2 . Like many others who are autistic (患自闭症的), Bobby Latheron has known for most of his life that there was something that made him different from his peers. As a child, he often preferred spending time with adults.

Throughout school, Bobby struggled. He suffered from panic attacks that would cause him to run out of the room crying, which made teachers view him as a “naughty child”. Then, at around 13 years old, he was officially diagnosed (诊断) with autism. But because autism was still so misunderstood, this didn’t improve his situation by much.

Still, Bobby persevered and made it to university. But after a while, he struggled academically here, too. Things were looking up when he switched to art, design, and photography, but he simply couldn’t do it. That’s when a kind teacher changed his life for the better.

“I was telling one of the music teachers about my life with autism—my relationships and my struggles,” Bobby tells InspireMore. “She said, ‘Why don’t you write a book about your life?’ So I did.”

This is how My World in My Words by Bobby Latheron came to be. When writing this book, Bobby remained incredibly focused. Finding the inspiration to write his first book has changed Bobby’s life in so many ways. He’s met others who are like himself, plus, he’s even managed to secure a job he loves. He’s even given multiple interviews for various news and radio stations. Best of all, this new direction in life has given Bobby the opportunity to help others like him to feel less alone and, in doing so, he’s proven to himself that he’s far more capable than he once believed.

“I’m not here to say it’s always been perfect and that I haven’t made mistakes,” Bobby tells InspireMore, “but you have to learn in life.”

6 . “When I was a child, I enjoyed watching Chinese dramas such as Princess Pearl and Journey to the West. Fascinated by the Chinese language and culture, I finally pursued it as my major for both my undergraduate and master’s degrees,” said Dinh Thi Thu Ha, a 32-year-old Vietnamese woman working at the waste burning power factory of China First Metallurgical(冶金)Group.

When she first applied for the job in 2019, she aimed for the translator position because the company was preparing for a Vietnam project, its first overseas waste-to-energy factory, in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and it was in great need of translators. “At first, I wasn’t sure how long I could do the job since the working environment was harsh. We were surrounded by garbage, the smell was terrible and dark-colored water would flow everywhere after the rain,” Dinh recalled. But the demanding environment was not her only difficulty as Dinh soon found out that being bilingual (双语的) wasn’t enough for her to be a qualified translator. She had to be an expert in the field of garbage disposal (垃圾处理) too.

“The biggest challenge I faced was the translation of technical terms, many of which I couldn’t understand at the time,” Dinh said. “Whenever I ran into words or expressions that I wasn’t familiar with and couldn’t look up myself, I would ask my Chinese colleagues to explain them to me. They were always eager and happy to help.” In the company’s Vietnam branch, the number of Chinese staff slightly goes beyond that of Vietnamese, but Dinh said she never felt any cultural differences. “We’re not divided by our nationalities, and we’re members of the same family — China First Metallurgical Group.”

Dinh now works as a junior manager, and her job description includes translation, foreign affairs contactor, and marketing. As a local resident of Hanoi, Dinh is very proud to have contributed to this project. “I hope to improve my information research and negotiation skills in the future and to further explore and develop the Vietnamese market with my colleagues.”

7 . At 6 feet, 7 inches, Will Allen was a natural at basketball. He received scholarship offers from more than a hundred colleges. He finally chose the University of Miami.

Going away to college meant leaving the family farm. He remembered how hard that life on the farm had been. Now that his life was full of possibilities, he swore he would never go back to farming.

After college, Allen began a pro-basketball career in Belgium, where, ironically (讽刺地), he rediscovered farming. He found the farmers there farmed the way his parents had back home, caring for the land without using chemicals and fertilizers.

Allen and his family moved back to the United States in 1977 after he retired from basketball. They settled in Milwaukee, where his wife’s family owned a farm. In 1993, Allen bought the last remaining farm in the city of Milwaukee, where he began his career as an urban farmer. Later he formed his own organization Growing Power, one of the world’s top urban agricultural organizations.

Allen also travelled across the United States, Africa, and Central Asia to help people grow food more efficiently in ways that fit in with their own culture. “Food is in short supply all over the world right now,” he says. “A lot of people are hungry. We need to grow food everywhere we can—in backyards and side yards, on rooftops, and even in buildings.”

He has spoken about urban agriculture around the world and is currently designing a vertical farm which is a new way to help feed more people in cities. “My main mission is to bring food into people’s lives and train people how to grow food. That continues to be important to me. ” said Allen. He said so, and he did so.

