Sammi’s journey is marked by borders, both literal and figurative. Born in Shanghai area, China, she grew up with a horizon beyond her home.
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She moved to the US in 2017, and due to a visa-related issue, after a visit to China in 2019, she was unable to re-enter the US despite multiple attempts. Her life, charted in legal timelines and flight tickets, reflects the complex, often frustrating reality of a third-country national navigating restrictive passports and international mobility.
However, three years ago, while on a trip through Portugal, she came across a graffiti in Porto quietly proclaiming “HOPE”, a message that highly resonated with her at that time.
Sammi’s story includes a talisman gifted by a friend just before departure to Portugal, a teddy bear named Wiwi who accompanied her across hiking trails, and a bracelet symbolising strength – with these companions, she has walked the Camino de Santiago in March 2025. A moment to cherish in her mobile path is when, in August 2018, atop a peak in Colorado at 3,997 meters, Sammi experienced a moment of absolute freedom and joy, a reminder of the world’s vast possibilities. In Portugal, she loves to climb the Torre in Serra da Estrela, in a quest for freedom and self-discovery.
SAMMI'S MOSAIC
“Hope” Graffiti. Porto, October 2022
On her first journey to Portugal to reunite with a loved person, Sammi came across this graffiti in Porto. The simple message resonated deeply as she stood at a turning point in her life.
To her, it felt like a quiet sign — a reminder of resilience, renewal, and the courage to keep moving forward.