The shared journey of the Chinese Dream

One cold evening in April 2015, I was stuck in Shanghai Pudong Airport when my connecting flight was rescheduled for the next day. Dragging two heavy suitcases onto a bus past midnight, I was exhausted and frustrated.

When the bus, which the airline had arranged, finally dropped us off at a basic hotel in the suburbs of Shanghai, I felt scared.

In that moment of doubt, a female voice called out to me offering to share a room. I turned around, standing in front of me was a small woman with long straight hair and slightly tanned skin. Her dark eyes radiated kindness.