Been stuck in my own insecurity and anxiety for more than a month, and that feeling really drives me up the wall. I think your video just inspired me, and I am gonna do some "small things" to make myself feel accomplished, well hopefully. Cheers.
Good to see you here Jenn:) And yes, imagining shame as an agent and kicking it out feels very empowering - I will try to do that! I'm excited to get out of my shell and start meeting more people - definitely helps on the front of surrounding myself with the right narratives. Cheering you on as well - let's make our own narrative loud and proud:)
I just found your channel and I love it! :) I don't usually comment on vids but I just wanted to tell you how relatable this vlog was. I'm around the same age, and I also was once sucked in a toxic competitive work culture in the tech industry... I'm happy to see you taking the steps to "get your life together" hahah, but I just wanted to put it here that I know it's hard not to compare with our peers, not to think that the "clock is ticking" because we're towards the end of our 20s, but the truth is this stupid thing called "time" is a man-made construct and we shouldn't feel trapped by it! As cheesy as it sounds, we all have our own paths, and all these challenges in life are what make it worth living and appreciate the good times at the end! :) P.S. I love the way you're able to articulate your thoughts so clearly! I usually zone out during too chatty videos but I absorbed and found every word relatable. Much love ❤️❤️
I don't know what to say😭 Thank you for baring through my talking about feelings for 12 minutes straight and actually appreciating it. You are absolutely right, time is a man-made construct and I'll be working hard to break free from it, to break free from people's judgement, and carve out my own path. Much love to you too💕 All the best for your adventure in Germany:)
I've lived in Beijing for four months in 2019. And it was probably the happiest time of my life. I started watching your channel to help me fill the void. Thank you for creating such special content.
Absolutely love your channel. 👏🏼 I found it a few days ago and have been binging your content. Such great vibes you give off and the work at home video really related to me! Kitchen makeover video was really great as well! new fan here & looking forward to more :)
yoo, im a chinese born living in costa rica. i grew up in costa rica, and tbh i know almost everything about the country. its ups and downs, so ive been looking for a life make over in china. and its the first time ive heard about getting stuck in a plateau in china (i think im stuck too but in costa rica)i really thought china was gonna make my life better. who knows, but i hope u can get over with whatever u need to get over and see the progress uve been waiting for. cheers! love the genuine content!
Hey, thanks for sharing! Ya know, I still think you can have a life makeover in China😃I've met plenty of people in Beijing who are living their dreams - it matters what industry you choose, and what kind of people you surround yourself with (at work and beyond). Yes, not being a part of involution comes with a huge amount of stress, but I do think if you know what you want, China will be a great adventure for you:)
Evelyn, always so impressed with your genuine heartfelt stories, I feel sad for you, happy for you, excited, worried, so captivating, you always leave me happy somehow, cant find enough kind words, you are so talented and blessed with such a great presence, I just know you're going to do great things, whatever you try, it will be at the very least inspiring and make the world better, thank you!
Thank you!! Not sure if it's the same one you read but this is the best explanation of involution I've read so far: www.sixthtone.com/news/1006391/how-one-obscure-word-captures-urban-chinas-unhappiness
i love your vlogs! as someone who has found your channel a few months ago by chance, is very comforting to be able to catch up on these everyday questions that living life brings to us, even though i'm on the other side of the world here from brazil. hoping better days can come to you, but also wishing that you can embrace these days where we're feeling kinda down and all over the place with ease 💕
Thank you Marina! I do feel better now after making this video and putting my thoughts together🥰 It really feels like a privilege to share my life with kind and supportive people like you:)
I randomly stumbled upon you through your apartment tour. Glad I stayed around to watch this video. :) I appreciated your vulnerability and honesty with your comment about moving to beijing... and your thoughts on "to hype myself up for it, to romanticize my adventure and to convince myself that i didn't fuck up my life". I made some big life choices in 2021, and am making a big move in early 2022. Sometimes, I wonder if i am just voluntarily fucking up my life hahahah too. sometimes, it's so tough watching productivity/lifestyle youtubers/influencers make big changes and not hear their second thoughts /doubts about the choices they make...
That apartment just keeps generating cons and you were so excited about it. I really enjoyed watching the video and giving a realistic expectation of what working in Beijing can be. I am getting more and more nervous about moving now that is happening in less than a month.
Ahhhh I know! And at this point I've accumulated so much stuff that I'm genuinely scared to move and go through the apartment hunting process all over again🤯BUT, the good thing is I did start getting comfortable here, and it is feeling like home. All the best with your move - so excited for you!! (and you will be fine☺️)
OMG, Evelyn. Thank you for your videos. I will be moving to Beijing as a first timer by myself, and I've never been out of the U.S. so your videos really help
Love your vloging style. Like your sense of humor. Hope you feel better and less stressed now. The thing you mentioned about 996 in the video... I do think it's literally everywhere maybe just in different formats. Remembered in " your quitting my first job" video, you mentioned on the bridge that you would never come to regret that you haven't cherished your time in Beijing. Just keep the positivity going. You are doing really good. Just simply enjoy everyday good or bad. 🙃look forward to watching more videos from you ❤
ahhh thank you so much! I do agree - the grind is everywhere, just manifested in different forms. I am feeling a lot more positive now. Hope you are well too!
very relatable to a lot of things in this video, the cultural pressure is strong. currently going thru something similar - and a lot of things because of gain weight i am currently going thru - thanks for talking about all these!!
really enjoyed your video and the style of editing!! while i know that experiencing periodes of time when you feel like youre just not doing enough and everything is just going in the wrong direction is very difficult, i love that youre being open and honest to share that here. i feel kind of similar to what youre feeling (although ofc my situation is quite different) and age anxiety is a topic that i discuss with my friends often, so it is very refreshing to see you share this feeling but also try to find strenght and new perspectives from it. actually I have moved from germany to Beijing for 5 months to work as an au pair back in 2018 and im excited to see your view of the city since tbh i didnt actually enjoy the city that much... might have been influenced by my work circumstances but anyways!! im really excited to see more of your videos and i hope you feel better. Im personally really impressed with what youre doing so 加油 ♡♡
I didn't enjoy the city either for the first 5 months I was here, despite my best effort to hype myself up. It could be that good things take time, and it could also be that good things for others might not be good things for you...either way, I hope you are feeling better too. I'm more than excited to share more of my journey with you! 你也加油:)
I adore all your videos bcs it literally copy the vibes of bestdressed and her editing style. I love how you actually incorporate your style too and am not afraid of showing the world how to balance corporate while doing content creation. Its good that you finally decided to quit in the end.
You are so authentic, thank you for your videos, I have been watching them for a few days now, and it's lovely to get to know you more! A random question, I'd love to know what kind of vinagar you add to your noodles. Wishing you much success, always!! ❤
IDK why but I felt like crying by the end of the video. This vlog felt like I was talking to a friend about her life and the struggles that come with work, family, love, life, and everything in between . I love that I discovered this channel. All light and love to you!
You give me hope! A lot of women struggle with the same things(Me!) Feeling stuck(more like lost), curbing or feeling weighed down by peer pressures makes it hard to live in your truth. But like you said you have to be firm and strong in your own narrative! Yearning to move to China maybe one day(when I grow the balls to stop letting society and fear of judgement get to me) I will add hopefully I'll see you there. Thank you for sharing your vulnerability with us.
Miss you, always! Remember - cleaning is also a workout so you were very productive! 😝 Can’t wait to see your veggies grow and what you’ll cook with them!
I find Korean makeup to work well with all skin types. They don’t offer wide range of colors but I like how it works for me. Newer to your channel and enjoying your sharing life in Beijing. I live in Seattle area and we have large Asian population and I love 💕 💕 the culture and foods.
That's great to hear! I've been to Seattle a few times and can't wait to go back and visit some day:) The first time I've had Din Tai Fung was in Seattle!
I'm a Canadian in the process of moving to Nanjing soon and I'm so glad to have found your channel! You've given me so much apartment inspo and are so nice to watch :') Loved this relatable video and genuinely hope you're going through a little lull and that you feel better soon! Take care
Thanks so much Miranda! all the best with you move:) I've been to Nanjing a couple of times and absolutely love the city....Hope you take care and enjoy your time there!
Sending you lots of love! What a beautifull video and very intersting themes to think about... I really hope you get to enjoy things more without worries about what others! 💕
Great insight on narratives! Traditional Chinese culture definitely has harmful narratives that inflict damage on those who grew up with them. That's not to say there aren't positive narratives (such as emphasis on the family and so forth), but to withstand the pressure to conform to those that inflict harm really does require knowing the truth behind your own story and narrative. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Evelyn! I hope you enjoyed your birthday and I hope that you would have an amazing year ahead. I'm not really one to comment on RU-vid videos but idk I feel like I needed to let you know you're amazing. Your videos always bring a smile to my face and make the isolation during the pandemic a little be less lonely. I love how genuine and authentic you are.
Thank you so much...It seems like the world is starting to open up a little bit:) I hope you get to go out and enjoy the sunlight - it always makes me happier, and I hope you too!
I just watched your channel accidentally and like it so much. Everyone has their own life, so you should be affected negatively by others. Be happy and enjoy your life every day and everywhere.
I LOVE your videos. You're so real. Your videos literally make me so happy :) I think there is something so special and rewarding about discovering new areas and experiences by yourself in life. You make me want to do the same. Never give up on your dreams. I'll be rooting for you!
