Rua, a 23-year-old woman from the sunny Caribbean island nation of the Dominican Republic, embarked on a solo journey to China in 2025, moving from Santo Domingo to Beijing. It has been a year of firsts for her: she became an actress, learned to ride a bicycle, and enrolled in a master's degree program in directing at the Beijing Film Academy.

Arriving in a new country, she naturally faced numerous challenges, but what she felt most was the joy of exploration. She made the most of her time in China by traveling extensively, from the seashore of Qingdao to the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, and from cosmopolitan Shanghai to the ancient capital of Nanjing. She says each city brought a unique charm to her journey, while all of her destinations showcased China's profound culture, which deeply fascinated her. The people, the harmony between tradition and modernity, and the country's broad development opportunities captured her heart in a short time. Eventually, Rua made up her mind: China is where she wants to stay for many years.