June 1995: Shanghai—The Journey that Changed Everything
Even though I’ve been fortunate enough to visit all of the countries of the world by my 40s, my passport remained empty—with the exception of a quick hop to Canada—until I was 18 years old. My very first real overseas trip was an adventure that would shape the rest of my life: a summer spent studying Chinese in Shanghai.
I joined an international language study program and lived in a dormitory at the Shanghai Teachers Institute. At that time, China was just beginning to crack open its doors to the world, still very much a mysterious and largely unexplored destination for most Western travelers.
Living in Shanghai during those transformative months was a profoundly eye-opening experience. Every day brought a fresh lesson in culture shock, language immersion, and the thrill of exploration in a country rapidly changing before my eyes. It was an incredible, exhilarating time, and I soaked up every moment of it.
That summer in China sparked my passion for travel and adventure. It was the catalyst that pushed me to pursue my eventual goal of visiting every country in the world—a goal I’ve carried with me ever since.
What was the first travel experience that shaped your life? Let me know in the comments below!
My family minus my older brother seeing me (far right) off at the Minneapolis airport for my first intl trip to China
Shanghai
Shanghai in 1995: A City on the Edge of Transformation
When I arrived in Shanghai in June 1995, I was stepping into a city undergoing radical transformation. Even then, Shanghai was among the world’s largest cities, but it was caught between two worlds—one rapidly fading, and one boldly emerging.
On the horizon, an endless sea of new skyscrapers rose under bamboo scaffolding, symbolic of China’s ambitious rush towards modernization. The iconic Oriental Pearl Tower, freshly built in what had recently been swampy marshlands in the Pudong district, stood alone—a futuristic beacon amidst the empty landscape, hinting at the explosive growth soon to follow.
Back then, bicycles still vastly outnumbered cars, flooding streets filled with a mesmerizing mix of traditional Chinese architecture and bustling local life. Foreigners like myself were rare, attracting curious stares, friendly greetings, and countless attempts by locals eager to practice even the smallest bits of English they’d learned.
Neighborhoods were still predominantly hutongs—old-fashioned, tightly-knit communities of traditional Chinese houses, often with open sewers draining into nearby streams. Streets bustled with activity and exotic markets, where merchants sold crickets in tiny bamboo cages—believed to soothe crying children—as well as everything imaginable from cobras to dogs and eels, all destined for local dinner tables.
The city fascinated me endlessly. The rich mix of ancient Chinese traditions, Buddhist customs, and stark reminders of Communist rule collided everywhere I turned. I was completely captivated, wandering the city in awe, aware that I was experiencing a unique moment in history—a Shanghai on the cusp of monumental change.
Shanghai
Sprawling Streets
Pearl Tower
Shanghai intersection
Bicycle parking lot
Traffic cop at Shanghai intersection
Public buses where crowding was the norm and buses would commonly break down and to kick start them everyone would need to get out and push the bus.
Public bus where crowding was the norm
Chinese drinking hot tea in the steamy hot Shanghai summer, a practice that is common in China
Yu Gardens where we ate the best huge pork dumplings known to Shanghai as xiao long bao
Buddhist temple where monks are congregating
Buddhist monk
At the Jade Buddhist temple, a Chinese woman brings her handicapped child to the temple for a blessing by the monks to help cure him
A Pagoda that is hundreds of years old
My Shanghai Summer: Tai Chi, Coal Smoke, and New Friendships
My home for that unforgettable summer was the Shanghai Teachers School, a lively hub filled with local and international students alike. Every morning, I awoke to a simple dormitory breakfast—a hard-boiled egg, warm gruel, and tea—before stepping outside for my morning jog.
I’d run laps around the school’s dusty track or venture into the nearby neighborhood, where I’d see hundreds of locals gracefully practicing Tai Chi, their fluid movements unfolding against a backdrop of sulfuric smoke drifting from nearby coal-burning power plants.
My daily jog often attracted a small entourage of curious Chinese students, laughing, giggling, and eagerly practicing their English with me as we ran together. Friendships formed effortlessly—my Chinese classmates would enthusiastically invite me out to explore Shanghai’s hidden corners, bustling cafés, or even welcome me into their homes for meals, offering me a rare glimpse into authentic Chinese family life.
These interactions and friendships were the heart of my experience. It was the kind of cultural immersion you simply can’t replicate, and it made my summer in Shanghai truly special.
