How Trip To China Changed My Life
Ever since my visit to China, I was fascinated by the vast size of the world. From an early age, I was intrigued by anything and everything. From reading a book about the countries around the world and all of their interesting facts to flying across the world to visit my relatives, I savored every moment of my adventures. Although many of my activities consisted of playing on the playground, reading a book, or fiddling with screwdrivers (which my parents thought was dangerous), they were all grand adventures to me. But one summer, my definition of “adventure” would be revolutionized.
On a sweltering summer day, I was watching my favorite episodes of Go Diego Go!. I was slouched on the couch with a bag of chips, munching in the scorching summer heat. As I started watching the tenth episode in a row, my mom came in to tell me some astonishing news about China. She was mumbling something about the money we would have to save and how much she wished to see her family. I soon learned that she found a ticket that could save us nearly five hundred dollars on a typically expensive international flight. She also added something about me never going there before. That was obvious though. The furthest I have ever traveled was to Disney. Moreover, I was only 4, and I have never left the state of Florida. But China? It seemed like a distant place to me. Other than to visit our relatives, I didn’t really see a point in going to China, but I guess we were heading there sooner or later.
Millions of hours later, we were finally approaching our destination at the Shanghai Pudong Airport. My stomach was growling from my meal at the airport and my mind was still fascinated by the ending of the Incredibles movies, which I watched many times since it was the only interesting movie available on the airplane screens. Just as my mind started waking up, I hit my head with a BANG as we began our rapid descent through the thick clouds. My stomach was churning and my head was spinning when I suddenly saw the city, Shanghai, from among the countless crowded clouds. It was a city crowded with towering skyscrapers with innumerable tiny tinted windows. The lights that illuminated the city were like millions of microscopic fireflies shimmering in the moonlight. My mind was blown. My tiny world had just collapsed and was reformed into a colossal world. It was as if Gainesville had been destroyed and replaced by New York City. My eyes fell out from disbelief. I would never have imagined that such an enormous place could be called a city. It looked like a country to me. Thankfully, an announcement was made to put on our seatbelts. I had unbuckled my seat belt earlier in our flight, and finding no use for them, I had forgotten about them. I hastily buckled my seatbelt and braced for the last and final stage of the flight -- the landing. Like most flights, the beginning and end of flights are usually the worst. This landing was no exception. I felt as if I was being simultaneously pushed and pulled by the same force. My insides were shifting and I felt the urge to vomit. Somehow, I made it through all the discomforts. This experience has had a positive impact on my life. From a young age, I enjoyed exploration and adventure, but they were always within my comfort zone.
This trip to China changed everything for me, both physically and mentally. Despite the number of hours spent walking from place to place, the trip was worth every moment of it. Although I felt uncomfortable and had a sense of insecurity throughout my journey, I believe that I was on a real adventure, an adventure that would build upon my character. In addition, this trip inspired me to take risks instead of playing it safe, knowing that everything I may go through and deal with might have a profound effect on the future me.
Overall, I learned that change is inevitable and plays a role in everyone’s life, not just mine. It is the choices that I choose and the actions that I take that, in the end, determines what kind of person I am today.
