Name: Mable Chan / 陳美寶
Hometown: Hong Kong, China
Birthday: July 18
University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University, New York University, Syracuse University, The Juilliard School
More InformationJob: President/Founder of Mable Chan & Company and One in a Billion Productions (501c3)
Asia connection: Born in Hong Kong
China story: Covered stories about China as a Hong Kong-based TV journalist, Studied Chinese history at Harvard, Speaks fluent Cantonese & Mandarin.
China Travel: Beijing, Guangzhou, Macau, Nanchang, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Zuhai
International Travel: Canada, Mexico, England, France, Monaco, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Cambodia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand
Hobbies: Piano, Tennis, Yoga, Chinese Calligraphy
Heroes: Aung San Suu Kyi
Blog Beats: #Lifestyle, #Language, #Communication, #Relationship, #“Face”
Contact: MableChan@oneinabillionvoices.org
Name: Jesse Appell
Hometown: Newton, Massachusetts
Birthday: July 19, 1990
University Attended: Brandeis University B.A ’12, Minzu University 中央民族大学 Affiliation for Fulbright Project
More InformationJob: Comedian, Actor, Teacher
Asia connection: I’ve studied Chinese at college and studied abroad at several programs, including HBA, CET, and this fall at IUP.
China story: I’ve tried to learn as much about China as I can, which means that I try to meet and talk to lao beijingren and lawyers, businessmen and bus drivers, traders and tea farmers… China is a place where I can commit every ounce of my energy and afterward still find more worth exploring.
China Travel: I’ve lived in Beijing for 7 months or so, but have traveled to many places, like Kunming, Jinghong, Menghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Mt. Emei, Leshan, Luoyang, Hangzhou, Guilin, Yangshuo, as well as the countryside of Hebei province.
International Travel: I’ve been to Canada and Spain on vacation, and to Israel to visit in-laws.
Hobbies: Improv comedy, filming funny videos, writing, photography, entrepreneurship, journalism… and of course, Chinese!
Heroes: Probably the closest I have to a hero would be my favorite author, Jorge Luis Borges.
Blog Beats: #comedy, #thefunnyside
Contact: ja.appell@gmail.com
Name: Hannah Bae / 배한나
Hometown: Fairfax County, Virginia
More Information Job: Writer and freelance journalist; currently a fellow at Asian American Writers’ Workshop Name: Andrea Blinkhorn Hometown: Albany, New York Birthday: December 22nd University Attended/Affiliated: Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, The Ohio State University Job: Graduate Student Asia connection: Lived in China from July 2012-July 2013 teaching, eating, and experiencing Chinese culture and history. China Travel: Kunming, Lincang, Dali, Lijiang, Shantou, Nan’ao Dao, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Yangshuo, Nanjing International Travel: France, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, Poland, Greece Hobbies: Reading about foreign affairs, running, playing basketball, and hiking! Heroes: Samantha Power, Rana Husseini Blog Beat: On Point, Out of Sync, On the Town, On the Move Contact: blinkhorn.3@gmail.com Name: Xian Bu / 步宪 Hometown: Harbin, China Birthday: November 24 University Attended/Affiliated: Columbia University, Boston College Job: Producer & Presenter, “Bubu Travels The World” Asia connection: independent video team & studio based in China, family and friends in China China story: Born and raised in China China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Dalian, Shenyang, etc. International Travel: U.K., Mexico, Canada, Japan, Russia, Tanzania, Kenya, South Korea, Israel, Palestine, Thailand, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Zambia, India Hobbies: piano, singing, snowboarding Heroes: Leehom Wang Blog Beats: #On the Move, #Relationship, #Lifestyle, #On Success Contact: xian.bu.1@gmail.com Hometown: Savoy, IL Birthday: January 27 University Attended/Affiliated: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Washington University in St. Louis, Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency Job: Chief Resident, Emergency Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Asia connection: I haven’t traveled to China yet, but met Mable Chan through Harvard University and connected to the One in a Billion podcast/site China story: Covered stories about China as a Hong Kong-based TV journalist, Studied Chinese history at Harvard, Speaks fluent Cantonese & Mandarin. China Travel: Haven’t been yet, but it’s on the list! International Travel: India, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Turkey, Greece, Italy, England, Egypt, Australia Hobbies: Yoga Heroes: Michelle Obama Blog Beats:#culture Contact: anita.chary@mgh.harvard.edu Name: Kalos Chu Hometown: San Diego, CA Birthday: November 29 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard College; English Major Hobbies: Writing, Musical Theater, Biking Heroes: Alan Yang, Jon Chu Contact: solak.chu@gmail.com Name: Rebecca Chao / 赵国妤 Hometown: Palo Alto, CA Birthday: November 16 University Attended/Affiliated: Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University Job: Digital Content Producer at China Personified Asia connection:Heritage; Work China story: China is my where my grandparents were born and raised but they were torn from their country after the civil war and so rebuilt their lives in Taiwan. China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin, Yangshuo International Travel: U.K., France, Italy, Greece, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, Bhutan, Mexico Hobbies: guitar, piano, writing, running Heroes: J.M. Coetzee, Joel and Ethan Coen, John Steinbeck…changes often… Blog Beats: #On the Move, #On the Town #Lifestyle #On Success #Out of Sync Contact: rebecca.chao@162.144.26.251/~chinaper Name: Franklin Chen / 陳方旭 Hometown: Xiamen 廈門, China Birthday: October 29 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University Ed.M. 16’； China Foreign Affairs University 外交學院B.A. 15’ Job: Production Intern of China Personified LLC 華人格化; Educator Asia connection: Family and friends in China China Story: Born and raised in Xiamen, China. Speaks fluent Mandarin & Hokkien. China Travel: Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Jiaxing, Jinan, Hong Kong, Xi’an, Fuzhou International Travel: United States, United Kingdom, Bali Hobbies: Music, piano, singing, pop culture, foodie, breaking stereotypes Heroes: Tori Kelly, Grace Helbig, Ellen DeGeneres, Stephen Dubner, Megan Tan Blog Beats: #Education, #Mental Health, #Lifestyle, #Language, #Culture, #Gaysian Contact: franklin_chen@alumni.harvard.edu Name: Siyi Chen Hometown: Zhejiang, China Birthday: Jan 11, 1992 University Attended: Peking University, New York University More Information Job: Documentary Filmmaker, Writer, Journalist Asia connection: Born and raised in China! China story: Studied Chinese literature as a dual degree at Peking University. Reported on China while working for Quartz (qz.com) in 2016 and 2017. China Travel: I grew up in a town next to Hangzhou and went to school in Hangzhou and Beijing. Traveled to pretty much all the provinces in China except Tibet and Guangxi. International Travel: I’ve been to the Netherlands, UK for work. South Korea and Morocco for school programs and have been to France, Norway, Japan, Peru, Bolivia, Thailand and so on for vacation. Hobbies: writing, photography, watching indie movies, especially dark dystopian comedies. Heroes: My mom and my grandma. Blog Beats: Cultural differences. Quirky stuff. Contact: Siyi.chen.pku@gmail.com Name:Siyi Chu / 褚司怡 Hometown: Hangzhou, China Birthday: June 10 University Attended: Tufts University Class of 2017 Asia connection: Born and raised in China until college China story: 1) Currently trying to pick up writing in Chinese again. 