The track I ran on everyday at the university
Chinese gardens and ponds where elderly men would fish every morning at the university
My friend Dean-his English name
Me and my Chinese friend Normon and the prank severed hand I brought from home
4th of July celebration
Me signing autographs for chinese students
4th of July games that we hosted at the university
Exploring Shanghai’s Exotic Marketplace—a Scene Lost in Time
Almost every day during my summer in Shanghai, I’d find myself drawn back to an exotic marketplace near the university—captivated by the sights, sounds, and smells of a world completely different from anything I’d ever known.
It was chaotic yet mesmerizing. Vendors shouted prices, bicycles rattled by, and exotic goods—from crickets chirping in delicate bamboo cages to freshly-caught eels squirming in buckets, and even cobras and dogs—lined the stalls, awaiting eager buyers. The sheer diversity of items sold was both astonishing and, at times, shocking to me as an 18-year-old experiencing China for the first time.
Years later, when I returned to China, these vibrant markets had largely disappeared, replaced by sleek, sanitized supermarkets and shopping malls. But that summer, I had the privilege of experiencing something unique—a glimpse into a way of life rapidly vanishing as China raced toward modernization.
Those daily market visits remain etched in my memory as one of my favorite travel experiences—authentic, raw, and truly irreplaceable.
Old market food stalls
Eels for sale at the market
fresh produce
Chickens butchured
Cobra for sale
The Grasshopper Riot: A Lesson in Chinese Market Justice
One of my favorite stories from my summer in Shanghai unfolded after I bought a chirping grasshopper in a small bamboo cage—something traditionally believed to soothe crying babies. Intrigued by the exotic charm of this custom, I eagerly paid the asking price. Only moments later did I realize I’d been overcharged—by about a dollar.
This might seem trivial, but when a nearby Chinese woman overheard the inflated price I’d paid, it quickly turned into a full-blown scene. She began loudly scolding the grasshopper salesman, and within moments, other market-goers joined her in a chorus of outraged voices.
To my astonishment, a small crowd swiftly formed, passionately coming to my defense. The commotion escalated as they collectively confronted the seller, eventually driving him from the market and triumphantly recovering the dollar I’d lost.
It was a fascinating and surreal lesson in community justice and market etiquette, demonstrating how quickly strangers could rally together over something as seemingly small as an overpriced grasshopper. Even decades later, the memory of that spontaneous marketplace riot still makes me smile.
Grasshopper salesman
Escaping Shanghai: Experiencing Village Life in Rural China
Whenever I could, I’d venture out of the bustling city into the countryside around Shanghai. Each trip was like stepping back in time—quiet villages where traditional Chinese life carried on, largely untouched by the rapid modernization happening elsewhere.
In these villages, I found peaceful scenes of rice paddies, farmers working their fields by hand, and families gathering around modest meals. Children chased chickens, elders sipped tea outside their homes, and smiles greeted me wherever I went. Each visit left me feeling deeply connected to an authentic side of China I rarely saw in the city.
These journeys never disappointed. Away from the noise and pollution of urban Shanghai, the countryside felt warm, welcoming, and refreshingly timeless. It was in these quiet villages that I truly fell in love with China and the simple beauty of everyday life.
Lamb in front of a rice field
Me and my Chinese friends in the country village
Canals between villages in countrside
The Bizarre Circus: Snakes, Strange Acts, and a Village Funhouse Ride
One day, my exploration of rural China brought me to a village hosting a small, traveling circus—one of the most bizarre experiences I’ve ever witnessed.
I stood, fascinated and slightly horrified, as a young girl calmly took a live snake and skillfully slid it into her nose, carefully guiding it until the snake emerged from her mouth. The crowd around me erupted in applause, but I stood there, mouth agape, wondering if I’d really just seen what I thought I’d seen.
But the bizarre acts didn’t stop there. Later, I stumbled upon an eccentric village funhouse ride—quirky, unpredictable, and genuinely hilarious. I couldn’t stop laughing at the chaotic twists, turns, and absurd surprises that greeted me at every corner.
It was surreal, unexpected, and slightly unsettling—but it’s those quirky, unforgettable experiences that make travel so uniquely rewarding.
Circus show
Snake show
Bizarre ride
Bizarre ride
Norman and I on the way to the ocean
Swimming in the polluted Yellow Sea
Beijing
Exploring Beijing: Tiananmen, the Forbidden City & My First Great Wall Visit
After Shanghai, I headed to Beijing, exploring iconic landmarks like Tiananmen Square, the vast and historic heart of the city, and the majestic Forbidden City, home of China’s emperors for centuries. But the highlight was undoubtedly my first visit to the Great Wall of China—a lifelong dream come true and an unforgettable moment that ignited my passion for travel.
Tiannamen Square
Me and Mao
Me and Chinese soldeirs at Tiannaman Square
Tiannaman Square
Me at the Great Wall