Woven Spotlight: Giulia Baldi
Finding Home in Motion
Giulia Baldi's Journey Across Borders and Within Herself
Dancing alone in her Shenzhen apartment, headphones on and unconcerned with how she might look, Giulia Baldi finds herself at home. It's not the first time she's created a sanctuary in an unfamiliar place—it's an art she's been perfecting since childhood.
Born in Switzerland to a Swiss-Italian family, Giulia has built her life across continents, languages, and cultural divides. From her early years in Switzerland to adolescence in Rome, university in Spain, and professional opportunities in the Netherlands and now China, her path has been marked by constant motion. Yet throughout her transitions, one thread remains constant: the desire to be more.
"It's not something tangible I can easily explain," Giulia reflects on what drives her continuous movement. "It's more a feeling that runs through my veins. A need, almost a calling, to experience more, to witness life firsthand, to learn, to explore."
What makes Giulia's story particularly compelling isn't just the geography she's covered, but the internal landscape she's discovered along the way—a journey that has taught her that home isn't a place you find, but a feeling you create.
The Courage to Leap: From Fear to Empowerment
When considering her most pivotal decision to move abroad, Giulia points to her relocation to China - a leap that distinguished itself from her previous European transitions. Unlike moves within the familiar cultural landscape of Europe, China represented something entirely different.
"I felt both extremely scared and excited at the same time. Compared to the European countries I had lived in before, China felt incredibly far away, and not just in distance, but in culture, language, and everything familiar."
What made this transition uniquely meaningful wasn't just the distance or cultural gap, but a profound internal shift. For the first time, Giulia experienced her fear not as a barrier but as a companion to her growth.
"When I made up my mind to go, for the first time, I also felt something new: empowerment. It wasn't just the fear of stepping into something completely unknown again or the excitement of discovering such a unique culture. It was the realization that I was allowing myself to feel all of it—the fear, the wonder—and do it anyway."
This moment marked a turning point in how she understood courage itself.
"I truly believe we all have incredible potential inside us, but often fear holds us back from discovering it. And it's normal, there is no shame in being afraid. Moving abroad taught me that no matter what difficulties come, and there will be many, the real victory is having the courage to take the leap in the first place."
For Giulia, this realization extended beyond just moving countries—it became a philosophy about how to approach any significant life change.
"Realizing that we are strong enough to step into the unknown for ourselves, is incredibly empowering."
Redefining Home: From Place to Feeling
Living across five countries has fundamentally transformed Giulia's concept of home. When asked where home is, she finds herself unable to provide the straightforward answer most people can offer.
"The more you live in new places, the more your idea of home evolves too. It's always hard to answer when someone asks, 'Where is home for you?' Over time, I've realized that I focus less on what home looks like and more on what home feels like."
For Giulia, home has become more sensory than geographic - it's found in moments, sensations, and feelings of peace rather than in a specific postal code.
"Home is the sound of the waves, the smell of the sea, the sun burning on my skin. It's endless laughter with someone I care about, dancing without a care in the world, reading a good book in a beautiful park or flowers in full bloom."
While Rome holds a special place in her heart because of family connections and formative experiences, she's discovered elements of home in all the places she's lived.
"As time passed, I found myself remembering feeling at home in other places I've lived too: the quiet nature spots and endless bike roads in the Netherlands, the clean air, snow, and peaceful rhythm of Switzerland, the lifestyle, sunshine, and energy of Spain. And now, even in China, I'm starting to find small pieces of peace."
This evolution from seeking home in places to finding it in moments represents one of the most profound transformations in her expatriate journey.
"I think I've learned, and I'm still learning, that home is more a feeling than a specific place. It's found in the people you meet, the experiences you live, the new versions of yourself you meet, the new routines you create and the memories you carry."
Embracing Loneliness as a Teacher
The expatriate experience often glamorizes the adventure while glossing over the inevitable periods of isolation. For Giulia, particularly in China with its significant time difference from her European connections, loneliness has been a constant companion—one she's learned to welcome rather than resist.
"When you're away from family, friends, and familiar places, surrounded by people who don't share your background or language, loneliness is inevitable. I do not have a solution for sure to that, but I've learned to let that loneliness in during those moments, trying to understand myself better and accepting that it's okay."
Her approach to loneliness is refreshingly honest - acknowledging that expatriate life isn't about eliminating difficult emotions but developing a healthier relationship with them.
"We can't be happy and okay all the time, that wouldn't be real or even right, if you ask me. Loneliness is a part of the journey, and moving around a lot can feel lonely sometimes. But embracing that feeling, instead of fighting it, was the most reasonable thing for me to do."
This perspective has given her a different understanding of what success means while living abroad.
"Sometimes, spending a day by yourself, wherever that may be, and simply making it through the day is already an incredible achievement sometimes. There isn't a one-size-fits-all strategy for overcoming those feelings, we all perceive and react to them differently."
The experience has also taught her valuable lessons about which relationships can withstand distance and time.
