can't figure out which exit to take
• The first time you use a squat toilet and question your life choices
• Trying to explain you're vegetarian and accidentally ordering pork
• The humidity. Oh god, the humidity.
But even the frustrating stuff becomes funny later. Usually.
So... What's YOURS?
Whether it was magical, hilarious, or mildly terrifying — I want to hear the moment it really sank in that you were in China.
Posted on 2026-5-22 11:08:00