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“Your choice,” she muttered over the phone, what followed was a second of silence that felt like an eternity. An abundance of chaotic thoughts danced around my head; I needed to answer. Then, as if I was drawing my last breath, I said: “China… The choice is China." One month prior, by a fortunate stroke of serendipity, I was chosen among hundreds of students who, just like me, are pulled by the unknown, to be sent to a quest to nowhere. In an act that felt like a risk, I ticked the box in front of 'The People's Republic of China'. Evolutionarily, homo sapiens feared the dark: what was not familiar. The simple biology of humans resulted in a comfortable and vicarious living situation. That did not go well with me. I only traveled through books, never saw the world with my own eyes. I was sick of living life second-hand. Growing up as a somewhat sheltered Arab-African girl in a small town, I never dared to challenge my own people. This unknown was interdicted by them, and in certain times, by my greatest obstacle: myself. Grandma is a woman of her time, eloquent and obstinate, with a goal in mind: to raise an obedient grand-daughter. To her, my rapt listener, I would only leave home to move into my husband's home. But, because I read voraciously, I lived for far-reaching by concretizing my imagination. Yet, this imagination was always bounded by others. A chance that I had the support of my father whose openness is exceptional. He supported me by always saying 'do not be afraid of the unknown, daughter!' I turned a deaf ear to what was said. And I only listened to my own heart that kept rhyming something of a mantra: Go, seek discomfort! Since that sudden phone call, my fantasy has started to become a reality. "It's time" my father muttered in a sweet low voice that already made me feel homesick. I give everyone a hug and I quickly turn around to avoid looking at my mother, to avoid seeing her tears because I knew that if I saw the glistening liquid under her eyes, I won't be able to leave. After 14 hours of being stranded on an airplane, on the 19th of August 2016, I finally landed up in the People’s Republic of China. This date marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I got introduced into a world beyond what I knew; new home, new family, new friends, new everything. In Foshan, a city that captures the essence of true China, foreigners were a relatively common sight. During my first weeks, while my host parents celebrated the holy matrimony of their relatives, I had to accompany them to their hometown. Yet locals had all kind of reactions to seeing me; from strangers inviting me to attend fancy dinners, to kids just staring at my curly hair speechless and in disbelief. I was utterly lost as an introverted person who felt out of place. That’s when I seriously considered hopping on a plane to the place where I belong, home. I hated how I felt and with all those people who were surrounding me, I still felt alone. But then, it hit me; if I wanted to get rid of the roaming black cloud above my head, I needed to learn how to open up. Doing the first step towards others made me realize that people aren't better and they're not worse. They are just different and that is enriching. I've started appreciating each moment, without letting unjustified fears hold me from my aspirations. Nearing the end of my journey, I have learned a willingness to take risks, an interest in life, and a certain confidence. It was this drive that guided my legs along the edge of the platform, at a height of 150 feet, I took a leap of faith and jumped, letting the pressure of air propel me upward filling me with a sense of utter self-awareness. It was then that I fully understood my purpose in life.