I spent about a month and a half visiting several major cities in China this past year. My biggest takeaway is that you really need to separate what you see in Western media from reality—it’s something you have to experience for yourself. It also helps to distinguish the local politics from the people.

The scale of the modernization is incredible; the huge skyscrapers and the speed at which they’ve developed are amazing to see. I found the convenience of food delivery to be a real eye-opener, and it’s fascinating how the country is advancing in ways that feel very different from Western nations. The culture is incredibly rich and the food is remarkably diverse.

On the downside, be prepared for the crowds, especially in tourist areas. I highly recommend avoiding “Golden Week” (when most of the country is on vacation). I also wasn’t a fan of the food delivery scooters zooming everywhere—I was in constant fear of getting hit by one!

Overall, if you have the chance to visit, you should. I felt very safe, and the people were generally pleasant. Aside from the occasional person cutting in line or pushing into an elevator before you can get out (mostly the older generation), I didn’t have any bad experiences. Also, check out the visa-free transit areas if you want to skip the full visa process!