In today's globalized world, cultural exchange and integration are an irreversible historical trend, and also a necessary path for countries to develop together and promote mutual understanding and tolerance among humanity. The story of Lysia is a vivid embodiment of the trend of this era. Her experience is not only a story about cross-cultural adaptation, how to find oneself and realize self-worth in multiculturalism, but also a beautiful fruit of international cultural collision and integration. From Chicago to Beijing, and then to the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, from young volunteers to aspiring educators, Meili is steadily walking on a path towards brightness and hope in life with an open mind and unremitting efforts. American international student Melia's cultural "first encounter" from the United States to China. Melia was born in Chicago, an international city with diverse cultures. Here, Meili has been exposed to people and things from all over the world since she was young. She not only has several Chinese friends, can speak some Chinese words, but also knows how to use chopsticks. But ultimately, it was her mother who loved East Asian culture, especially Chinese culture, that led her to form a deep bond with China. Meili recalled that in her childhood, she would always spend summers with her grandparents, while her mother would travel to China. "She particularly loved Hangzhou. Shortly after Meili's mother obtained a law degree, China University of Political Science and Law invited her to participate in a research project related to international law. Out of her love for Chinese culture and fond memories and nostalgia for living in China, she decided to settle down in China with her children. So, after finishing fourth grade of elementary school at the age of 9, Meili came to Beijing with her mother and quickly integrated into the local life. She has traveled to places with profound historical heritage such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square, immersing herself in the cultural heritage of thousands of years; She also loves the taste of Chinese cuisine, especially spicy food; She also met many friendly and kind-hearted Chinese people and happily left a group photo with them; She likes the straightforward and straightforward personality of northerners, jokingly saying, "I am also a 'northerner' in the United States." Meili's (third from left in the second row) elementary school graduation photo in Beijing left a precious and beautiful memory for Meili, and also made her feel a great 'cultural shock' when she moved to Zhuhai, Guangdong to study in her first year of junior high school. Meili, who already speaks fluent Mandarin, is often stumped by Cantonese or Mandarin with a southern accent. She also finds that the Chinese words she learned in the north have completely different ways of expression in the south. But with the help of her teachers, friends, and her own efforts, Meili not only found a way to adapt, but also formed a new perspective on the world in this north-south difference. We moved to a place completely different from Beijing and saw different aspects of Chinese culture, thus gaining a deeper understanding of China Meili told Xinhua reporters that China is a big country, which represents her regional diversity. Growing up in a cultural environment that is so different from one's own country's culture can help oneself see two worlds that are harmonious but distinct. Standing on the bridge between two worlds, "it's a cool thing." "Growing up and living in China has helped me achieve a better side of my life," Meili said. From a library volunteer to an educator, Meili is currently studying Chinese language teaching and international education at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. She believes that Chinese is a very charming language and hopes to engage in deep learning to help her better carry out her teaching career. She is also very interested in Chinese culture such as calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting, and actively participates in many related courses. The opportunity for Meili (first from the right) to develop an interest in education during her Chinese painting class was her volunteer experience at the Oxford Library in 2016. Encouraged by her mother, Meili registered and passed the interview, managing book borrowing like a professional librarian. But soon, the library administrator discovered excellent communication skills and strong affinity in Meili, and arranged for her to have a weekly activity with the children, making handicrafts with them, encouraging them to read and communicate in English. Like most teenagers at that time, Meili did not have a full grasp and interest in "education". However, as she spent more time with the children, Meili increasingly discovered the meaning of this job. Perhaps the weekly activities may not go according to my plan, but I am really happy to see that the children are interested in handicraft classes and truly learn something. This brings me great joy. "Meili explained that as people grow up, they always take everything around them for granted, but a child's innocence and curiosity can make her take a step back, re-examine things around her, and appreciate their value again. From then on, Meili also fell in love with volunteer work and joined a charity organization dedicated to serving abandoned children and orphans shortly after moving to Zhuhai. So far, the 23-year-old