“Growing food is powerful,” Allen says. “It can change the world!”

8 . With the rapid development, the city of Chongqing is becoming more and more attractive to outsiders, including foreigners. For 26-year-old Moldovan Gabriela Cojocaru, who has the Chinese nickname Li Xiaoxiao, Chongqing is the beginning of a dream.

In September 2014, Xiaoxiao, who has studied ethnic dance and ballet since childhood, graduated from the Moldovan National Dance Academy, and several classmates joined her on a trip to China. However, she did not know any Chinese or even English. She made many friends from China, which gradually solved her obstacles in language communication and made herself better adapted to life in China.

“I think as a foreigner, first you have to learn Chinese,” she said. “Then you can go to better understand the culture and the Chinese people.” But after learning what she thought was Chinese, she discovered that the language she had spent two years learning is actually the Chongqing dialect. Such is her delivery that even a Chongqing local would be hard to tell that she is a foreigner by just hearing her voice. As Xiaoxiao thought Chongqing dialect was standard Chinese, she took considerable efforts to be good at it. This “mistake” has turned out to be a lucky strike.

But she is more interested in doing something that helps the two countries understand each other. As such, she introduced Chinese food or Chongqing food, and stories about China to her friends in Moldova. She plans to introduce the history and specialties of Moldova, such as Moldo van wine, to the Chinese. She hopes to let more people know that this country actually has a rich history of more than 5,000 years of wine-making.

“I’d love to do it,” she said. “I will continue to strengthen the culture of the two countries and hope that the two countries will become better and better.”

9 . The Amazon Rainforest, often called the “lungs of the Earth”, has always mesmerized me with its biodiversity (生物多样性) and local tribes (部落). When I had the chance to join a research expedition, I took it, excited about the adventure ahead. I didn’t know it would be a great experience.

The journey into the rainforest was tough, such as the dense leaves, endless rain and the sound of insects and animals. However, the beauty of the rainforest was amazing.

One of the most exciting parts of the trip was meeting a local tribe. Their way of life, so connected to nature, was different from our urban lives. Learning about their customs and understanding their relationship with the rainforest was a special experience. It made me realize how separated from nature we have become in the technological advancement.

The trip was not without challenges. Walking in the forest, dealing with the bad weather and dealing with the fear of the unknown tested our willpower. However, every challenge we overcame brought a sense of achievement and strengthened our team bond. It taught me the importance of teamwork and adaptability.

As we left the rainforest, I recalled the impact the trip had on me. It was not just an adventure but a journey of self-discovery.

My trip to the Amazon rainforest was a meaningful experience. It was a journey that pushed my boundaries(边界) taught me valuable lessons and left me with unforgettable memories. It was not just a trip, but an exploration of the unknown and a reminder of our responsibility towards our planet. The adventure may have ended, but the journey continues, as I carry the lessons and memories with me, influencing my life and choices.

10 . Favored by many internet influencers, the city of Zibo, once a sleepy industrial city, has gone viral on Chinese social media platforms. The topic Zibo “barbecue” on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, was played 4.96 billion times since the city stormed the Internet for over a month. On 29 April, Zibo Railway Station saw a record 87,000 train trips to and from the station, according to Chinese news website Caixin.

Local authorities in Zibo have been quick to respond to the sudden flow of visitors. A barbecue zone that can accommodate 10,000 people, featuring live band performances, was built overnight. Volunteers have been dispatched to the railway station to offer advice and recommendations to tourists. Designated (指定的) buses and trains bring tourists to and from the hottest barbecue spots. The government has even threatened to punish profiteering hotels who raise prices by more than 50% .

What makes Zibo barbecue so special is that it does offer a distinctive (独特的) dining experience. The skewers (烤串) are 70-80 percent cooked before they are brought to the table, where diners can finish cooking them on their own stoves, offering an immersive dining experience.

Zibo’s low prices are also appealing. Many college students in Shandong have made concrete plans to enjoy Zibo barbecue at the least cost, and traveling back and forth by train for only 200 yuan ($29.1). So what better way to attract adventurous, hungry college students with a tight budget other than “tasty barbecue that makes you full for only 50 yuan!”

The locals seem happy enough about the arrival of visitors and shy away from hot spots to make space for outsiders, saying they are proud that their hometown has gained nationwide fame.