Arun, an Indian national now working at a Chinese construction firm, first arrived in China in 2012 — originally to study. Over more than a decade living and working in China, he's taken the high-speed rail, served as a tour guide in Chinese, and ultimately built a career within a Chinese company.

For Arun, "Chinese-style modernization" means more than infrastructure and economic growth. It's the lightning pace of development in cities such as Shenzhen; the efficiency of high-speed rail; the friendly laughter and festive spirit from celebrations like Holi; and the shared lunch breaks at the project site, where colleagues of different skin colors gather and dine together.