I had a dream. We had a dream. A Special issue of Internationalis dedicated to one country – Amazing China and stories and people that are intertwined with that astonishing country in the Far East.

We began with China’s connections to Slovenia. We ultimately connected it to the region, featuring stories about Nikola Jokic’s epic visit to China in July of this year and friends from Serbia and Montenegro serving as guest journalists.

Some of us just recently got “hooked” on China, while some are connected to it for many years and know it more deeply and are much more knowledgeable than us, who are, hm, how to say it, not exactly “just tourists” but aspire to become a connoisseur of all the wonders related to China, but in reality, are still just amateurs when it comes to knowing China and we have so much more to learn.

A friend of mine, expat like myself in Slovenia, an international too, Anastas Vangeli, Assistant Professor at the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana, said with a giggling voice to me when I travelled to China for the second time: “Oh, you too got the China bug, a?” And I kind of understand now what he meant because once you go Far East, China … there is this unexplainable drive to “crack the code” “to get to know better”, to experience more of this modern “Middle Kingdom” and the centre of modern era civilization.

Trips to China are also a unique way to be pampered by the kindness of its people, who redefine the definition of friendship. For the better, of course. And there is so much history and tradition unexplored, so many tales and poems that are unread, that I feel that we need one more lifetime to be able to grasp how rich and beautifully unexplored this country behind the curtain of prejudice is.

The dream is a reality now. Is it perfect? No. But we honestly strived for perfection while we made this dream a reality.

You see it with different eyes from the ones who dreamed that same or a similar dream together with me and my team. I would love to see what and how your eyes see it. Write to us at info@theinternational.si

Was it easy? It was not easy, it was hard. But, all dreams take a long time to actualize, and we learn from those realization experiences a lot. Never stop dreaming and enjoy reading and listening – because this 1^st “Internationalis Specialis – Amazing China can, thanks to the narrated audio articles, made with the help of AI, follow you during your car journeys, while you ride your bike or run, while you cook or just simply sit in the sun lounger on some terrace during a sunset.

Thank you for your attention.

Vanja Kavčić

Editor In Chief

Internationalis – Where the World Meets Visionary Minds