Life in China · Rebecca

7 years. One country. A thousand stories.

A collection of encounters, discoveries and unexpected experiences from life in China. From the first goodbye to the friendships that stayed.

What gives China its sparkle?

It’s a question I still can’t answer. Perhaps the magic is in the curiosity, the openness, and the joy of living in the moment.

Six diaries, saved tickets and the unexpected idea that took me from Beverley to China.

A studio on the twenty-fourth floor, a daunting pile of fees and an unexpected act of generosity.

The friendship, shared adventures and everyday kindnesses that helped make China feel like home.

The years behind the stories

2016
The Beginning
A flight to Shanghai, a new beginning and more possibilities than I had imagined.
2017–2018
Finding My Feet
Finding my feet, building friendships and making a life beside West Lake.
2019–2022
The Adventure Years
New experiences, unexpected friendships and the adventures that made China feel like home.
2023–2024
The Last Chapter
Treasuring my last experiences, revisiting favourite places and saying goodbye to a life I had come to love.
2024 onwards
Life After China
Returning to Britain, finding a new rhythm and discovering how much of China stayed with me.