A few weeks in Shenzhen
September 2026
I went to China for the first time in September. I spent a few weeks in Shenzhen, exploring the city and getting a taste of what everyday life there feels like.
It was also the first time I had flown so far from home. I remember thinking about how far away everything familiar would be. By the end of the trip, though, Shenzhen had started to feel familiar in its own way.
My understanding of Chinese culture changed a lot while I was there. I had heard and read things before going, of course, but there’s only so much you can understand until you’re actually there, trying to order a coffee or figure out which bus to take.
Speaking of which, the language was less of a problem than I expected. A lot of people didn’t speak much English, and my Chinese was broken at best, but we found ways to communicate. A few Chinese words here, a translation app there, and when all else failed, hand gestures.
I found Chinese people to be very direct, but also very kind. At one point, I helped an older gentleman get a stroller with his child over some barriers. He was so expressive in showing his appreciation. It was a small interaction, but I still think about it. There were many moments like that.
Shenzhen itself is very technologically advanced. Everything seems to go through an app. Sometimes it felt like the entire city had been designed with a digital twin in mind. The part of me that likes systems found that fascinating.
The buses, for example, are a dream. I could see where my bus was and how many seconds it would take to arrive. Seconds! As someone who appreciates a system that runs properly and on time, I loved it.
The metro became my best friend. It was easy to get around, even as a foreigner, and I could pay with my debit or credit card. That wasn’t something I encountered very often during my trip, so I appreciated it.
But I didn’t love having to order almost everything through an app. Sometimes I just wanted to ask the barista for my coffee. Whenever we went somewhere that handed us a physical menu or took our order in person, I felt a little warmth in my heart. Funny how something so ordinary can feel special when it’s no longer the usual way of doing things.
And the malls. They’re out of this world.
Maybe it’s because I come from Greece, but I wasn’t prepared for how much of a role malls play in life there. Once I experienced the heat and humidity, though, I understood. Walking into a well-air-conditioned mall feels like a blessing. You can find almost anything inside, too.
Shenzhen feels like it never sleeps. There always seems to be something happening, and the lights almost never seem to turn off.
The food was unmatched. Especially if you like spicy food. There was so much variety, and so many dishes I had never tried before. I could probably spend years there and still find something new to eat.
In the last few days, I kept thinking about how I could stay a little longer. A few weeks had felt like a long trip when I first imagined it. Once I was there, it didn’t feel like enough.
There’s so much more of China I want to see and understand. For all the good and the bad, it’s become a place I can call my second home.
Photos from the trip
