Okay. Dear Yang,
So, I think and believe that one of the most important things to understand oneself and the world is to travel and see. Because when you travel and see, you automatically get influenced by so many different cultures and so many different ways of thinking, and then you automatically grow more. So, when you travel around a lot, you grow faster. And I always try to make my life smaller but greater, and travel around.
And I also assume that because you are a very open-minded person, you have probably already traveled around China a bit. Maybe even to other countries. When I traveled, I traveled through nearly every country in Europe and many countries outside of Europe, including the U.S., South America, India, and China. And I always think that this helps to gain perspective.
So, I really would encourage you to also go and travel and see the world when you have the possibility. And for me, this is also something I would really want to show my friends, the people around me, and my girlfriend. I do not want to experience everything alone. For me, it is like an adventure. And I think the best moments in life are always shared with another person.
You always remember the moments you had in real life with other people. Not the moments when you sit alone at home watching a movie. That is not what you remember. You remember when you climbed a mountain with your best friend. You remember when you saw a new world together with your girlfriend.
And for me, this is a vision in my mind. I want to give the people around me the chance to experience these things. I have a very good friend. Basically, since I left school, he has been by my side. We have a company together, but we are also friends and trust each other more than anyone else. We look at this world together.
My vision is also to share what I learned from seeing this world. Imagine traveling with your girlfriend, seeing a new country, and then experiencing things together. Difficult things. Simple things. Everything together.
So this leads to the second point.
I think one of the most important things people have to learn is self-confidence. Because when you have self-confidence, you have more fun in life. You ask the questions other people are afraid to ask. You do the things other people are afraid to do. And only when you ask the questions others do not ask, or only when you do the things others do not do, will you also have a different life.
For example, today when I was in Xi’an, I decided that I did not want to spend the evening there. So I booked a train ticket to Foping, where there are pandas and nature. Because I love nature.
So now I am here, walking along the river at night, trying to find a hotel that is willing to host me. Because all the hotels are very small, and actually they do not really want to host foreigners. So I am still walking around here at 1 a.m. But I am not afraid. For me, this is a challenge. For me, this is a new adventure. This is a new part of the movie.
I hope you also like adventure. Or maybe you do not like it yet, but you are willing to like it in the future. Because I think spending real time with another person today is the most valuable thing. Not always being online. Not always staying connected. But being somewhere in nature, without phones, just experiencing time. Experiencing how the river flows, how the trees move, what the birds sound like.
Maybe I should say something about my background.
I grew up in an artist family. My mother is a dancer, and my father is a magician. I do not really know why, but in the end I tried to combine my artistic side with maybe the engineering and economic side that my grandparents had.
My grandparents were both engineers. My grandfather was once a chief engineer at Germany’s largest train company. He helped build high-speed trains. Basically, all the high-speed trains you see in China today come from the same origin. China used German train designs, then improved and changed them, but the core technology originally came from Germany. He helped develop these things.
So what I try to do is combine the creative artist side with the engineering side, and make products that truly make the world a little better. Products that help people experience more love. Maybe one day, give humanity the possibility to go to the stars, live in small space stations around the moon, and travel through space like in some movies.
I truly believe this is possible. And I truly believe that I will help make some of these things happen.
But I am thinking... I have now talked a lot about myself. To be honest, I usually prefer asking questions.
This is maybe one of the biggest lessons I have learned. Most relationships with friends, girlfriends, parents, or anyone break because people stop asking questions. They stop being curious. They stop trying to understand the other person.
So this is one very important thing. I really do not want to just pour things onto another person. Most relationships break because people stop asking creative questions. Then two people only talk about what happened during their day. They explain things. But neither of them is truly deeply interested in the other person anymore.
So here are some questions I want to ask you.
I am not completely sure why, but you really stand out. When we message, you seem to be more aware of what I am thinking. You are really honest. And I can understand your thoughts very well. I also understand more clearly how different Chinese people and German people maybe are.
But like I said, I am always looking for adventure. And for me, one of the biggest adventures is to truly get to know a Chinese person. Because there is a lot of uncertainty here. Many things can go wrong. And whenever many things can go wrong, I do not know why, I am drawn to it.
So I want to know:
What do you think you are truly good at?
I believe there are some things you are very good at. If you say you have none, I do not believe you.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
I think one thing that really helps to understand a person is asking about their childhood and how they grew up.
