A TARDIS level of coincidence when I look back from now. My story is closely tied to the Silk Road and two cities, Xi'an and Quanzhou.I was born and raised in a 3000-year-old city that once upon a time was China's capital -- Xi'an, it always been seen as the beginning of the Silk Road, the route when ancient china trade with the outside world, build the network of the commerce.Grow up in this historically rich and dynamic place I gain the familiarity of great explorer Zhang Qian, the terra cotta army, the Tang Dynasty, those names were deep in my mind along with my childhood. Every year towards the CNY, our family would fly 2000 miles to the south in a place called Quanzhou. I was disappointed by missing the chances to see the city wall decoration and celebration ceremony. My dad said the new year should be time to go real home, to be with our big family. my senses towards this 'real home' were vague, I can only try to accept the truth Quanzhou is where we're coming from but Xi'an is the place my dad does the business of selling bathroom products. soon after, I was sent back to Quanzhou with my sister to finish middle school. Quanzhou was the start point of the maritime silk road, it was one of very few decent natural harbors in southern China, really flourished during the chaotic years between 960-1127. In its golden age, pearls, incense, cotton, cloth, pepper, rare woods, and exotic foods and medicines arrived from sources raging from Arabia to Borneo; porcelain, silk, coins, and other metal items flowed out. My sense of belongingness to these two places take hold. I start to position myself as a connector and peacemaker, try to talk people out of their stereotypes about typical northern or southern people, that distortion would mislead you. Times forward, I completed my study at a Uni in Xi'an, major in Tourism, joined the workforce in the year 2011 in a travel service company, embarking a journey to connect with people.Traveling all around China during my early working years, then I decided to go back to the south. I found my place in international trading companies. In this fast-speed flat world, trade is more a profession than a contest, trust needs to be earned. China once was a magnet to traders for more than a thousand years, now still is the world's factory. I am here with all my heart to make communication and connection smoother and closer. Now, I step forward and show my sincerity in connecting.Iris Hong