A Surprising Time in Charlotte π
Charlotte β a city whose name took me two full days to pronounce correctly π β became for me a place defined by sharing life and paying forward π«. For example, the driver who took me to Charlotte Premium Outlets (post-Christmas sales were just okay, by the way β Iβd actually recommend South Park Mall in the city more!) noticed I was traveling alone. He repeatedly reminded me to keep safe and even left me his number π, saying I could call if I ever felt unsafe. When I joked about having βno marriage, no kids,β he looked me in the eye and said, βBut you have yourself and the world.β πβ¨ O.M.G. β I felt truly seen in that moment. At a conference I attended, a guy from Iceland π§ββοΈ told me how much he loved Chinese people. When he traveled in China, even though locals didnβt speak much English, they always tried their best to communicate. So shoutout to all my friendly compatriots out there β you made a great impression! π We ended up having a great chat. He even came to my presentation, took photos πΈ, and gave thoughtful comments. Well, now Iβm a fan of Vikings too! π‘οΈ There were so many moments of paying forward at that conference. Someone told me βI like your presentation,β and I learned to pass it on β βYou were so impressive!β π¬β€οΈ Another guy shared that his tutor had been incredibly supportive. Why? Because his tutorβs tutor had once helped him land a job. So he wanted to pay it forward too! π«Ά It got me thinking β I teach the way my advisor taught me. My advisor showed me a bigger world, and now I want to show my students too. π§ π Quick food recommendation π½οΈ: Southern Pecan Gulf Coast Kitchen β serving delicious Cajun French cuisine. Their steak is ridiculously tender ππ (so good that my advisor took me again the next day!). When we tipped, my advisor said: βThe server gave great recommendations β letβs tip well so they remember Chinese visitors kindly and recommend good dishes to the next ones.β Thatβs paying forward too! π΅β¨ On my last day in Charlotte, the weather wasnβt great β drizzly and chilly π§οΈ. But I still wanted to go for a walk. The streets were empty that early, and I felt a little scared. Then my mom video-called me all the way from across the Pacific π and said, βDonβt be scared, sweetie β Iβll walk with you.β So we did a virtual family city walk! π¨βπ©βπ§ We saw Discovery Place, the Hornetsβ stadium π, railroad tracks, and First Baptist Church together. It felt so special β like I was sharing the view with them π₯Ή. Itβs true: when you see something beautiful, you canβt help but want to share it with people you love. π #WeekendGetaway#FoodDiary #Charlotte #TravelUSA
