Builders: A Couchsurfing Story in Shenzhen

I met Alex through my friend Zipeng, who recommended him before we had ever met in person. That beginning already felt special: trust arrived first, and introductions came after.

Alex is a multilingual builder from Brazil, currently living in Foshan during his half-year stay in China. He often goes to Guangzhou to do language exchange with Zipeng, usually Portuguese for Chinese.

What I liked most about our time together was not just that we had many topics to talk about, but that we had the same instinct: we both like to build things. He is building his own language-learning website. I build my own systems through writing, hosting, and documenting what I learn.

At that time, he was still thinking about when to buy a domain name. I had just bought mine and finally got darylam.com, so we compared notes and I recommended Space as a practical option with great value. Later, he did buy his domain too. It was a small but meaningful moment: we were not only talking about ideas, we were helping each other ship.

We also share very practical joys: cooking, making, testing ideas in real life, and turning conversations into action. At one point I called us both “builders,” and that word stayed with me.

Alex is only two years older than me, but his life experience is rich and grounded. Talking with him reminded me that travel is not only about places. Sometimes it is about finding people whose direction makes you think harder about your own.

If he returns to Brazil after this chapter in China, I will still remember this meeting as one of those short encounters that expands your map for a long time.