2) 23andme says I’m 99.5% Chinese China Travel: All around International Travel: Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Thailand, Cambodia, Portugal, Peru, Tanzania, cross Europe from Turkey to UK, Dominican Republic Hobbies: Travel, photography, documentaries, language learning. Through-and-through foodie and aspiring chef. Heroes: Werner Herzog, Patricio Guzmán, Vivian Meier, Oliver Sacks, Contact: siyichu00@gmail.com Name: Lauren Dai / 戴成欣 Hometown: Kendall Park, NJ, USA University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University Asia connection: Parents born in China China story: Visit China frequently, Speak fluent Mandarin, CCTV Summer Internship sparked interests in media and in US-China relations China Travel: Beijing, Fuzhou, Gulangyu, Hainan Dao, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Suzhou, Xi’an, Xiamen, Yanan International Travel: Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, France Hobbies: Dance, Swim, Model UN, Entrepreneurship Hero: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook Blog Beats: #Success, #Lifestyle, #Trends Contact: LaurenDai@162.144.26.251/~chinaper Hometown: Beijing, China Birthday: August 16 School Attended/Affiliated: Beijing No. 4 High School, Yale University Job: Student Asia connection: Born and raised in Beijing China story: The experience of living abroad and cultural exchange has given me a new perspective China Travel: Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Fushun, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Hangzhou, Jinan, Hong Kong International Travel: United States, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Ecuador Hobbies: The game of go (weiqi), baseball, accordion, ukulele, reading history, basketball, ping pong Heroes: Jackie Robinson Blog Beats: #out of sync, #face, #outrageous phenomenon, #lifestyle Contact: dongyifu@gmail.com Name: Rayn Fan Job: Baltimore City special ed teacher Contact: ryanfan17@gmail.com Name: Jamie Fleishman Hometown: Poughkeepsie, New York Birthday: October 27 University Attended/Affiliated: Brandeis University Job: Senior Educational Consultant, Elite Scholars of China Asia connection: I started studying Chinese in college, studied abroad in China in 2010, onand have returned for work in 2012. China story: I officially caught the China bug after spending six months in China studying abroaina language intensive program. China and Chinese language have featured prominently in my life since then. China Travel: I’ve lived in Beijing for a total of 6 months. I have been fortunate to travel across China with my study abroad program, friends, and family. With my program we went to Pingyao and Taiyuan. With friends, I traveled to Yunnan and Guangxi. With family, I have been to Datong, Xi’an, Guilin, Chongqing, and Shanghai. International Travel: My first international travel was to Israel with family at age 8. Since then I have visited my sister in Costa Rica, went to France, Italy, and Switzerland on a high school trip, and visited a friend in Cape Town and Namibia. Hobbies: Tennis, table tennis, video editing, saxophone, cooking, political satire, technology, and Chinese. Heroes: Jon Stewart, David Pogue, and Steve Jobs Blog Beat: On Point, Out of Sync, On the Town, On the Move Contact: jmef89@gmail.com Name: Bobby Franklin Hometown: Baltimore, MD Birthday: December 13 University Attended/Affiliated: Drexel University (Undergrad), University of South Carolina (MBA) Job: International Marketing at Giti Tire in Shanghai Asia connection: Spent 1.5 years in Beijing with MBA program (studying and internship), now working full-time in Shanghai China story: I’ve always had an interest in Asian culture and travel, and have been lucky to have spent time living in China. Also, I’ve been involved with Global China Connection (GCC) for around three years, including as Media Director for the 2012-13 school year. China Travel: Beijing, Changchun, Qingdao, Taishan, Datong, Qinhuangdao, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guilin, Yangshuo, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, HK/Taiwan, Hebei countryside, etc. International Travel: Various places in North America, Europe, Asia, and Caribbean Hobbies: Music, sports, travel, current events, business topics Blog Beats: business, lifestyle, travel Blog Beats: business, lifestyle, travel Contact: robert.t.franklin@gmail.com Name: Xiao Fu Hometown: Shanghai, China / Pittsburgh, PA Birthday: January 14 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University Job: Freelance writer Asia connection: Born in China China story: Write Chinese fiction novels and poetry, interested in Chinese literature, painting, history, and pop culture China Travel: Xinjiang region (Urumqi, Aksu, Hotan, Turpan, Qiemo, etc.), Xi’an, Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Xining, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou, Changsha, Yueyang, Wuhan, Shaoxing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Huzhou, Jinan, Taiyuan International Travel: Japan, Singapore, Caribbeans, Canada Hobbies: Dance, Arts, Design, Poetry, Fictions, Languages, Blogging, Basketball, Ice Skating, Cooking Hero: Han Han, Eileen Chang, Mom Blog Beats: #On Lifestyle, #On Relationships, #Out of Sync Contact: xiaofu@post.harvard.edu Name: Rony Gao / 高嵘 Hometown: Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China University Attended/Affiliated: Shanghai Jiao Tong University (China), Queen’s University at Kingston (Canada), HEC Paris School of Management (France) Job: education entrepreneur Asia connection: Born and bred. Travels frequently between North America and China China story: Like your iPhone and socks, I’m made in China. 🙂 China Travel: Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Beijing, Shandong, Liaoning, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Yunnan, Hong Kong, Macau, etc. International Travel: U.S.A, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia. Hobbies: volleyball, tennis, traveling, blogging, history, reading, stand-up comedy, all-you-can-eat food. Heroes: I don’t really have a hero but I’ve looked at Salman Khan (the educator), founder of Khan Academy, as someone changing the world the way I’d like to. Contact: rony.gao@gmail.com Name: Sally Ruge Gao / 高如歌 Hometown: Beijing, China University Attended/Affiliated: Cornell University (current) Job: Student/History and Literature major/Administrative assistant at university office/Editor Asia connection: Born in Beijing and lived there for 14 years China story: Moving around every now and then made me appreciate how great it is to have Beijing as my ultimate home. I moved to London when I was 8 and came back to Beijing a year and a half later, only to leave Beijing again as a sophomore in high school for New York City. I go back every summer to Beijing and the breakfast food – pork buns and wontons for me – is just sublime. China Travel: Beijing, Dalian, Tianjin, Weihai, Yantai, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Hebei Province, Beidaihe International Travel: United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria Hobbies: Writing, Tumblr, listening to Brit rock and jazz Hero: Anyone kind and intelligent. Blog Beats: #Lifestyle Contact: rg387@cornell.edu Hometown: Beijing, China Birthday: March 31 School Attended: Brown University, Beijing No. 4 High School; Brown University Fall of 2013 Job: Student Asia connection: Born and raised in Beijing China story: Mandarin is my mother tongue, I’ve been living in Beijing for 18 years and it has always been my home– I owe much to China for my various experiences. China Travel: Liaoning, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangxi, Anhui, Shanghai, Sichuan, Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong, Macao. International Travel: United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Cambodia. Hobbies: Photography, Reading, Writing, Singing, and Skating. Heroes: Mahatma Gandhi Blog Beats: On Point, On Relationship, Out of Sync Contact: fangguo331@gmail.com Hometown: Hefei, China Birthday: March 21 School Attended: River Valley High School Singapore, Colgate University Job: Student Asia connection: Born and raised in China until the age of 15 China story: I lived in Hefei, a small city in the middle region of China, until the age of fifteen. Then I took up a scholarship in Singapore, survived summer-all-year-long, made friends of many nationalities, and volunteered with NGOs on migrant workers’ issues for three years. To me, China is what I would always call home dearly. China Travel: Shanghai, Beijing, Kunming, Lijiang, Hangzhou, Wuzhen, Xiamen, Chongqing and Dalian. International Travel: Singapore, United States, and will be traveling to Japan next summer with the school 🙂 Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Cooking, Jogging, Meditation Heroes: None 🙂 Blog Beats: #Success, #On Relationships, #Out of Sync, #On Point Contact: guoquanzhi321@gmail.com Name: Meghan Hussey Hometown: Windsor Locks, Connecticut, USA Birthday: July 4 University Attended/Affiliated: University of Pennsylvania BA ’12, Beijing Normal University 北京师范大学 Affiliation for Fulbright Project Job: Fulbright Scholar, Fulbright Commission, US Department of State Asia connection: Studied Chinese in college, then studied abroad in Beijing in 2011, then returned here as a Fulbright scholar in 2012 China story: I first came to China when I was 15 to visit my school’s sister school in Shandong. I continued learning Chinese and chose to study abroad in Beijing my junior year. During that time I made a personal connection to autism and disability issues in China, as I have a sister with autism myself, and interned at a disability rights NGO. I returned in 2012 as a Fulbright scholar to do further research on autism and disability in China. China Travel: Beijing, Weifeng, Qufu, Taishan, Jinan, Yangshuo, Kunming, Dali, Xi’an, Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou, Leshan, Emei Shan, Huangshan, Guangzhou, Nanchang, Xining, Tongren, Xiahe, Linxia, Harbin, Nanjing, Tianjin, Shanghai International Travel: Australia, New Zealand, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, United Kingdom, Ireland, Ecuador, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore Hobbies: Reading, piano, photography, cooking, working out, people-watching in Chinese parks Heroes: My mother Blog Beats: #On Point, #On the Move, #Education, #Society Contact: mhussey7490@gmail.com Name: Irena Fischer-Hwang / 黄竫雅 Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona University Attended: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University Asia connection: My parents grew up under martial law in Taiwan, and currently spend a great deal of time in China China Travel: Shanghai, Anhui, Suzhou International Travel: Canada, Spain, France, Germany, India, Taiwan, Japan, Iceland Hobbies: Reading, cooking, gardening, knitting, trying new food Heroes: Terry Gross Contact: irenatfh@gmail.com Name: Laura Jaramillo-Bernal Hometown: Pereira, Colombia Birthday: October 16, 1987 University Attended: Harvard College Job: Michael Rockefeller Fellow Asia connection: Living in Beijing since last February China story: I showed up in Beijing not speaking a word of Mandarin and with very little plans. I take Chinese classes every day and study painting and calligraphy under a master with whom I communicate mostly through the sheer force of my body language. China Travel: Qingdao and Beijing. Soon to be expanded, I hope. International Travel: US, Colombia, Peru, South Africa, France, Spain, China Hobbies: Blogging, overusing parentheses, ordering dishes in which I recognize at least one of the characters, painting, reading way past my bedtime. Heroes: Hadn’t thought of this since I wrote my college essays. My mom? Blog Beats: #out of sync, #trends, #outrageous phenomenon Contact: jaramillo.laura1@gmail.com Name: Leah Yen Jarrett / 颜丽亚 Hometown: At the moment, Shanghai and New York City Birthday: December 18 University Attended/ Affiliated: Cornell University, College of Arts & Sciences Job: Content and Digital Strategist at Universum Global Asia connection: Grew up living in major cities across Asia such as Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. My mother is Shanghai-nese. China Travel: Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Macau, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hainan, Hangzhou, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Ürümqi, Guilin, Yangshuo, Xi’an, Suzhou, Nanjing, Harbin… the list goes on! International Travel: Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Korea, Japan, Tibet, India, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Austria, Budapest, Belgium, U.K., Sweden, Finland, Canada, Morocco Hobbies: Teaching and practicing yoga, running, swimming in the ocean, drawing, journaling, listening to podcasts obsessively Heroes: Ma, Ba (dad), my sister Blog beats: #Communication, #Identity, #On the Move Name: Kimberly Jung: 張瑩瑩 Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Birthday: August 16 University Attended/Affiliated: US Military Academy at West Point, Harvard Business School, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Job: Graduate Student Asia connection: Parents are immigrants from Hong Kong China story: Born and raised in China China Travel: Shanghai International Travel: Afghanistan, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, S. Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, Netherlands, Romania, Peru, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK Hobbies: Beach Volleyball, Cooking, Sports, Hiking, Outdoors, Robots, Ocean, Space Heroes: Mary Oliver, Rumi, Alexander the Great, Vern Unsworth, James Madison Contact: jungk@mit.edu Name: Jonathan Kaufman Hometown: Armonk, New York Birthday: June 5 University Attended: Harvard University Job: Fulbright Scholar, US Department of State Asia connection: Caught the China bug at a young age and have not been able to shake it China story: Completed the five-year Mandarin curriculum at Harvard, studying interactions between Chinese Muslims and foreign Muslim across urban and rural contexts on a Fulbright fellowship China Travel: Beijing, Hohhot, Dongsheng, Kaifeng, Dandong, Tianjin, Xi’an, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yiwu, Zhoushan, Wenzhou, Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Xiamen, Yongding, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Chengdu, Songpan, Jiuzhaigou, Lanzhou, Linxia, Xiahe, Tongren, Xining, Dunhuang, Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar, Guilin, Nanning, Beihai, Kunming, Xishuangbanna, Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian, Ruili International Travel: Brazil, Canada, Mexico, St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, Costa Rica, UK, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, India, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan Hobbies: Romance languages, LGBT activism, aviation, Silk Road and Islamic history, dim sum Heroes: Zheng He, Harvey Milk, Kemal Ataturk Blog beats: #spirituality, #minorities, #Islam, #anthropologicalangst Contact: jonathan.m.kaufman@gmail.com Hometown: Seoul, Korea Birthday: Dec 8 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University Job: Product Development, The Economist Asia connection: Nowadays, the streets of Gangnam are teeming with Chinese cram schools left and right, but learning Chinese was nearly unheard of in Seoul when I started back in 2003. I was 13 when one place opened up down the street. I thought it would be cool to learn, and my parents were encouraging. I’d taken lessons in calligraphy, tennis, taek-won-do, swimming — and it was clear I had no foreseeable talent. Chinese was their last attempt. The teachers drilled us with passages Soviet-style until we could recite passages on demand. I found fascinating the elegant characters and the rich language that shared much heritage with Korean. I’ve since visited China on many occasions and studied Chinese history & politics in college. While I’m making do with what is available in NYC Chinatown at the moment, I do hope to return soon to the remotes part of China that I fell in love with as a teen. China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xi’an, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Kunming, Chang’an, Li Jiang, Dali, Shangri-la, Xishuangbanna, Taishan Hobbies: Political cartooning, Twitter, basketball Contact: karenkykim@gmail.com Name: Victoria Kung / 贡爱玲 Birthdate: December 31st Hometown: Sydney, Australia University Attended/Affiliated: Job: U.S Specialist at Department of International Affairs, New Oriental Education Group, Beijing Asia connection: Lived in Shanghai at a young age; studied Chinese in undergrad which aroused interest in China’s rise China story: Moved to Beijing to pursue a Masters degree in International Relations at Tsinghua University China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Inner Mongolia, Hong Kong International Travel: Japan, New Caledonia, New Zealand Hobbies: Reading, foreign films, traveling, jazz music Heroes: Geoffrey Chaucer, Peter Singer, Germaine Greer, Sheryl Sandberg, Frida Kahlo Blog Beats: #Success, #Lifestyle, #Onthemove, #Culture Contact: victoria.kung1289@hotmail.com [/expand Hometown: Taichung, Taiwan Birthday: September 9 University Attended/Affiliated: Columbia University, London School of Economics, Saint Louis University More Information Job: Financial Analyst, Freelance Writer Asia connection: Befriended a Chinese family in Cameroon as a Peace Corps Volunteer China story: After spending childhood in Taiwan, I had never lived in Asia as an adult. I moved to Shanghai in an attempt to reclaim my roots, only to realize China is much different from Taiwan. Fluency in Mandarin and Taiwanese helps with this process. China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai International Travel: Austria, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, Curaçao, England, France, Germany, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Monaco, Philippines, Spain, Tunisia, Hobbies: Yoga, Reading, Design, Travel Blog Beats: #Out of Sync, #On the Town, #On the Move Contact: wendylee86@gmail.com | linkedin.com/in/wendylee | wanderlustwendy.com Hometown: Singapore, Singapore Birthday: February 6 University Attended/Affiliated: Duke University (B.A.), Harvard University (M.A.) Asia connection: Born in Singapore, raised in China from the age of 6 until university (primarily in Shanghai) China story: Lived in China for 13 years; Studied East Asian Studies with a specialization in Chinese cultures, politics, ethnic identity, and literature at university in the US; Speaks fluent Mandarin. China Travel: Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Suzhou, Wuhan, Wuxi, Sichuan, Shenzhen, Guilin, Harbin, Zhuhai, Chongqing, Tianjin, Nanjing, Chengdu, Xi’an, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Dalian, Urumqi, Shenyang, Changsha, Dongguan, Fuzhou, Foshan, Kunming, etc. (All over the country.) International Travel: Lived >1 year in Singapore, China, U.S., Italy, South Korea, Japan. Traveled to many countries around the world, including Namibia, South Africa, the U.K. (England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales), Austria, France, Italy, Monaco, Germany, Greece, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Turkey, the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico), Colombia, Jordan, Egypt, Israel, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, North Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Indonesia, Sri Lanka. Hobbies: Pilates, Yoga, Reading, Writing, Travel Heroes: Sheryl Sandberg, Michelle Obama, Cleopatra Blog Beats: #Travel, #Identity, #International, #Lifestyle, #Language, #Communication, #Culture, #Business in Asia Contact: Blog/Website: https://scholar.harvard.edu/rachel_leng/blog/ Name: Hannah Leung Hometown: New Jersey Birthday: January 9 School Attended/Affiliated: Smith College Job: Freelance Writer lifestyleasia.com Asia connection: Chinese-American China story: Discovered Chinese pop star Jay Chou in middle school and developed an instant obsession. Attribute 60% of my Mandarin skills to him. Decided at age of 13 to relocate to China after completing studies. Contact: hannahwleung@gmail.com Name: Alice Li Hometown: San Francisco Birthday: December 12th University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard Job: Student Asia connection: Parents were born in China China story: Traveled to China frequently, speaks a dialect of Cantonese, taught citizenship courses for newly immigrated Chinese. China Travel: Beijing, Hong Kong, Toushan, Guangzhou, Xi’an. International Travel: China, Japan, South Korea, Canada. Hobbies: Theater, writing, photography, drawing, reading, Bridge Heroes: My grandmother Blog Beat: Relationships, Personal Success, Lifestyle, and Face Contact: aliceli@fas.harvard.edu Hometown: Beijing, China Birthday: July 19 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University Job: Student in Harvard Class of 2017 Asia connection: Born and raised in Beijing for 17 years China story: Born and raised in a Chinese family, lived in Beijing, Studied Chinese erhu, did charity project on Chinese Black Lung Patients China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Shangrao, Guiyang, Taiyuan, Hong Kong International Travel: South Korea, Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic Hobbies: Piano, Erhu, Film, Tennis Heroes: Fei Hsiao-Tung Blog Beats: #Education, #Society, #Language, #Relationship, #Art Contact: eveylijiang@gmail.com Name: Eric Liao / 廖安捷 Hometown: Taipei and San Jose Birthday: July 21 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University Asia connection: Grandma was from Dalian China story: Covered stories about China as a Hong Kong-based TV journalist, Studied Chinese history at Harvard, Speaks fluent Cantonese & Mandarin.Chinese language classes and political science courses on Sino-U.S. relations at Harvard; Mandarin speaker. China Travel: Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai International Travel: Taiwan, Peru, Guatemala, Montreal, Japan, Germany, Vienna, Zurich, Prague, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Switzerland Hobbies: Swimming, video making, backpacking Heroes: Stephen Colbert, Ali Wong Blog Beats: #Language, ##Understanding, #HumorMe, #InTransition, #Health, #Wellness Contact: liaoee@gmail.com Hometown: Beijing, China Birthday: February 1 University Attended/Affiliated: Vassar College Job: Student Asia connection: Born in Haikou, raised in Haikou, Chongqing, and Beijing China story: Born and raised in China, read Chinese history, study Chinese politics and philosophy in college, love Mandopop and Chinese hard-nib calligraphy China Travel: Beijing, Chongqing, Hainan, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Yunnan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Hebei, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Hong Kong, Macao International Travel: United States, Canada, Thailand, Singapore, Haiti Hobbies: Reading, Ping Pong, food, music, Chinese hard-nib calligraphy Heroes: Fei Xiaotong, Frantz Fanon, Nelson Mandela Blog Beats: #lifestyle, #On Point, #Language, #Society Contact: linshiqi2017@gmail.com Name: Shako Liu Hometown: Southern China School Attended/Affiliated: University of Southern California Job: Producer China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai International Travel: Canada, USA Hobbies: Reading In transition, lifestyle, language, and understanding, relationship Name: Sichun Liu / 刘思纯 Hometown: Qinhuangdao, China Birthday: April 25, 1995 School Attended/Affiliated: Beijing No.4 High School; Cornell University Job: Student Asia connection: Born in Qinhuangdao, raised in Beijing China story: I have lived in Qinhuangdao(Hebei Province) for the first 4 years, and then in Beijing for the rest. Mandarin is my mother tongue, and I have audio recorded for Hong Kong mandarin curriculum for nine years. I love Chinese arts, history, and culture. China Travel: Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Neimenggu, Liaoning, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shandong, Guangdong, Hainan, Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shanxi, Qinghai, Ningxia, Hong Kong International Travel: United States, Japan, Egypt, Singapore, Russia Hobbies: Chinese Calligraphy, Swimming, Track and field, Singing, Tennis, Piano, Emcee, Recital Heroes: Leehom Wang Blog Beats: #lifestyle Contact: sl2473@cornell.edu Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Birthday: November 20 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University Asia connection: Grandparents born in China, parents born in Vietnam China story: Family is composed of two generations of war refugees from China and Vietnam. Speaks fluent Cantonese and conversational Vietnamese. International Travel: Canada, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore. Hobbies: Running, biking, painting, film and music Heroes: Weijia Jiang, Ava DuVernay, Roxanne Gay Contact: jenniferluong20@gmail.com Name: Sophie Lu 吕天菲 Hometown: Baltimore via Beijing via New York Birthday: June 2 University Attended: Johns Hopkins University, SAIS Job: Fulbright Scholar Asia connection: My dad is from the mainland (Shandong), mom is from Hong Kong (via Jiangsu). I lived in Beijing from 3-7 years old, and have come back to Beijing often for research/work/play. Most of my dad’s side of the family now live in Beijing, and it’s always felt like a second home for me. China story: My life could’ve been like one of the workers in Leslie Chang’s Factory Girls. But instead, my dad got his Ph.D. in the US, stayed, and had me, affording me all the opportunities and privileges of being an American. But China has always been present in my life, particularly Beijing. I find myself constantly drawn to this place, both pulled back by the roots of my past, and drawn forward by the possibilities of my future. China Travel: I’ve been all over the eastern seaboard of China. Also been to Inner Mongolia and Yunnan. Looking to take the opportunity this year to go further West to 西藏 and 新疆。 