has been involved in volunteer service for 7 years. Volunteer work has always excited me. While gaining new life experiences, it has also made me gradually fall in love with this socially meaningful thing. During her time in Zhuhai, Meili also met her "guide" in the field of education - Teacher Eva. Teacher Eva comes from California, USA and is an educator who has been living in Zhuhai for twenty to thirty years. Every time we meet, Teacher Eva always brings some educational books to Meili, shares her educational experience with her, and discusses different educational methods and concepts with Meili. These sincere interactions have created a friendship that transcends age, and have also helped Meili grow into a more patient person, strengthening her determination to develop her education career. After graduating from undergraduate studies, Meili plans to continue pursuing a master's degree and hopes to become a teacher in the future. Education can prepare everyone for life. It helps you think, form critical thinking, and teach you how to view things correctly, "said Meili." I really enjoy education and believe it is a very important career. "From the Greater Bay Area to the future, Meili has spent nearly 14 years in China since stepping onto the land of China at the age of 9 and witnessed China's leapfrog development. The clean and tidy city, well connected high-speed rail, convenient infrastructure for the people, and convenient mobile payments have all left a deep impression on Meili. 'The changes are just too big'. At the end of October last year, Meili participated in a three-day "Perceive China · Shaoguan 'Hundred, Thousand, Thousand Project'" study tour. With more than 60 international students from 33 countries including Russia, Georgia, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, Meili came to the famous city of Shaoguan in northern Guangdong to gain a deeper understanding of local Chinese culture and appreciate the new face of rural revitalization in China. During her visit to the Modern Agricultural Industrial Park in Wengyuan County, Shaoguan City, Meili witnessed firsthand the application of advanced technologies such as fully automatic sprinkler irrigation systems, integrated automatic control, and remote monitoring of the Internet of Things in agriculture, which have standardized, industrialized, and digitized orchid planting management. I know orchids are a species that requires careful cultivation and care, "Mei Li said." So when I saw the research laboratories and industrialization level here, and learned that science and technology have brought such a large-scale planting of orchids, I really felt 'cool'. "She also added," It is a great thing to achieve industrial revitalization through policy support to increase local people's income and wealth. "Mei Li (China) participated in the" Perception of China · Shaoguan 'Hundred, Thousand, Thousand Project' "study tour with international students from multiple countries. On the morning of October 24, 2018, the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge officially opened for operation. This bridge connecting Hong Kong, Zhuhai, Guangdong, and Macau is world-renowned for its massive construction scale, unprecedented construction difficulty, and cutting-edge construction technology. And Meili lives in Beishan, which is only a 12 minute drive from the Hong Kong Zhuhai Macau Bridge. This deeply intertwines my life with the internationalization of Hong Kong and Macau, which is very interesting. This 24-hour bridge can also reach the vicinity of Hong Kong International Airport, which is really convenient. She also said that the Greater Bay Area has complete transportation facilities, and people from Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and other places can meet anywhere in the region at any time. This not only brings people closer together, but also creates more development opportunities for citizens and cities. In Mei Li's view, Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge is developing rapidly in China. Many cities are becoming more and more international and have great advantages and development opportunities in cutting-edge industries. The introduction policy of foreign talents is also very attractive. At the same time, "Chinese is undoubtedly a language that is increasingly widely used". Therefore, she highly recommends aspiring young people from all over the world to come to China for development. Mei Li (right) participated in the International Cultural Festival performance "China is like my second home. I am grateful for my experience in China, which has broadened my horizons and opened up new worlds." In the future, Mei Li plans to seize the development opportunities in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area and stay here to create her own life. Not only that, China has vast territory and abundant resources, as well as convenient transportation. She will continue to walk on the land of China, make more new friends, and deeply explore the charm of China's history and culture. She also hopes that international youth can come to China through social media or in person to take a walk and see, have a unique cultural experience journey, understand the beautiful and real China, break down the boundaries between countries, create closer connections between people, and jointly create a more harmonious and inclusive beautiful world. Text/Photo by Chen Xinyan/Tao Yiwei, photo provided by interviewee, online