China A World Away Yet Not That Far

(20 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Jody Richardson

Kalamazoo, MI
Europe, Asia, Africa, Hawaii and Group Travel

With over two decades of experience in the travel industry, I’ve been fortunate to explore the world’s wonders, from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel in Italy to savoring authentic Chinese cuisine and its Great Wall.   My passion lies in creating unfo...

From the moment I checked into my first hotel in Beijing, I recognized I was embarking on a journey completely unrecognizable to me.  From the architecture to the cuisine, I knew I wasn't in Michigan anymore.   Nobody looked like me and I certainly didn't look like them.  I was eager and excited to see the many differences in culture but what soon became clear were our similarities.  As I visited many historical sites, the Great Wall, Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square, and taking in the awe-inspiring Terracotta Warriors, nothing was as incredible as visiting a small  fishing village in the hillside on the banks of the Yangtze or being taken by Rickshaw to have dinner with a local family in Beijing.  As we wound through many alley's and wove between vehicles all I can remember now is how much we laughed.  One of the things that surprised me the most was the topography and how beautiful it was sailing on the Yangtze.  Seeing the palaces cropping up over the mountains and hearing the history about a civilization that is more than 3,500 years old.  To say that it surpassed my wildest expectations in understating it.  The vistas were far more beautiful than any place I have experienced in all of my travel to Europe.


I learned a great many things about China in those 16 days but I learned a great deal more about people.  It seems the locals are just as curious about us as we are about them.  Many times during my visit, the people of China would request that I pose in photographs with them.  It seems they enjoy Americans more than I would have expected.  Even though there was a clear language barrier, we always found a way to communicate.  It's amazing how far a smile can go. It's been 10 years since I got completely out of my comfort zone and said heck with it, "Just Go".  My journey to China changed my entire outlook on travel and getting out of my comfort zone.  It has become my personal goal to help others do the same.  Just Go!

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