From My Village To The Great Wall Of China: A Journey That Changed My Worldview A True Story of Discovery, Friendship, Innovation, and the Beginning of an Entrepreneurial Journey Umedjon Amoni   © Copyright 2026 by Umedjon Amoni

Photo by Xiaodong Zhang at Pexels.

Tajikistan — 2026

Some journeys end when an airplane lands, yet continue to unfold throughout a person’s life. They remain in the memory, take root in our thoughts, and gradually become decisions that shape our future. For me, such a journey was my first trip to the People’s Republic of China. It was more than an opportunity to visit another country. It was the moment when the world stepped beyond the boundaries of my imagination and became a living reality.

It all began with an achievement. I had become a winner of an international science olympiad for young people in Tajikistan. Following this accomplishment, an opportunity arose for me, as a young journalist, to travel to China as part of an international programme. My journey lasted from September 20 to October 15, 2023. For someone who had grown up in a remote village in Tajikistan, this opportunity meant a great deal. Until then, I had mostly encountered foreign countries through books, films, and photographs. Now, I had the chance to compare what I had imagined with what I could see and experience for myself.

On September 20, seventeen of my friends came to Dushanbe Airport to see me off. Their faces were filled with smiles, and their words carried the warmth of genuine friendship. As I said goodbye and took my first steps towards the aircraft, I felt an unusual mixture of excitement and happiness. I was excited because I was embarking on a distant and unfamiliar journey, and happy because my dream of discovering the wider world was finally coming within reach. When we leave familiar surroundings, we do more than cross geographical distances; we also step beyond the boundaries of our habits and assumptions.

My first evening in Hangzhou left a lasting impression on me. China is a country where an ancient historical heritage exists alongside rapid technological development. Tall buildings, digital lighting systems, advanced transport infrastructure, and the fast pace of urban life gave me the feeling that the future had already arrived. In such an environment, it is difficult to remain a mere observer. You begin to compare, ask questions, and search for the reasons behind what you see. As a young journalist, I paid close attention to how urban life was organised, how technology was used in everyday activities, and how people approached their work. Every observation led me to another question: What could I learn from this experience, and how might those lessons be adapted to the realities of Tajikistan?

One of the most memorable and meaningful moments of my trip was seeing the President of China in person at an international event. Being present in such an international setting helped me understand that participating in global affairs is not simply a matter of pride. It is also an opportunity to learn, broaden one’s perspective, and develop a stronger sense of responsibility. The experience reminded me of the importance of looking beyond assumptions, observing reality directly, comparing information, and drawing conclusions from what one actually sees.

Yet the most breathtaking part of my journey was visiting the Great Wall of China. Until that moment, I had known this extraordinary landmark only through the pages of books and the images I had seen. Standing before its immense stone structures and looking along the seemingly endless path winding across the mountains, I found myself overwhelmed by the scale of what lay before me. I began to think about the millions of people who had worked to build and maintain this remarkable structure throughout history. How much knowledge, labour, organisation, and determination had been required to create a monument that would continue to capture the world’s imagination centuries later?

For a young person who had travelled from a remote village, seeing the Great Wall carried a special meaning. My initial amazement soon gave way to deeper reflection. I did not want to take a few photographs and leave with nothing more than a pleasant memory. I wanted to find a lesson in the experience that I could apply to my own life. The Great Wall became a symbol of perseverance. It reminded me that great achievements do not happen overnight. They begin with a single step, with the laying of the first stone, and they require patience, determination, and continuous effort.

Another important part of the journey was meeting people from different countries and forming new friendships. I became acquainted with young people from the Netherlands, Munich in Germany, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia. Our group leader was Jeremy Walker from the Philippines, whose organisational skills and warm manner made a positive impression on us. Travelling alongside Parviz, whom I knew as the head of sports television in Tajikistan, was also a memorable experience. We shared time on the airplane and at the hotel. Our conversations during periods of waiting and our everyday interactions in an unfamiliar environment reminded me of the profound truth behind a Tajik proverb: “You truly know a friend when you travel together.”

These encounters allowed me to discover the world through people. I came to understand that cultural and linguistic differences do not have to be insurmountable barriers. Mutual respect, sincerity, and a genuine willingness to understand one another can bring people from different continents closer together. Each person had a different background and a different perspective, yet we could still learn from one another. Our conversations showed me that the world becomes more understandable when we approach it with curiosity rather than prejudice.

Even discovering Chinese cuisine became a way of learning about the country’s culture. Tasting different kinds of noodles, Chinese dumplings, and steamed dishes was more than a culinary experience. It helped me recognise that culture is not confined to historical monuments, museums, or architecture. It is also present at the dinner table, in daily habits, in traditional food, and in the ordinary routines through which people express their identity. Sometimes, understanding a country begins with something as simple as sharing a meal.