International Travel: Singapore, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Chile, the Caribbean, and Canada. Hobbies: biking, cooking, eating, doodling on surfaces that I shouldn’t. Heroes: Leslie Knope Contact: sophie.lu.2008@gmail.com Name: Yuying Luo /罗钰莹 Hometown: New Bedford, MA Birthday: April 18 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University, New York University Job: MD Candidate at NYU School of Medicine Asia connection: Born in Chengdu, Sichuan China story: Born and raised in Chengdu and visits China frequently for family China Travel: Sichuan, Beijing, Shanghai International Travel: Canada (does that count?), UK, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Austria Hobbies: Running, Traveling, Reading Heroes: Atul Gawande, Bill Gates Blog Beats: #OutrageousPhenomenon, #Lifestyle Contact: yuying.luo@gmail.com Name: Max Meyer Hometown: Spearfish, South Dakota, USA Birthday: May 16, 1990 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard Job: Management Consultant Asia connection: Friends, roommates, family of friends China story: Visited Beijing and rural Yunnan as a high school junior, fell in love with the culture, cuisine, landscape, people — returned to the US and began a rigorous study of Chinese language. Now work as a management consultant in Mainland China and Hong Kong. China Travel: Most/all major cities, HK, Taiwan, Hebei, Yunnan, Guangdong International Travel: Europe, Central America, Caribbean, SE Asia Hobbies: Jazz piano, freestyle skiing, golf, hunting Heroes: David Gergen, Theodore Roosevelt, George Washington, Bernie Taupin Blog Beats: #Music, #Fashion, #Business Contact: maxwelllivingston@gmail.com Name: Kira Omans Hometown: Zhongshan, China Birthday: September 25th University Attended/Affiliated: George Mason University: B.F.A. with a performance concentration, Communication Minor Job: Actor, Model, Audiobook Narrator, Public Relations, Graphic Design Asia connection: Born and adopted from Zhongshan, China China story: China Travel: None yet, but plans to in the future! International Travel: None yet, but plans to in the future! Hobbies: Martial Arts (3rd-degree black belt in Taekwondo, Jiu-Jitsu, Nunchucks, Metal Fans), Chinese Folk Dance and Hip Hop Dance, Piano, Writing, Special Effects Graphic Design Heroes: Constance Wu, Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Portman Blog Beats: #Adoption #Culture #Lifestyle #Success #Arts Contact: kiraomans@gmail.com Hometown: Boston, MA Birthday: January 1st University Attended/Affiliated: SUNY Albany (Sociology M.A.), University of Massachusetts at Amherst (Sociology B.A.), 香港中文大學 CUHK (Study Abroad) Asia connection: Lived in Hong Kong, travelled in mainland China and Taiwan, and interested in the experiences and hybrid cultures of the Chinese diaspora. China story: New Year’s Eve 2003—I stood shoulder to shoulder with my brother and hundreds of thousands of others in Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong district. We overheard a man next to us speak with an Australian accent, and my brother looked wide-eyed at me, “That’s so weird!” He whisper-shouted into my ear. “That Chinese guy speaks with an Australian accent!” Truth be told, I had the same surprised reaction, but we both quickly realized our folly, and so I said, “But that’s probably what a lot of people think about us, speaking with American accents!” What does Chinese identity look like across the world? From seeing the ubiquitousness of 肉骨茶 (bak kut teh) in dim sum in Thailand, to my interactions with Kazakh nomads in their yurts and Uyghur men outside of Kashgar’s mosques in 新疆 (Xinjiang), to my own experiences growing up jook sing in America, I’m interested in all the hybrid forms of Chinese identity, whether Chinesness is something we try to preserve, seek more of, or is something imposed upon us. China Travel: Urumqi, Turpan, Kashgar, Dunhuang, Taklamakan Desert, Xi An, Lanzhou, Xining, Kunming, Lijiang, Yangshuo, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai International Travel: Brazil, Costa Rica, Canada, England, France, Italy, India, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan Hobbies: Capoeira, standup paddleboarding, running, biking Heroes: Michelle and President Barack Obama, Celeste Ng, Trevor Noah, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee Contact: fcfpoon@gmail.com Name: Dillon Powers Hometown: Honolulu, HI Birthday: January 26 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University, Peking University Job: Research Assistant at Peking University Asia connection: Loves Mandarin China story: Studied Mandarin and Chinese/Taiwanese history at Harvard, worked in Nanjing after graduating in 2011 and recently moved to Beijing. China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Qingdao, Wuxi, Xi’an, Wuhan, Guilin, Anhui International Travel: Canada, Mexico, Italy, England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, Turkey, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia. Hobbies: Cello, Running, Singing, Weightlifting Heroes: T.E. Lawrence, Thomas Jefferson, Ho Chi Minh Blog Beats: #Outofsync, #OutrageousPhenomenon,#OnBeijing Contact: dillon.c.powers@gmail.com Name: Graham Raubvogel / 冉嘉瑞 Hometown: Burlington, Vermont Birthday: September 24 University Attended/Affiliated: New York University Job: Student/ Freelance Filmmaker Asia connection: Studied Mandarin starting in high school, lived in Guangzhou for one year, pursuing a double major in Film and East Asian Studies. China story: Last year, I took part in an internship with ORBIS International and directed three PSAs to be screened in rural Guangdong hospitals. In college, I hope to merge my interests in Chinese culture, history, and politics with filmmaking, including via my position as Director of Media for Global China Connection (GCC) NYU. China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Xi’an, Guilin, Hong Kong, Macau, and all over Guangdong, Sichuan, and Shanxi provinces. International Travel: Canada, Italy, Greece, Turkey Hobbies: Filmmaking, Photography, Food Heroes: Ang Lee, Ingmar Bergman, Peter Hessler Contact: graubvogel@gmail.com Name: Mojia Shen / 沈墨佳 Hometown: Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China Birthday: Nov 24 University Attended/Affiliated: Wellesley College Job: Student, Entrepreneur Asia connection: Born and raised in China until 16. China story: Compare Chinese traditional education and the International/ US education: how to become a creative thinker, entrepreneur. China Travel: All major cities International Travel: Turkey, Mexico, India, Malaysia Hobbies: Hiking, photography, reading, writing Heroes: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, Malcolm Gladwell Blog Beats: #entrepreneurship, #growth, #education Contact: mshen2@wellesley.edu Name: Maggie Shi Hometown: Nanjing, China Birthday: April 25 University Attended/Affiliated: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Job: Account Executive of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Asia connection: Born and raised in Nanjing, China China story: Home is always the heaven. China Travel: Beijing, Chengde, Inner