Break away

Nov 20th, 2005. It is a beautiful day in Beijing, after a few gloomy days, the sun finally comes out of the clouds and smog, and the sky is turning to gleaming blue. And yet, the real winter hasn’t come, so we are enjoying the last glow of autumn warmth with the winter chill mixed in the wind. I am wandering around in my new two bedroom apartment, which is only 2km away from China world hotel, and I could see Jianwai Soho along with all new buildings (some finished, some under construction on the 3rd ring road) from my balcony.

It is so easy to get content with this comfort of life here in Beijing, I say to myself when looking at the skylines of Beijing. I have a circle of friends from different continents of the world, and I have my old classmates from high school and university, and I have my parents here enjoying their retirement in their nice townhouse in the suburb and my sister who has been happily married for more than ten years. Life is good – my apartment is brand new, close to the actions. I don’t have to do the cooking myself, there is a variety of reasonably priced restaurants. And there is always a lot to do on the weekend, meeting friends for coffee/dinner and going out to the clubs or going on a hike when weather is good.

I love Beijing, the city both old and modern, the city has so much to offer and the city has its own unique style, character underneath its outer looks which is sometimes not so polished.
So why I have decided to leave Beijing and go to London where I literally don’t know anyone. Maybe because life becomes too easy and comfortable here so I have lost my inner drive for challenges? This is only the third year after I came back to China after living in USA for three years, is this kind of destiny that for me three years is a time for change?
Well, life is a movable feast and I have to live it to the fullest. However, I have to admit that things are a bit different now compared with six years ago when I decided to go to the USA for my MBA. I was much younger, very sensitive, full of curiosity about outside world, and to me life was suddenly opening up a new wide path which could lead me to explore the immense landscape. Now, I am still young (I guess), not as curious as before, much stronger and less vulnerable, but most importantly have a very different view about the world and understand much more about life.
Though what has not changed inside me, is that I still have the passion to try out new things and explore the undiscovered. Stability, would only appeal to me for a short while, I am always a believer in the theory that the true beauty and excitement comes when you look up and find out there is still another hill to climb up and you know it is going to be a whole different road going there.

Three months from now, I will be working and living in London as an expatriate, interesting scenario, kind of new identity.for me. The perspective of being able to travel around in Europe and seeing these places makes me quite excited, yet the fact living away from home country, in a big city like London could be a bit difficult at the beginning. Well, I will find my way there, and the funny thing is when I come back (if I will) I might have adopted the lovely British accent!