As a young journalist, I was particularly interested in opportunities for youth development and the media. My exposure to digital platforms and media workspaces in China encouraged me to think about the opportunities available to young people in the regions of Tajikistan. I began to consider how young people living far from major cities could gain access to practical knowledge, modern technologies, and professional guidance.

These reflections inspired an idea that I called the “Mobile Youth Laboratory: Tajikistan to the World.” The concept was to create opportunities for young people in rural communities to learn digital journalism, information literacy, artificial intelligence, and online entrepreneurship. The aim would be to help them turn their ideas into practical projects, regardless of where they lived or what resources were available to them.

I believe that talent is not limited by geography. A young person in a remote village may have an excellent idea, a strong work ethic, and the determination to succeed, yet lack access to the tools and knowledge needed to put those qualities into practice. Bringing training and digital opportunities closer to such communities could help bridge that gap. My experience in China encouraged me to think not only about what I could learn for myself, but also about how knowledge gained abroad might benefit others at home.

Of all the encounters during my journey, however, one conversation had a particularly strong influence on my professional and entrepreneurial ambitions. I met a young Chinese man named Moniko. His innovative thinking, independent approach, and way of conducting business impressed me deeply. We talked and exchanged experiences, and I paid close attention to how he worked and used digital opportunities. What struck me was not simply what he had achieved, but the way he approached possibilities and turned ideas into action.

As I listened to him, a simple but powerful question arose in my mind: “If he can do it, why can’t I?”

That question stayed with me. It challenged the limits I had placed, perhaps unconsciously, on what I believed was possible for someone from my background. I realised that success did not begin with having every resource or knowing every answer. It began with being willing to learn, experiment, and take the first step. Inspiration would mean little, I understood, unless I turned it into action.

After returning to Tajikistan, I decided to put what I had learned into practice. I began a small trading business, selling goods and gradually connecting this activity with online sales and digital technologies. Step by step, I explored ways to use digital tools to reach customers and develop my work. Today, this business generates approximately $600 in monthly income.

I do not consider that figure the final measure of success, nor do I claim that my journey to China alone created the business. Building something of one’s own requires effort, learning, patience, and the ability to adapt. Nevertheless, the trip gave me an important source of motivation and helped me see entrepreneurship from a new perspective. What had once seemed distant or difficult to imagine became something I could begin pursuing myself. The business represents an important first step towards greater professional independence and financial self-reliance.

My experience in China taught me that innovation does not necessarily begin with expensive equipment or substantial financial resources. Often, it begins with a different way of thinking and the willingness to try a new approach. Technology can create opportunities, but people must recognise those opportunities and have the courage to use them. This lesson has continued to guide me as I explore digital tools, online commerce, and new ways of developing my professional skills.

Since that first journey, I have also travelled to Turkey, Uzbekistan, Korea, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Iran, and Belarus. Each country has offered new experiences and lessons. Every journey has added something to my understanding of the world and of the people who inhabit it. Yet my first trip to China holds a special place in my heart. It was the journey that first helped me move beyond the limits of my previous assumptions and gave me greater confidence in my professional ambitions and entrepreneurial potential.

Travel has a long and respected place in Tajik literary tradition. The Safarnama of Nasir Khusraw, the celebrated eleventh-century Persian poet and traveller, demonstrates how personal observations made along a journey can become a lasting source of knowledge for generations. His work reminds us that travel writing is not merely a record of places visited. At its best, it is an account of how encounters with the world transform the traveller’s understanding of it.

My own journey taught me a similar lesson. The greatest distance we travel in life is not necessarily the geographical distance between two countries. It may be the distance between the way we thought yesterday and the way we understand the world today. A journey can change the questions we ask, the possibilities we recognise, and the choices we make when we return home.

When I left Tajikistan in September 2023, I was a young journalist from a remote village, eager to see a world I had previously known mainly through books and images. When I returned in October, I brought back much more than photographs and memories. I returned with new friendships, a broader perspective, ideas for youth development, and the determination to explore entrepreneurship for myself. The Great Wall had shown me the power of perseverance, my international friends had expanded my understanding of other cultures, and my conversation with Moniko had encouraged me to turn inspiration into action.

I have come to believe that we do not need to change the whole world to begin changing our lives. We need to be willing to see the world more closely, learn from the experiences of others, and take a meaningful step in our own communities. Sometimes, a journey that begins with an opportunity to visit another country becomes the starting point of a much larger journey within ourselves.

For me, that journey began in China, beneath the vast horizon of the Great Wall, and continued when I returned to my own country. Its most important destination was not a city or a landmark. It was a new understanding of what I might be capable of achieving—and of what I might one day help others achieve, too.

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Umedjon Amoni is a young journalist and entrepreneur from Tajikistan, based in Dushanbe. His interests include digital technologies, the use of artificial intelligence in media, online entrepreneurship, and initiatives that expand opportunities for young people.