Guangzhou

Nearly four years ago I attended the International Congress of Chinese Nephrologists in Nanjing. Within one month of that conference, international travel has come to a standstill because of the global pandemic. 

When I returned to the same conference in Guangzhou this week, there have certainly been swift changes. High speed train. Digital currency. Artificial intelligence. 

As happens with any new changes, my initial reaction is uncertainty. Little did I know how I could get my digital wallet. And yes, I can’t think of the way to navigate my digital world without Google Search. It is no surprise, then, my WhatsApp works as rarely as we win the lottery. I know for myself that websites from New Yorker and The New York Times are blocked by the firewall, too. 

Maybe I’m not supposed to talk about it. I shouldn’t have complained.