Meet Anna, a very sweet and smart blondie from “the middle of Europe”, can you guess which country she is originally from?
Her interest in linguistics opened her curiosity to the Chinese language, in which she has a very unique perspective on. And it was because of this curiosity that she embarked on a one year scholarship to study mandarin in the mother language country. One year turned into another year of studying the language, which turned into a living and working in China full time.
By working for a company from her home country, which was looking for a person with the ability of speaking mandarin to expand and grow the business to China, Anna is an example of the power of knowing another language besides your native one. That ability opened to her the doors to a whole new world of opportunities.
We chat a lot about the cultural differences between Europe and Asia and how that affects our professional and personal lives. We also expand on different perceptions and experiences about this complex culture that is many times very hard for us foreigners to relate to, and what are her views on friends and romantic relationship within the country.
From admiring the elder generation of Chinese and learning how to create a happier life during retirement, Anna has a very distinct understanding of the local culture and how it impacts her life here as a foreigner. She also shares an interest take on the working scene in her home country compared to China, andgives a practical idea on how to switch gears towards a more enjoyable work-life balance.
This was an insightful and meaningful conversation about the many nuances that it is to be a foreigner in China.
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