Shanghai. I can see it now, closing my eyes . . . tall skyscrapers reaching up and disappearing into the mist, abstract architecture blending together in just the right kind of array to get one questioning how these buildings came to be formed, and who designed them. There’s metal twirling upwards, lights flashing sideways spelling words, round balls which look like it could take off at any second up into the air. You’ve likely seen pictures, and if not, voila, here you go!

The area with the skyline is called the Bund. People gather here, specifically at dusk to take pictures with the brilliant background. I couldn’t tell you much about what’s in those buildings. In fact, we didn’t even cross over the bridge to the other side. We got our pictures, like every other tourist, and we turned our shoulder to walk away from the illusion. Because in truth, Shanghai is not a city of skyscrapers. Shanghai is a city of  influence.

What do I mean by influence? Plainly, I mean that Shanghai is diverse- was, and still is today. I didn’t know this before visiting, but after the Opium war, the city was transformed by British, French, and American occupants from a fishing village into a port city. Concessions were established as regions that did not obey Chinese law, and the architecture and culture of these concessions mirrored these Western influences. There was still a Chinese portion of the city, but amazingly, Shanghai had an openness at the time, with Chinese and Westerners intermingling. In the mid 1850’s, Shanghai was actually more open to mixing of culture than it is today. Crazy.

We stayed in the French Concession, with wide streets lined with thick white plane trees and villa-style housing. Our air bnb resembled this vibe immensely, having  three floors yet only single rooms on each one. A bedroom on the lowest section of stair, then a living room combined with an extra bed, then one more short set of stairs up to a kitchen. Going for a walk in the neighborhood meant little coffee shops, darling clothing boutiques, and classy restaurants. All the original buildings still stand, a France dropped in China with only building signs to confirm you’re actually in Asia.

We got to see many different parts of Shanghai during our short long weekend visit. Wide, crowded strips that looked like Times Square combined with the architecture of London, abandoned side streets with boarded up windows and doors, and glowing original Chinese Old City structures, converted into a center of shops and restaurants and market stalls. These diversity was breathtaking. And nothing like one sees from your Cliche Shanghai picture.

I’ve heard most of China isn’t like this. In fact, just walking through a Marriage Market on Saturday gave me an impression of the prevalence of China’s deep cultural roots even within a modern city. But it’s fascinating to have such a contrast. To realize that in every place you visit there’s something rooted deeper than what you see on the surface, things you could only know

from being in that culture, or living amongst that culture, or connecting with that culture. This is why I’m so passionate about International Mindedness. Because knowing a place, and knowing it’s people isn’t just about seeing a picture, or even walking the streets of the city; it’s about networking, reaching out, asking questions, and maybe not understanding, but at least having a willingness to be open-minded enough to listen.