"You realize some connections naturally stay strong despite the distance, while others may have been more connected to the time and space you shared before. And this is normal. The strongest bonds don't necessarily change—they just evolve."
Rather than seeing this shift as loss, she's discovered a deeper quality in her long-distance connections.
"In my case, I still feel deeply connected to many people in Europe. We simply catch up less often—but when we do, it feels more intentional. Your inner circle becomes even stronger in a way, because both sides have to actively make space and time for each other."
The Transformative Power of Strangers
When reflecting on who has shaped her journey abroad, Giulia doesn't point to one mentor or friend but to countless brief encounters with strangers—fleeting connections that left permanent impressions.
"I found myself surprised by how easily I connected with strangers - many of them were also living abroad, traveling alone, searching for something. And with them, I received the purest version of who they were. Because there's no expectation, no history to carry, no future to worry about, I think we simply are."
These moments of authentic connection have become both a cornerstone of her expatriate experience and a lens through which she views human interaction.
"I believe that sometimes, we are an even better version of ourselves with strangers. Kinder too. We speak freely."
This realisation has evolved into a personal mission to create positive impacts in the lives of those she encounters.
"Having travelled a lot by myself, I now realize that everywhere I go, I try to make sure that the people I encounter can leave with a good feeling. Not to win anything from them or be fake, but because I genuinely mean to."
Through these encounters, Giulia has discovered a powerful truth about human connection that transcends cultural differences.
"Throughout my journey, I've been lucky enough to meet incredible people from all corners of the world, each with their own unique experiences. And with every conversation, I walked away with something: a new perspective, a feeling (good or bad) or a lesson I didn't even know I needed."
This openness to learning from each interaction has become a defining feature of her approach to life abroad.
"Listening to other people's journeys pushed me to see not just the world, but myself, differently. And maybe that's the point of it all—meeting others not just to learn about them, but to enrich and better understand who we are, too."
Discovering Hidden Resilience
Living abroad has revealed aspects of Giulia's character that remained hidden until challenged by the demands of building a life from scratch in unfamiliar circumstances. The most surprising discovery has been the depth of her own resilience.
"One of the most surprising things I've learned about myself is just how much resilience I carry within me, even when I felt like I had none left. There have been moments when I really felt lost and alone, like I couldn't take it anymore, and yet, every day, I kept putting one foot in front of the other and going through it all."
This realisation has redefined her understanding of personal strength and success.
"Being at 100% can mean a lot of different things: sometimes it means conquering the world with full energy, and other times it simply means getting through the day and gathering your pieces at the end of it. The important thing isn't to be at your fullest every single day, but to steadily keep moving forward and never give up."
Living in China has particularly taught her that true strength isn't about avoiding difficulties but about persevering through them.
"I've learned that I can do anything I set my mind to. That I am incredibly strong, capable, and valuable. That I used to search for my voice in all the wrong places, only to realize it was within me all along."
These discoveries have led to a newfound self-acceptance and appreciation for the entire journey, including the setbacks.
"I've realized that I am my own identity, and it's my responsibility to get to know the woman I am becoming, to respect her, to support her, and to cheer her on, even when no one else does."
The Simple Wisdom of Movement
When asked what advice she would give to others considering a move abroad, Giulia distils her years of international experience into one powerful directive: jump.
"If there's one thing I wish someone had told me before I moved abroad, it's this: take the leap, because this is how you begin to find your own voice and your own person."
For Giulia, the value of international living extends far beyond professional advancement or cultural experiences—it's ultimately about discovering one's authentic self through challenges.
"I believe we evolve and change constantly throughout our life, but we often get distracted by other people's journeys—friends, family, even strangers—and forget that we're here to grow beyond ourselves, not anyone else, to be better than ourselves, not others."
She acknowledges that the path won't be easy, but insists that the difficulty is precisely what makes it worthwhile.
"Hard moments will come and go. Happiness will be there and then not. You'll feel lost, lonely, and unsure of your place. You'll question whether you belong, whether this is enough, or whether you want something more. And that's okay. In fact, I believe those moments are necessary as they force you to question yourself."
Her parting message encapsulates both the simplicity and profundity of what she's learned through her journey across borders:
"Semplicemente, vivi—Simply, live. In all the chaos, pressure, and chasing, we often forget to enjoy the journey. Especially when moving abroad again and again, it's easy to get caught up in survival mode, goals, and adaptation. But we must not forget to live, to be present, to feel, to take in the beauty of becoming. Because that, more than anything else, is what truly matters."
Giulia Baldi is a Swiss-Italian professional currently living in Shenzhen, China. With experience spanning five countries across Europe and Asia, she continues to explore what it means to build a meaningful life across borders.
Connect with Giulia:
LinkedIn: Giulia Baldi
Instagram: @giuliabaaldi
WeChat: Giulia-Baldi
For practical insights on living in Shenzhen and navigating life in China, read Giulia's Resource Guide - coming soon!
The Woven Spotlight Series features women who have created meaningful lives abroad, sharing their unique perspectives on cultural adaptation, professional reinvention, and personal growth across borders.