I grew up in a small town in southern Italy as a child of the Erasmus generation. I never knew borders - not in the way past generations did. Thanks to the European Union, I could move freely, study abroad, live, and work in different countries without a passport or visa. I was never a foreigner - only a person among people. And yet, despite everything we have built together, despite decades of peace…

For years, I collaborated with Red Hat colleagues remotely, forging connections and driving projects forward from opposite ends of the globe. But it wasn’t until my trip to China that I finally had the opportunity to meet them in person, to put faces to names and share experiences beyond the confines of virtual communication. This convergence of work and wanderlust laid the foundation for a truly unforgettable journey—one that would take me from the bustling streets of Beijing to the tranquil villages of the Anhui and Zhejiang provinces.