Compared with Shenzhen, Xiamen feels so much more alive
Left a day early for the Dragon Boat holiday
Booked a hostel bed for 3 days
Goal was to break out of rotting in Shenzhen
One, rain kept me indoors too long
Two, in Shenzhen besides work there's little chance to meet new people
Xiamen on holiday inevitably draws young people from everywhere
and hostel Xiaohongshu communities make finding companions easy
So from yesterday when I checked in and opened the 8-bed dorm door
I proactively chatted with 3 roommates
Today went to Nanputuo Temple and Shangli Reservoir
It's not dinner time yet
and people I've meaningfully connected with already near 10
Met a family of three from Tong'an (daughter my age haha)
Helped an elderly lady onto the BRT and reminded her of her stop
Not counting Xiaohongshu and WeChat group acquaintances yet
Deeper chats: one with bunkmate TT next door
Only two years out of school, traveled a lot in China
We both have very different feelings about Xiamen
Even after many places he still comes wander Egret Island often
He works in Fuzhou, prefers the younger vibe here
I love the climate and city atmosphere
Comfortable, unhurried pace; small island but attractions clustered
lots of surprising corners worth revisiting
Another was a dark-skinned woman from Malaysia on a business trip
At Nanputuo's gate she didn't know how to book tickets
I approached and helped fill in the info
Funny part: staff only checked her passport and let her in
We walked and talked maybe 5 minutes
I said I'd just been in KL last month studying English
She said she works in KL—so coincidental haha
She asked and learned I came from Shenzhen
She'd been too but maybe just transit? I only caught the word transit
We added WeChat—when you're in Shenzhen find me
She said when you're in KL find me too haha
Handshake goodbye—I could tell she's also fairly introverted like me
so to avoid awkwardness I took another temple route
and ended up chatting with uncles and aunties by the lotus pond
Skip to content
Compared with Shenzhen, Xiamen feels so much mor…
From X · @therealfreddyx
Thoughts
mew～
Compared with Shenzhen, Xiamen feels so much more alive
Left a day early for the Dragon Boat holiday
Booked a hostel bed for 3 days
Goal was to break out of rotting in Shenzhen
One, rain kept me indoors too long
Two, in Shenzhen besides work there's little chance to meet new people
Xiamen on holiday inevitably draws young people from everywhere
and hostel Xiaohongshu communities make finding companions easy
So from yesterday when I checked in and opened the 8-bed dorm door
I proactively chatted with 3 roommates
Today went to Nanputuo Temple and Shangli Reservoir
It's not dinner time yet
and people I've meaningfully connected with already near 10
Met a family of three from Tong'an (daughter my age haha)
Helped an elderly lady onto the BRT and reminded her of her stop
Not counting Xiaohongshu and WeChat group acquaintances yet
Deeper chats: one with bunkmate TT next door
Only two years out of school, traveled a lot in China
We both have very different feelings about Xiamen
Even after many places he still comes wander Egret Island often
He works in Fuzhou, prefers the younger vibe here
I love the climate and city atmosphere
Comfortable, unhurried pace; small island but attractions clustered
lots of surprising corners worth revisiting
Another was a dark-skinned woman from Malaysia on a business trip
At Nanputuo's gate she didn't know how to book tickets
I approached and helped fill in the info
Funny part: staff only checked her passport and let her in
We walked and talked maybe 5 minutes
I said I'd just been in KL last month studying English
She said she works in KL—so coincidental haha
She asked and learned I came from Shenzhen
She'd been too but maybe just transit? I only caught the word transit
We added WeChat—when you're in Shenzhen find me
She said when you're in KL find me too haha
Handshake goodbye—I could tell she's also fairly introverted like me
so to avoid awkwardness I took another temple route
and ended up chatting with uncles and aunties by the lotus pond
Left a day early for the Dragon Boat holiday
Booked a hostel bed for 3 days
Goal was to break out of rotting in Shenzhen
One, rain kept me indoors too long
Two, in Shenzhen besides work there's little chance to meet new people
Xiamen on holiday inevitably draws young people from everywhere
and hostel Xiaohongshu communities make finding companions easy
So from yesterday when I checked in and opened the 8-bed dorm door
I proactively chatted with 3 roommates
Today went to Nanputuo Temple and Shangli Reservoir
It's not dinner time yet
and people I've meaningfully connected with already near 10
Met a family of three from Tong'an (daughter my age haha)
Helped an elderly lady onto the BRT and reminded her of her stop
Not counting Xiaohongshu and WeChat group acquaintances yet
Deeper chats: one with bunkmate TT next door
Only two years out of school, traveled a lot in China
We both have very different feelings about Xiamen
Even after many places he still comes wander Egret Island often
He works in Fuzhou, prefers the younger vibe here
I love the climate and city atmosphere
Comfortable, unhurried pace; small island but attractions clustered
lots of surprising corners worth revisiting
Another was a dark-skinned woman from Malaysia on a business trip
At Nanputuo's gate she didn't know how to book tickets
I approached and helped fill in the info
Funny part: staff only checked her passport and let her in
We walked and talked maybe 5 minutes
I said I'd just been in KL last month studying English
She said she works in KL—so coincidental haha
She asked and learned I came from Shenzhen
She'd been too but maybe just transit? I only caught the word transit
We added WeChat—when you're in Shenzhen find me
She said when you're in KL find me too haha
Handshake goodbye—I could tell she's also fairly introverted like me
so to avoid awkwardness I took another temple route
and ended up chatting with uncles and aunties by the lotus pond