Culture

Home is where the heart is for citizen of the world

By Todd Balazovic (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-25 09:20

For most young people, returning to their motherland is a time of immense joy shared with thrilled parents. But when Jessica Xu returned to her hometown of Beijing after several years abroad, she found herself a citizen of a different country, facing a much different city.

After living in Australia for eight years, the 27-year-old moved back to Beijing after deciding she had had enough of working in the finance world, despite having established herself academically and having a lucrative career before her. Her plan now - to follow her passion and open a private bakery.

"I got tired of following a career path I was never really interested in to begin with, so I took a risk," she said.

Jessica Xu hopes her bakery will bring back a sense of community. [Wang Jing / China Daily]

While she said her plans to open her bakery are going well, Xu said her biggest challenge so far has been facing the Beijing she returned to versus the one she left in 2002.

"This place, the people, they have all transformed," she said.

She said she noticed more cars, and fewer bikes, more buildings and less space. But the biggest difference, she said, is the people.

"When I got back, it seemed to me like everyone had changed their attitude. They've lost their heart, become more self-focused," she said. "When I was growing up, it seemed like people had a lot more time to chat with you."

She hopes, in a small way, that opening her bakery will help bring back the sense of close community she cherished while growing up.

"Beijing people are still good at heart, they just need to ignore the busy feel of the city and feel their community instead," she said.

Xu's move to Australia eight years ago was the idea of her parents, she said.

Like most Chinese people at 19, Xu did what her parents told her was best. In her case, moving to Australia to pursue a higher education at the University of Sydney.

"At that time, I knew nothing about the Western world. I thought it was a similar place in a different location, so I just went along," she said.

Fresh out of high school and with limited English, Xu was immersed in a society she knew nothing about.

"I didn't feel afraid. It wasn't daunting, but it was a life-changing step," she said.

Enrolling in an intensive English course, Xu excelled in her classes, passing the six-month course in just two months.

"When you go to a different country, you want to be good. The only way I felt I could be good was to learn the language and learn it well."

With the language under her command, Xu enrolled into Sydney University majoring in Commerce and Law - two of the hardest focuses the school had to offer. Choosing commerce gave her an advantage when applying for Australian citizenship.

"At the time, Australia granted citizenship using a point-based system and they needed accountants, so getting a degree in commerce gave me more points," she said.

Xu's mother stressed getting a foreign passport because she said it would make her life easier while trying to travel.

Though it may make it easier to travel outside of China, something as simple as returning to her hometown is more complicated, Xu said.

Despite her difficulties, Xu is determined to follow her passion for baking and energize the people of her hometown to share with her what brings her happiness.

Q & A

Q: What brought you back to Beijing?

A: I guess it was the opportunity that brought me back. I think China's still slowly opening up to the whole world and there are still several areas that need to improve. I wanted to help on those areas.

Q: Was there a strong Chinese community in Australia?

A: There wasn't a very strong Chinese community eight years ago, but now you see Chinese people everywhere in Sydney.

Q: Do you think having an Australian passport is better than having a Chinese passport?

A: I still don't know the difference. I am not into politics. I was born in China, now I have an Australian passport. But I think as a citizen of the whole world I don't consider myself a 'citizen' of any specific country - just a person.

Q: Is there an advantage or disadvantage to having either?

A: Well, now that I am back in Beijing I have to apply for a visa just to stay here, so I would say that's a disadvantage.

Q: How does it feel to apply to a visa to live in the place you were born?

A: It is strange.

Q: What qualities do you have that make you a successful entrepreneur?

A: First, you have a very specific goal and a plan to achieve it. Then, you simply must focus and be persistent.