Sofija checks in from Shanghai as her cultural exchange adventure comes to an end. With her return home just around the corner, she reflects on her unforgettable experience:
China truly amazed me—its culture, architecture, and people completely won me over. Shanghai is hands down one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited. Every part of the city offers something unique to see or explore. I especially loved the Buddhist temples and the ancient water towns that reminded me of Venice.
The people here are incredibly friendly and always eager to approach foreigners. It’s not uncommon for locals to strike up a conversation just to practice their English. I’ve even had strangers stop me on the street to ask for a photo or simply to chat. At first, I found it funny—it’s something that had never happened to me before!
Chinese food is super diverse, and I ended up liking a lot of things. That said, I did avoid a few dishes—like chicken feet or duck tongue!
As for her host family, Sofija says:
The family I stayed with was so kind and treated me with warmth and respect. I never felt like a stranger—I genuinely felt like part of the family. The children were lovely. I took care of a 10-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy. We got along great and had no problems. They were polite, well-behaved, and a joy to spend time with.
It’s very common here for kids to attend all sorts of extracurricular activities—piano lessons, horseback riding, dance, singing, chess, drawing, painting—you name it. Parents really emphasize learning English, so the kids even attend English school every weekend.
It was truly an amazing experience, and I definitely plan to come back to China and explore even more of what this incredible country has to offer.
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