From growing up in a low-income family in Poland to becoming a PhD candidate in China, Nadia shares how life’s biggest challenges became the foundation of her strength. In this inspiring talk, she explores how women adapt and thrive in both real and digital spaces, turning obstacles into opportunities for growth. Nadia Urban is a PhD candidate, podcast host, polyglot, and pole dancer from Poland. She is currently pursuing her PhD at East China Normal University and her research has been published in an SSCI journal. Her research interests lie in computational social science, feminism, and social media. Nadia is the host of the award-winning podcast "Mao Powiedziane," which explores current political, economic, and social phenomena in China. Additionally, she is an active content creator on Instagram. In 2016, Nadia embarked on a backpacking journey around Asia, eventually settling in Shanghai in 2017 to pursue an academic career. She is fluent in Polish, English, French, Romanian, and Mandarin Chinese. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx