For lunch I got to hang out with a group of about 15 Spanish speaking people from literally all around the world. It was seriously so hella cool.

France, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Cambodia, Macao…People of all ages, some studying, some teaching, others working. This one Spanish guy from Barcelona has been in Nanjing for 12 years and was telling us how much the country and city have changed over time.

I must say, China has done more to open my eyes to the rest of the world than I could have imagined. I certainly expected to learn about Chinese culture, but I’m surprised by how much interacting with other foreigners has affected me.

As someone born in Honduras and raised in the States, I’ve felt sort of unique. But here…it’s incredible. Nearly all of the foreigners speak multiple languages. It’s great that in a normal day I’ll get to speak English, French, Spanish and Chinese…and even thanks to my Korean and Japanese friends, I now know some words in those languages as well.

If anything, spending time in China has convinced me that I need to surround myself with situations that bring me closer to these people. Even if I don’t agree with them (and sometimes I most certainly do not)...Different ideas, Different beliefs, Different cultures…it’s wonderful.