I already know from chatting with Chinese people that this is usually a very private topic. So only if you are willing, can you tell me?
What do your parents do?
What was your childhood like?
What is the earliest memory you have?
Do you remember the first word you learned?
I know these questions may be much more personal than what you are used to. So if it is too much, just tell me directly.
It is probably around 2 a.m. now, and I am sitting by the river, listening to the sound of the water, trying to find the right words to write to you.
Do you like nature?
I really hope you do.
Maybe one day, I can show you the Swiss Alps. Or the German Alps. They are beautiful. There is so much outside.
I have many things I want to tell you, but I do not want to burden you with random thoughts.
So if one day you write me a letter back, please include some questions. Questions that you are truly interested in. Not random questions. Not boring questions. But questions that truly matter to you.
Thank you for being so open.
I am also thinking... how would you imagine your perfect future now?
I know many things will change.
But if you imagine a perfect movie about your own future, what would it look like?
Imagine some things that feel impossible today.
For example, someone tells you that one day you will travel to every country on Earth.
What do you truly want?
What do you truly care about?
If one thing disappeared from your life, what would make you truly sad?
Do you have an older or younger sister?
Do you have an older or younger brother?
Do you have a good relationship with your parents?
There are still too many unknown things.
I wish you could sit next to me right now and listen to the river. I think talking about these things in real life would make them much more meaningful.
There are too many things happening in my mind.
Do you do sports?
About four months ago, I ran a marathon in Bali.
That was the hardest thing I have ever done.
I had already run a marathon once before, but this time it was under the tropical sun in Bali. Almost the whole race was directly under the sun, sometimes by the sea. In the end, I was completely exhausted.
It took me about eight hours. I ran for about five hours and rested for about three hours. Because it was so hot and there was too little water, it almost killed me.
What is the hardest thing you have ever done?
Do you do sports?
I am really curious what your reaction is now.
Are you completely overwhelmed?
Do you feel excited while reading this?
Or are you thinking: “Please stop talking.”
And there is one more thing that is very important to me.
Everything should be a little special.
Conversations should be special.
Experiences should be special.
When I go somewhere to eat, the food should be special.
When I travel, I want to do special things.
When I go somewhere with a woman, I want it to be special.
When there is a date, I want it to be special.
I do not want to live a boring life.
I want to do exciting things, have a great family someday, and help make this planet a little better.
I think it would be very nice if you could look up at the sky now.
The clouds look beautiful.
They look like cotton candy. In Germany, we call it Zuckerwatte.
The moonlight is shining on them, and below there are the small lights from this little village.
The clouds look silver. Completely fluffy, and as if they are covered in silver.
Behind them are the mountains.
Because it is night now, the mountains are completely black.
But they are beautiful.
On one mountain there is a bright light.
I am not sure if it is a hotel or something else, but it looks very mysterious.
I still have too much I could tell you.
But instead, I just hope you have very good dreams.
I hope you have a beautiful night.
Maybe you will dream of pandas living together in nature, smiling together, and eating bamboo.
Maybe you will dream of flowers.
Maybe flowers like the ones in my German garden.
There are red tulips.
Yellow tulips.
Tulips everywhere.
We have a pretty big garden.
Maybe you will dream of some of these thoughts.
I hope tomorrow will be a beautiful day for you.
I hope you will think a little about these things.
I hope they will not confuse you.
I hope they will inspire you to make your own time special.
Spend a little less time scrolling through social media.
Spend a little more time simply enjoying that you are alive.
Enjoy that you are here right now, experiencing this world.
And I think you are smart.
Please do not think I am just saying that.
If I did not think you were smart, I would not spend so much time talking to you. I really like talking to smart people.
I think you are smart.
And I think you can also make this world a little better.
You can make it more interesting for other people.
You can create meaning.
In the end, I think everyone is just looking for meaning.
And I think you can find it.
So I give you a hug.
I hope you sleep well.
And I hope you dream of something special.
Okay: pss:
I have now checked into the hotel and am lying here... It is a big hotel, and only the most expensive hotel here accepts foreigners... haha, usually I try not to spend this much money on hotels, so I can keep more money for food and travel, but anyway. Now I am alone in this hotel room, and it feels very empty... One day, I dream of sleeping together with someone I like, holding her in my arms. And then experiencing things like today together... Then this hotel room would not feel so empty.