Mongolia, Xi’an, Chengdu, Wuhan, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Suzhou, Wuxi, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau International Travel: Japan, Thailand, Europe, United States, UK Hobbies: Reading, watching movies, cooking, drawing, blogging Heroes: my mom, Yinuo Li Blog Beats: #travel #lifestyle #culture Contact: maggie.shiqianqian@gmail.com Name: Kevin Slaten / 史凯文 Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio University Attended/Affiliated: The Ohio State University; Ocean University of China Job: Program coordinator and rights advocate at China Labor Watch Asia connection: Studied in, conducted research in, travel for work to China China story: My study and research in China have generally revolved around civil society development and labor rights defense. Throughout, I have made some cherished friends and colleagues. China Travel: (It’s less complicated to name provinces.) Shandong, Guangdong, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hebei, Fujian, Hunan, Shaanxi, Shanghai, Beijing. International Travel: Every continent but Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, though I hope to change this in the future. Hobbies: Reading, poetry, weightlifting (the former is more a habit than a hobby) Blog beats: #language and understanding, #success Contact: kevinslaten@gmail.com Name: Cecilia Springer / 韩西亚 Hometown: Dallas, TX, USA Birthday: June 27 University Attended/Affiliated: Brown University Job: Fulbright Researcher in Tianjin Asia connection: Half-Chinese, started learning Chinese a few years ago China story: Fulbright Research Project: Local involvement in the development of Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City China Travel: Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Huangshan, Shanghai, Suzhou, Taishan, Tianjin International Travel: Central America, Europe, Japan, Taiwan Hobbies: Running, Viola, Writing, Cooking/Baking Heroes: Hillary Clinton, Mulan Blog Beats: #Relationships, #Success Name: Angela Sun (孙安琪) Hometown: Beijing, China Birthday: August 13 University Attended/Affiliated: Tufts University Job: International Relations major with aspirations in broadcast journalism Asia connection: Spent 10+ years growing up in China, attending local Chinese schools for some of elementary and middle school China story: Born in West Virginia, but moved back and forth between China and N. America…my years in China were formative to my powerful Beijing accent, feisty personality, and love for a good bargain. China Travel: Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hainan, Hunan, Xi’an, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Kunming, Tianjin, etc. I’ve been to most provinces. International Travel: US, Canada, China, Japan (briefly) Hobbies: Having a good night out dancing on the town, rummaging through sales racks, venturing out into local neighborhoods for the best news stories, and maybe trying out some stand-up comedy Heroes: In no particular order, Stephen King, Yang Lan, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen Degeneres, Jesus Christ, Mother Teresa Blog Beats: Pretty much all of them, #lostintranslation, #relationships, #onlyin…, #culture, #lifestyle, #success, #trends Contact: ange.sun@hotmail.com Hometown: Newark, DE, USA Birthday: June 15 University Attended/Affiliated: Chongqing University, Peking University, Drexel University Job: Corporate Planning at ASC Fine Wines, Global China Connection (GCC) Chairman, Fulbright Fellow (2011) Asia connection: Lives in Shanghai, speaks fluent Mandarin China Story: Originally interested in ancient Chinese philosophy, but quickly realized the growing importance of China’s relationship with the rest of the world. Devoted much of college and early career to building bridges between young leaders in China, U.S., and around the world. China Travel: Big cities all over Hobbies: Learning guitar and Spanish; going to rock concerts with my fiancee Heroes: Abraham Lincoln, Laozi Contact: dtedesco1@gmail.com Name: Alexandra Tirado / 武晨曦 Hometown: Clinton, North Carolina Birthday: January 19, 1990 University Attended/Affiliated: Duke University, Peking University Job: Student Asia connection: In high school, I was a part-time waitress at the only Chinese restaurant in my small southern town in NC. Since then, I’ve been fascinated with Chinese language, culture, and history. Next year, I plan to attend law school and study both US and Chinese law. China story: studied abroad in both Kunming and Beijing, recently completed a one-year JP Morgan China Travel: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Bazhong, Chengdu, Xi’an, Beijing, Shanghai International Travel: Uganda, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, China Hobbies: kickboxing, tennis, basketball, paragliding Heroes: Margaret Thatcher Blog Beats: #personal success, #relationships, #trends, #lifestyle Contact: tirado85@gmail.com Name: Vidya Viswanathan (万姗) Hometown: New Hyde Park, NY Birthday: September 3 University Attended: Harvard University Job: Student Asia connection: Studied Mandarin, wrote for newspapers and taught English in China at various times over the last 4 years. Grew up in a school district in Long Island that was 50 percent Asian–lots of 华人朋友! China story: Ever since I sat in on a Mandarin class freshman year of college, and then studied abroad in Beijing the following summer (during the 2008 Olympic games), I have been fascinated by Chinese language, culture, politics, and history. I love bargaining in Chinese, singing in Chinese, and living part of my life in Chinese. China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xi’an, Chongqing, Suzhou, Anhui, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan International Travel: India, China, Australia, Kenya, South Africa, UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand Hobbies: Writing, Nightmarket Shopping, Running, Reading, Being tall, Traveling, Learning Chinese, People-watching, Texting funny quotes from my parents to my brothers Heroes: Nicholas Kristof, J.K. Rowling Blog Beats:#OutOfSync, #OnTheTown, #Trends Name: Angela Wang /王安琪 Hometown: Vancouver, BC, Canada Birthday: February 12 University Attended/Affiliated: Columbia University Job: Financial Analyst on Wall Street Asia connection: Chinese (born in Beijing), studied abroad 2004-2005 at the Yew Chung Int’l School of Beijing, studied abroad in Fall 2010 at Tsinghua University China story: Study abroad experience sparked interest in China’s foreign policy and international relations China Travel: Major cities International Travel: Canada, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea Hobbies: Traveling, Movies, International Affairs, Reading memoirs Heroes: Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson of Gilt Groupe, Condoleeza Rice Blog Beats: #Lifestyle, #Travel Contact: angelawang816@gmail.com Hometown: Nanjing/Boston Birthday: August 11 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard College Job: Investment Strategist Asia connection: Born and raised in China from 1992 to 2015; lover of homemade Chinese food and ancient Chinese poetry China story: Study abroad experience sparked interest in China’s foreign policy and international relations China Travel: Nanjing, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Da Lian, He Fei, Hang Zhou, Shen Zhen International Travel: Canada, most countries in Europe, Australia, Chile, South Korea, Kenya Hobbies: jazz, experimental theatre, modern dance Heroes: morning coffee Blog Beats: stream of consciousness Contact: wjz0811@gmail.com Name: Santi Wong Hometown: Fuzhou, China / Baldwin, New York Birthday: February 13 University Attended/Affiliated: Fordham University Job: Private Banker Asia connection: Born in China China Story: Spent my early childhood in China. Worked in Hong Kong. Speaks Fujian dialect, Mandarin, and Cantonese China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Suzhou, Xian, and Xiamen International Travel: France, U.K., Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan Caribbeans, and Canada Hobbies: Martial Arts, Cooking, Painting, Photography, Music, Reading, Tennis, Volleyball, Ping-Pong, and Karaoke Hero: Ellen DeGeneres Blog Beats: #mentoring #philanthropy #diversity #leadership #travel #love Contact: santi.wong@gmail.com Name: Tiffany Wong / 黄慧涵 Hometown: Los Altos, CA Birthday: June 10 University Attended/Affiliated: University of California Berkeley, Peking University, Fudan University, Harvard Graduate School of Education Job: content developer at harvardx on Chinax, a Chinese history course from the Neolithic to the contemporary. Asia connection: Loves Chinese history and culture. Passionate about improving China’s rural education. Considers herself Chinese and American. China story: Started teaching in rural China during my 11th-grade summer and kept on going back, igniting my passion to improve rural education in China. Studied at Fudan University and Peking University for a semester each. Majored in Asian Studies with a concentration in China and History with a concentration on Sino-US. Went on to teach in rural Sichuan and then on to study international education policy at HGSE. Am now helping to create a massive open online course on Chinese history that spans across four thousand years of history. China Travel: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Wuhan, Henan, Hebei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Yunnan, Fujian, Guangdong International Travel: Canada, Mexico, Italy, England, France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Taiwan, China, Singapore, Bahamas, Sri Lanka Hobbies: Drawing/Painting, Art History, History, Reading, Traveling, Tennis, Confu, Yoga, Horse back riding, Baking Heroes: Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr, Helen Keller, Du Fu, Mulan Blog Beats: #Outofsync, #OutrageousPhenomenon, #On the Town, #Language, #Communication Contact: tiffanyw07@gmail.com Name: Alice Xia / 夏婷 Hometown: Hefei, Anhui Province, China Birthday: July 8 University Attended/Affiliated: Universit Job: MA Student/Asian Development Bank Translator Asia connection: Born in China China story: Sporadic periods of living and studying in Hefei and Beijing China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hefei, Nanchang, Dalian, Taiyuan, Xinjiang, Guilin, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Inner Mongolia International Travel: China, U.S. Hobbies: Writing, Academia, Political Science, Sociology, Psychology/Neuroscience, Running Heroes: My undergraduate professor, Dorothy Solinger, and my four-year-old baby brother Blog Beats: #onthemove Contact: axia90@gmail.com Name: Jean Xu/徐秋静 Hometown: Beijing, China Birthday: October 13 University Attended: Peking University, Cornell University Asia connection: Born and raised in Beijing China story: Recently relocated to Shanghai after spending ten years living in the US China Travel: Inner Mongolia, Heibei, Tianjin, Shanxi, Shandong, Jiangsu, Hubei, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Xinjiang Uygur, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Taiwan International Travel: Canada, Mexico, England, France, Italy, Panama, Costa Rica, Australia, Vietnam and Thailand Hobbies: Fitness, Music, Photography, Reading, Writing, and Cooking Heroes: I can’t think of anyone who fits this definition in my mind Blog Beats: #Lifeinchina, #Travel Contact: jeanxu1013@gmail.com Name: Kevin Yang / 杨令开 Hometown: Beijing, China Birthday: February 29 University Attended/Affiliated: Columbia University Job: Student Asia connection: Born in Tianjin, Parents born in Beijing China Story: International school experience in Beijing sparked interest in international relations and China’s relations with the world China Travel: Beijing, Dali, Dalian, Fuzhou, Kunming, Lijiang, Qingdao, Shanghai, Tianjin, Yantai, Hong Kong International Travel: United States of America, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, France, Japan, South Korea Hobbies: Tech, Traveling, Reading Heroes: Li Kai Fu Blog Beats: #On the Town, #Language, #Communication Contact: kevinlkyang@gmail.com Name: Yvette Yu Hometown: Hunan / Shandong / Maryland Birthday: September 16 University Attended/Affiliated: University of Maryland / University of Hong Kong Job: Full-time consultant, part-time artist Asia connection: Born and raised in Hunan, China China story: I lived in China until age thirteen. My family is all over China so growing up I traveled regularly. I love Chinese history and culture (huge historical drama and documentaries fan), and growing up I was trained in calligraphy and ink wash painting. I reconnected with the motherland when I studied abroad at the University of Hong Kong, during which I also picked up some Cantonese. China Travel: Shanghai, Beijing, Changsha, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Guilin, Yangshuo, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuzhen, Xitang, Nanjing, Dalian, Shandong Province (Jinan, Qingdao, Yantai, Weihai, Penglai), Fujian (Xiamen, Fuzhou), Shaoshan, Pingxiang, Zhuzhou, Hong Kong, Tibet (Lhasa, Nyingchi, Yamdrok Lake). International Travel: The U.K., Singapore, Caribbeans, Hobbies: Painting, Drawing, Arts, Reading, Poetry, Languages, Museums, Art Shows, Tennis, Yoga, Movies, Cooking Heroes: Hayao Miyazaki, Stephen Hawking Blog Beat: #Art #Fashion #Lifestyle #On the Move Contact: Yvetteyu16@gmail.com Name: Sanyee Yuan Hometown: San Francisco Birthday: May 16 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard College (Graduated with a self-designed major in Narrative in Rhetoric & Performance + Citation in Spanish) Job: Disney Channel Movie Surfer at Disney, Entertainment News Reporter / Host on CCTV, YouKu, M1905.com, LeTV, Film / Television Actress Previously worked at: NBCUniversal as a West Coast Page, Story Analyst at Amazon Studios, Disney ABC Development Executive Assistant, Intern at the TV show, White Collar for the USA Network Asia connection: My mom is from Taipei, Taiwan and my grandparents are from Shanghai. China story: One of the best classes I took at Harvard came during my senior spring semester, focusing on East Asian Cinema. We watched movies from all time periods in different genres (martial arts action / horror / mystery / romance / historical) and set in Asian countries, from Shanghai to Japan to Korea to Hong Kong. It was inspiring to study and watch how the media industry and world of filmmaking has developed, changed, and flourished in Asia. Additionally, in September 2013, I began working as the on-the-ground Hollywood reporter for CCTV, covering the entertainment news beat for a show called Culture Express. Whenever there are movie premieres / red carpets, film press junkets, awards shows like the Emmys, Golden Globes, Screen Actor Guild Awards, and Oscars, special events like Comic-Con or Wonder-Con, and fun pop culture events like fashion launches and art exhibits, we are there to cover the story! It’s been a dream of mine to cover entertainment news ever since I was in high school watching other entertainment news reporters on television and I am so happy that I get to share our exciting stories with audiences in China! China Travel: I’ve actually only visited Taiwan a few times during my childhood to stay with my mother’s side of the family there. When I was a kid, I got a mosquito bite that never faded, leaving a scar on my forearm which I view as a constant reminder to return to Taiwan and also see China! International Travel: Three years ago, I also studied abroad in Europe for the first time and ventured through Cambridge, London, Paris, Edinburgh, and Lake Como. Happy to cross Italy, France, the UK, and Scotland off my list, I still have more to see! Thankfully, work allows me to travel wherever there are film or TV productions happening. We get to go on set visits and shoot on very exciting projects of large scale! Hobbies: Reading chick lit and other character-driven narratives, creative writing in the form of screenwriting for my pilots and features, nonfiction short stories, original chick lit novels, & motivational speeches, choreographing contemporary dances with stories, singing along to an array of YouTube videos, eating at food trucks or fusion restaurants with friends and family, and meeting new people! Heroes: My mom, my older sister, Ryan Seacrest, Reese Witherspoon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and anyone who can wear multiple hats at the same time Blog Beat: #PathfinderinLA Contact: sanyee.yuan@post.harvard.edu