My husband and I had been in the United States for 10 years, and I initially joined the U.S. firm’s New York office in January 2000. We'd been watching the rapid development of China from afar, and I felt if we didn't come back now, to my home town of Shanghai, we'd miss the ride, and it would be the biggest regret of my life.
It turned out that the work in China is even more exciting than I expected. The phenomenal growth has brought in clients of diverse backgrounds, and they rely on our help as they come into China – it is truly gratifying when they show their appreciation of our service. Such is the diversity of the work that we grow with them, and I value the knowledge and development I've gained here, perhaps more so than if I'd remained in the U.S.
On the personal side, we'd been away from our families for a long time, so it was nice to return with our baby daughter, for her grandparents to make a fuss of her, and to enjoy traditional Chinese holiday celebrations with all our relatives.