In Beijing for the long run

Kidron was in New York, but images of Beijing kept flashing through her mind. In July 2016, when she got an opportunity to work in the Chinese capital, she jumped at the chance.

When she arrived, she went walking with no clear destination in mind until it was time to take the subway home.

Sometimes she might get lost and just ask people for directions. Now she has a mental map of Beijing, but there are still new places to see. "The Summer Palace is on my to-do list," she says.

When she runs in the hutong, she tends to pay attention to the architecture and the people. Sometimes she stops and talks to the locals, some of whom even recommend restaurants nearby. "There is no real destination; it's really about exploration, being open and learning something new."

Kidron runs several times a week, about 10 kilometers each time, usually early in the morning. Occasionally, she runs during the weekend with her friends or colleagues.

For her, running is not only a great way to meet people, but also a good way to organize her thoughts.

"Sometimes when I'm writing something, I'll go for a run and figure out the outline in my head. It's the same way when I was swimming," she says.

Even when she is not running, she does yoga and still swims, as she likes to keep moving.

Kidron's work is to tell the company's story and help people understand it better. She thinks that, as the company began in Beijing, part of its story is intertwined with that of Beijing, which encouraged her to learn more about the city and its development over the past five years.

She remembers when she first visited Beijing in 2008, she didn't even have a smartphone, but now she is comfortable conducting mobile payments.

"The city is developing so fast and, at the same time, there are things that haven't changed. In a place where so much is changing, it's also nice to see older parts being preserved," she says.

"It's exploring thousands of years of history on the one hand, but welcoming the opportunities that tomorrow brings on the other."

She notes that there are many parts of the city that she still hasn't explored. Living in Beijing for five years, Kidron thinks her journey in the city, and across the country, is just getting started.