Before I was even born, my mother had taken a great interest in China. She had been enchanted by the history, culture and people, which was passed on to my brother and me. She recognized how beneficial the ability to speak Chinese as a foreigner would soon be, due to the rapidly growing industries in China.

From the moment I was born, she was already determined to have my brother and me learn to speak fluent Chinese. In fact, the first words I ever learned were actually Chinese: 你好、妈妈 and 爸爸 . These words were probably spoken to me more often than their English translations. My family had moved from New York to Singapore when I still a baby. As soon as I was old enough, my mother placed me in a bilingual school to start learning the language.

We moved back to America two years later, when she hired a Chinese housekeeper to keep practicing with us. Although my vocabulary was still beginner level, the constant practice and awareness of Chinese culture in our household. Had I not been brought up the way I was before we moved, China might not have become such an integral part of my life.

In the summer of 2005, due to my father’s job change, my family and I moved to Beijing, where we would spend the next five years. Although that was the first time I came to China, I was already familiar with both the language and culture of the country. Moving across the Atlantic was still a major adjustment for everyone. Though I was still too young to feel the culture shock, the loss of my friends hit me hard. The transition did end up being more exciting, rather than frightening or depressing.

Beijing itself is a big adjustment for foreigners. The vast majority of foreign families in Beijing do not actually live in the heart of the city. Along the outskirts of the city are numerous residential ‘compounds.’ These compounds were intentionally built to house expat families. Why? The Chinese government thought it would be best for the foreigners 外国人 to feel at home. To do this, they modelled all of these compounds to look like 1950s American suburbs. As hilarious as that sounds, it did do the trick.

Almost every expat I knew lived in a compound. These compounds contained stores, playgrounds, parks and other amenities. Although my family and I did frequently go into the city, I would not say that we actually “lived in Beijing.” Living in these compounds was like being in a bubble–bizarre, yet charming.

I still had plenty of Chinese practice every day, as both of our maids and our driver locals collectively only knew about ten English words. In addition to conversations with them, I ended up speaking Chinese with others in the compound at least twice a day. This constant colloquial practice was what improved our Chinese significantly. Our reading and writing skills lagged behind our speaking and listening abilities, which is very common for foreigners learning the language. So, although we could hold a conversation with a local, we were unable to read text much more complex than that of a primary school level.

Another defining aspect of our lives as expat kids in Beijing was the massive multicultural population of foreigners. Since Beijing was not nearly as popular–or open to foreigners–compared to other Asian cities, like Hong Kong or Singapore. It took a brave soul to pack up and move to the city itself. As a result, an expat community from all different walks of life, and with no shortage of eccentricity, was born. Some moved there during the early 90s and still remain there today, while others move in and leave within less than a year. There is always a constant flow of new faces and new cultures. This, combined with the city’s innate sense of excitement and adventure, was what really made Beijing a special place. Of course, our pampered and isolated daily life might not have made it as genuine as it could’ve been, but our years of living in the world’s craziest city were still full of fantastic memories, due to the people we met along the way.

One of the things I am most thankful for in my life is my background in a bilingual and multicultural country, like China. China is different from all other countries because it is so many things in one! It’s a booming metropolis with evolving sophistication. Because Beijing is still in a rapidly growing stage, it’s both dynamic and raw. Beijing boasts both an old and new culture. It’s a place where you can see both the Hutongs (ancient Chinese houses) and the 7-year-old Olympic Park in one day. But, what really defines China, is the drastically different culture you see day to day. I’m pretty sure that China is the only place you will see a mother hold her half-naked baby off the ground while he defecates on the curb in the heart of the Capital city. Or, where you’ll see grown adults wear ‘Mickey Mouse’ and ‘Winnie the Pooh’ shirts as a chic fashion statement. It’s even a place where, during Chinese New Year, the streets sound like they’re being blown to pieces by an air raid. These hilarious and bizarre instances are what I think truly make China a unique place to live, and certainly a unique place to grow up.