A.B. in Rhetoric & Performance, Harvard University Connect on http://www.linkedin.com/in/sanyeeyuan Check out my latest hosting reel: http://youtu.be/4wyG98MEGyo Check out our latest Disney Channel Movie Surfers spot for Million Dollar Arm: http://youtu.be/pPjpFf2Dr2U Hometown: Zhejiang, China Birthday: August 28 University Attended/Affiliated: New York University, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics Asia connection: Born and raised in China before moving to the U.S. in August 2011 China story: Native speaker of Mandarin; Returned to China from the U.S. in December 2014; Currently work and live in Shanghai China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Hangzhou, Zhoushan, Ningbo, Macau, Wuhan, Fuzhou, Nanjing International Travel: UK, Canada, USA, Korea, Switzerland, Australia Hobbies: Travel, Music, Food, Social Media, Networking Heroes: Elaine Chao, Jack Ma Blog Beats: #Lifestyle #Travel #Relationship #Education #Business Contact: zhangli0828@hotmail.com Name: Ting Zhang Hometown: Haikou/San Francisco/Beijing Birthday: September 8 University Attended: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill/National University of Singapore/University of Hong Kong Asia connection: I was born in Haikou, Hainan. China story: China is a place I’ve come in and out of ever since I was little. It is a place I call home though I will probably never feel fully at home. China Travel: I have lived in Hainan, Xian, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Travel-wise, I’ve explored Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu etc. International Travel: Travel is a big part of my prerson development and knowledge building process. So far, I have visited over two dozen countries apread across Europe, the Middle East, East Asia, Southeast Asian, and South Asia. Hobbies: Reading, writing, debating, and exploring new places and cultures. Heroes: Anyone who speaks up for the underpriviledged and underrepresented has my respect. Blog Beats: #onthemove #Society Contact: ting_zhang209hotmail.com Name: Zara Zhang Hometown: Changchun, China Birthday: Oct 18 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard College Job: College Student Asia connection: Lived in China for the first 16 years of my life China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Shenyang, Xi’an International Travel: Singapore, Bhutan, Israel Hobbies: Shopping Heroes: Sheryl Sandberg, Michelle Obama Contact: zhang08@college.harvard.edu Name: Yun Zhou (Juliet) / 周韵 Hometown: Nanjing, China Birthday: August 21 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University, Peking University Job: PhD Candidate in Sociology (focus on gender, inequality, and stratification through a comparative and historical lens) Asia connection: Chinese (born in Nanjing) China story: Born and raised in Nanjing and went to Peking University; “China” may be a huge country we read about in news stories, but it is also a small place I call home China Travel: All over International Travel: Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, United Kingdom, United States of America Hobbies: Painting, Creative writing Heroes: Virginia Woolf Blog Beats: #Relationship Contact: juliet0821@hotmail.com Name: Chellie Zou Hometown: Elkhart, Ind. Birthday: February 14 University Attended/Affiliated: Purdue University; Harvard University Job: Graduate Student Asia connection: Chinese father. China story: With a Chinese dad and American mom, I’ve spent most of my life finding a balance between both cultures. Learning how they intersect and blend has been fascinating. My grandparents live in Beijing and I’ve been visiting every year since I was four years old. China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Hainan, Hangzhou. International Travel: Canada, Italy, UK, Ireland, Bahamas, Japan, Macao Hobbies: Cooking, dancing, knitting, exploring new cities Heroes: My parents Blog Beat: Out of Sync Contact: rochellezou@gmail.com Name: Sara Zou/ 邹思娃 Hometown: Elkhart, Ind. Birthday: February 14 University Attended/Affiliated: Harvard University; Purdue University Job: One in a Billion Branding and Social Media Producer; Graduate Student Asia connection: My father is Chinese. China story: I began traveling to China 23 years ago to visit my grandparents, who still live in Beijing. China Travel: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Hainan, Hangzhou. International Travel: England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Japan, Macao, Bahamas Hobbies: Dancing, Baton Twirling, Crafting, Horseback Riding, Golfing Heroes: Mom and Dad Blog Beats: On Point, On Lifestyle, On the Town, On the Move Contact: sarazou1@gmail.com Name: Will Zou/ 鄒述丞 Hometown: Melbourne, Australia Birthday: October 2 University Attended/Affiliated: University of Melbourne, Peking University Job: Student Asia connection: Born in Shanghai. China Travel: Shanghai, Beijing, Sichuan, Hong Kong. International Travel: Thailand, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, America. Hobbies: Swimming, back country snowboarding, reading Classical Chinese. Heroes: John Steinbeck, Lu Xun, 司馬遷 Blog Beats: #Out of Sync, #On the Move, #On Point, #On Lifestyle Contact: zouwillsc@gmail.com Name: Anita Zu / 徐婧艾 Hometown: Shanghai, China Birthday: February 14 University Attended/Affiliated: Syracuse University, Fudan University Job: Reporter and writer Asia connection: Born and raised in Shanghai China story: Lived in Shanghai for 23 years before embarking on a journalism career in the U.S.; wrote about China and Chinese culture for various media including CNN International, The Post and Courier and The Post-Standard China Travel: Beijing, Macau, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Nanjing, etc. International Travel: Canada, France, Italy, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Greece, Czech Republic, Austria Hobbies: TV shows, Cantonese, Spanish, technology, and photography Blog Beats: #In transition, #Starting out, #Travel Contact: anitaxu@162.144.26.251/~chinaper | anitaxu.com
Asia connection: Lived in South Korea from 2007-2013 and developed an interest in Northeast Asian affairs
China story: I once went to a restaurant operated by the North Korean regime in Beijing. The food was mediocre.
China Travel: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shanghai, Beijing, Dalian
International Travel: I have to check my passport for the full list, but off the top of my head, my destinations in Asia have included South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, maybe more…
Hobbies: illustration, cooking, eating, volunteering/community service, reading, caring for my black Labrador named Ramona
Heroes: Jean Lee, Kyung Yoon, M. Evelina Galang, Alexander Chee
Blog Beats: #MentalHealth, #Feminism, #Activism, #HumanRights, #Food, #CommunityService
Contact: hannahbae.com, twitter.com/hanbae, instagram.com/hannahbae, fb.com/thehannahbae
Name: Anita Chary
Asia connection: First Generation Chinese-American
Job:Currently excitedly unemployed, exploring life and seeking the next adventures with creativity
Job: Investment Research Analyst
Name: Yifu Dong 董一夫 (our first teen blogger)
Name: Fang Guo/ 郭芳
Name: Guo Quanzhi 郭铨之
Job: Graduate student at Stanford University
Name: Karen Kim ／金槿容
Name: Wendy Lee / 李紋齡
Name: Rachel Leng / 凌惠颖
Job: COO & Co-Founder of SeiRogai, Inc., Tokyo-based business consultancy and media production company; Head of Business Development at a Japanese private equity fund.
Linkedn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-leng/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LengRachel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rchlleng/
Job: Store Communications Lead at Clover Food Lab
Name: Shiqi Lin / 林诗琦
Contact: Contact Me
Name: Jennifer Luong /梁慧恩 / Lương Huệ Ân
Job: Ad Hoc Position with the Narrative Initiative
Name: Felix Poon
Name: Daniel Tedesco / 譚德馨
teaching fellowship in a rural city in Sichuan. Now, studying at Peking University to attain a professional fluency in Chinese.
Italy, Greece, South Korea, Rwanda, Belize, Puerto Rico, Dubai
Name: Jinzhao Wang /王今朝
Job: In-house counsel at a U.S. based multinational company
Name: Lee Zhang/ 张力
Job: PR & Communications Specialist
Job: Researcher, writer
