Foreign Media: A third-generation Vietnamese-Chinese immigrant born in the UK, originally planned a three-month trip to China—ended up staying for ten years.
Stephanie Sam is a third-generation Vietnamese-descended Cantonese Hakka immigrant born in the UK, currently based in Shanghai, and has long been engaged in communication strategy work concerning UK, EU, and US relations with China.
Initially, it was just a casual suggestion from a law firm partner—“You need international exposure; try going to China”—that sparked her interest, despite having never set foot in Asia. That remark intertwined with an inner voice whispering, “Go back to where you belong,” ultimately leading her to book a flight. Her original plan was to intern at a Chinese law firm for three months, “gild her resume,” then return to London.
Yet, those three months turned into ten years and five cities—she remains in Shanghai to this day. In the UK, she belongs to a quiet minority: ethnic Chinese make up less than 1% of the population. Growing up, “China” for her was a place her parents fled—a land perceived as backward and chaotic, far behind modern Hong Kong.
But once she actually stepped onto Chinese soil and witnessed Shanghai’s multiple transformations firsthand, the prejudices and preconceptions inherited from her family began to quietly dissolve. Amid global geopolitical turbulence, she unexpectedly found a sense of belonging right here in Shanghai.
Original Source: toutiao.com/article/1864043515384832/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.