Abeer Almadawy, an Egyptian novelist and journalist, is in Shanghai for the second time, getting to know the city from a completely different angle.
Her first three-week visit in 2019 was mostly for business purposes, as she met with executives from a variety of enterprises in the city.
"In 2019, I saw the city from the tops of skyscrapers. This time, I'm more on the ground, connecting with people and learning about different aspects of life here," she said.
"You can read about Shanghai on the Internet or in books, but it's nothing like going down to the streets and talking to the people here despite language barriers, living their lives, eating what they eat, touching the flowers in the park, smelling the air, and walking around. It is essential for a writer to be there in the scenario.
With a strong interest in Chinese philosophy, she enjoys getting up early in the morning – at 5:30am – to watch the city wake up, "slowly and gradually at first, and suddenly it is a new day by 6:30am."
"Then you start seeing people rushing, either on foot or on bikes. It appears that people work a lot when they also know how to have fun, particularly the young people here."
She started writing love stories about young couples in Shanghai after finding inspiration from them on the city's streets, including one that featured a foreign couple there.
（Interviewed by Yao Minji, Shanghai Daily）