I’ve been working 6-12 6 days a week due to wfh and intense pressure working with colleagues from all over the world (china europe and india)… i binge eat due to the stress and covid depression and went from relatively aOK long distance runner to a potato (literally eating chips and sitting and working all day long). I even got diagnosed with mild hypertension recently at age of 27 :( not sure how to help but don’t overstress yourself. Health is more important than money ever will. I also felt that I’ve wasted almost 2 years of my life that can be used for dating, traveling and exploring but don’t let others get to to you. You do you. Break the mold. I know it’s not easiest things to do in Asia but 加油. Anyway, it’s T-1 month before moving to suzhou for me. Look forward to your next vlogs!
Thanks for sharing!! And I'm sorry to hear about your burnout:( Right back to you - let's break the mold together, and don't ever let the others get to you. All the best for your move to Suzhou - I'm sure there are great adventures and people waiting for you:)
Can you drill holes in rental apartment ? I am also using cardboard boxes when I travel, because I saw it from Chinese tourists. I pack my stuff in cardboard box and take it to check in counter. If I would use travel bag, I could bring 3-5 kg less stuff.
Yes you can drill holes in your rental apartment, as long as your landlord is okay with it :) I've never traveled with cardboard boxes...but all the best!😃
I’m a Chinese vegetarian (斋)in Hangzhou, currently stuck in the US though. It was quite easy for me to find vegan and vegetarian places in southern China, wonder if it’s different in the north due to regional food differences?
Hiii! I've been able to find quite a few veggie restaurants in Beijing...I think people across Chines are more and more open to the idea of vegetarianism:)
YTB just show me one of your video, and I really love your content... I´m the same age as you and feel kind of anxious as well... Just try to put my life together like you and this your video is really nice and I have already smile on my face :) I had wedding last month but I didn´t go to school like I wanted so now I try to find my place and maybe start with school next year, but biology clock is ticking and now I kinda don´t know what to do with my life :D Anyway I love your channel and your content :)
Ahh congrats on the wedding, and thank you so much for the comment! Life works out in unexpected ways - all the best with going back to school (if that’s still what you want), and remember it’ll all be okay🥰 sending love!
I just turned 27 on the 22nd I have the opposite effect. Living in Denver, bought a house with my husband, working a great job and I want to move to China. I feel like my life in America is really just a place holder and a life in China is actually where I should be.
Don't be so discouraged. I don't know why you're not able to move back to the US but try to see if you can get a job in Canada instead or remote position where they will eventually have you in their country once things are back to normal. Stay positive
The societal pressures on single women in China is saddening. I was in China for a lot of my 20s, even as a foreigner, I've heard it all 🙃 If you can, look into getting work in Singapore, a great tech hub in Asia. I know some jobs will hire you even if you need your visa to be sponsored. Once the world opens up more, blast your resume to every city or place and start saving for a plane ticket.
I've been to Singapore and absolutely love the garden city! We single ladies just gotta hold on to our own narratives in China. It's not easy to fight against social stigmas, but knowing what's wrong with it is the first step. Can't wait for the world to open up more!
You definitely have a talent for framing the scene. The still scenes (not the handhold ones, but I don't know the official name for) are always not too full and somewhat aesthetically pleasing. The discrimination on body images and age against women in Asian countries is so toxic and suffocating.
Thank you!! Upon seeing this comment I went to watch more youtube videos on how to frame the scene haha...I love telling stories visually and it's always so much fun to do. Thanks for the support:)
I know it is hard but don't be discouraged by the environment. You don't need to change yourself so you can "Have a Man" in your life. Maybe consider getting a Canadian pr and move to Canada to work and try to figure out a way back to the States if you want to.
Why stay in Beijing? Hangzhou is the next up & coming place for tech in China... Not far from Shanghai... I think you'd like it if you've never been here.
🌹🌹🌹🙏🌈✋❤️😊 🌹🙏✌️Extra Good job🤝😘👍 Wow. Great view, I love to see new places 👍❤️ Great movie 👍👋 Bravo 👋 And I have a new movie from a walk around the city 😊 Yours sincerely, DJ Janusz from Warsaw Poland 🇵🇱😘🎶🎵🙏✋
Unwanted advice incoming: 27 and single is not a big deal. People rush into relationships just not to be alone an that's so unhealthy. Let's look at the divorce rate during the pandemic when people were shocked that those are their partners! Enjoy being single, privacy and all this time you can devote to yourself. You can grow, become more you, more confident so it's easier to know what you want and what you don't want (relationship and life-wise), but also harder to lose yourself in a relationship. And the job situation - I know you've been to USA but world is such a big place, why there? You could try Australia, Canada, Europe - especially that you're a PM, it's highly desirable to find an EXPERIENCED PM, I think there would be companies willing to sponsor your working visa. Don't give up!
Thank you for the advice! I've spent all of my twenties in super long term relationships and have definitely felt that I've lost myself a bit in the relationships, and missed on many opportunities to "become more me". I wanted to move back to North America mostly because most of my friends and relationships are there. But you are right, the world is a big place, and there are definitely many more opportunities elsewhere as well:)
