My Chinese language journey has taken me down many unexpected paths. When I started studying Chinese, I didn't expect to travel to China and Taiwan, study the language in college, and pursue work in Taiwan after graduation. Despite being pulled in many different directions, community has been a continuous thread throughout my journey. When I arrived at St. Olaf, I stepped into a vibrant and welcoming Asian Studies and Chinese learning community filled with enthusiastic students and supportive faculty. St. Olaf is the first place where I studied Chinese language and culture alongside other students who held similar enthusiasm to me. Working with others who share my passion for language learning and community building has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my time in college. Some of my deepest friendships at St. Olaf have formed with my peers in the Chinese department, and these relationships will continue to grow after I graduate.  

I began studying Chinese in high school after finishing eight years of German language study in middle and elementary school. I chose the Chinese language because, (and I quote my high school self) "Spanish is basic, everyone takes it, and I have no interest in learning French." My first day of Chinese classes, I learned how to say hello and count to ten. Although I could barely understand what my teacher was saying, both in English and Chinese, I was hooked. After my sophomore year in high school I was part of the STARTALK summer language program, my first exposure to a more immersive language environment. In my STARTALK class at the University of Chicago,  I learned how to be more creative with my language use and express myself more fully despite limited vocabulary, a very empowering experience. 

During my junior year of high school, I took an unforgettable two week trip to China with 16 of my classmates. Traveling in China challenged me to use my language skills to speak for myself and help my classmates. I learned the history and cultural significance of different places we visited. While my trip only scratched the surface of the vast cultural and historical landscape of China, I knew I wanted to go back someday and explore more deeply. 

My language learning experiences in high school motivated me to continue studying Chinese in college. For me, studying Chinese isn't just about the language, it's also about understanding Chinese culture, one vastly different from my own. I chose to continue studying Chinese because I have met some of my best friends through our shared passion and interest in the culture and language. In high school, my closest friends were Chinese-American. Simply through being friends with them, I learned about the intersections of Chinese and American identities and different aspects of Chinese culture. 

I started my Chinese language journey at St. Olaf online in Chinese 231 during fall 2020. Because class was online, I struggled to engage with the content. I missed the opportunities for speaking and community-building that are synonymous with in-person classes. Thankfully, in fall 2021, we resumed in-person classes and I had the opportunity to connect with the other Chinese majors through Chinese conversation table, CSCA cultural events, and my KSTO radio show, "Drink Tea and Chat" (喝茶聊天). My Chinese classes and extracurricular activities have helped me develop a strong community of Chinese language learners on campus. 

One of the most formative experiences in my Chinese major was participating in Asian Conversations during my freshman year. Asiancon provided me with a built-in community during a time where I was feeling lonely and isolated because of covid restrictions. The program was also the first place where I met other students who were serious about studying Asian languages and cultures. My coursework in Asian conversations broadened my perspective of Asia beyond east Asian countries; I learned about important history in the region, as well as methods to approach cultural study. The yearlong community in Asiancon was an essential component of my transition into college and my Chinese major. 

I've had many opportunities for interdisciplinary Chinese study beyond my Chinese language classes at St. Olaf. In my economics coursework, I wrote a paper about computer chip manufacturing's influence on Taiwanese employment and another paper about Chinese consumer behaviors surrounding counterfeit luxury goods. I've written in Chinese and English about religion in China. Some of my work includes an examination of early Jesuit missionary tactics in China, religious freedom during the Cultural Revolution, and examining human rights questions surrounding the practice of folk religion in China. As an avid musician, I've taken every opportunity to learn about Chinese music. In my introduction to musicology class, I wrote about early European encounters with traditional Chinese music. I also conducted an ethnography at a Carleton Chinese Ensemble concert and compiled my findings with a discussion of contemporary Chinese musical performance practices. My final musicology research proposal focused on China wind pop music and its role in building Chinese nationalism. I've worked on a handful of Chinese pieces of music including Zhou Long's Partita for violin and piano and Sicong Ma's Dragon Lantern Dance. During my time in the St. Olaf Philharmonia, I performed with world-renowned composer, pipa player, and educator Gao Hong. Exploring Chinese culture within the context of my other passions and identities has broadened my understanding of the culture and equipped me to successfully navigate cross-cultural relationships in the future. 

My study abroad experience in Taiwan in fall 2022 allowed me to live in an immersive Chinese culture and language environment and significantly shaped my goals for the future. When I came to St. Olaf, I'd initially planned to study abroad in China. However, due to the pandemic, I was not able to travel to China, and switched my plan to study in Taiwan. I lived in Taipei for six months and studied at National Taiwan University (NTU) where I took Chinese language classes for twelve hours a week. Chinese language was one of the most central aspects of my experience in Taiwan. When I arrived, I struggled to read traditional characters. Although I could generally communicate through speaking, I found the immersive environment to be exhausting. Every day around 5:00pm, my Chinese would "switch off" and I would struggle to communicate and express myself, even in the simplest tasks. As I got more comfortable in my new cultural and linguistic environment, language became less of a burden. I felt empowered as I was able to communicate more clearly and with more confidence in new linguistic situations. I even picked up a bit of a Taiwanese accent. 

At NTU, I also participated in International Companions for Learning (ICL), a program that connects international students with local Taiwanese elementary, middle, and high school students for cultural exchange. ICL gave me a deeper understanding of the Taiwanese education system, exposing me to daily life for students all over the country. I worked with two small groups of students from two different schools. I traveled to the schools alongside my local Taiwanese partner and met my students in person. The face-to-face interaction with my students in person deepened our relationship—they were more eager to participate in our online sessions after we met in person. I also got to know other international students from all over the world through ICL which gave me the opportunity to learn about other cultures and experiences.

At the end of my time in Taiwan, I spent three weeks traveling around Taiwan with my classmate and good friend Hannah Monhardt. We traveled down the entire west coast of Taiwan, visiting Yangming mountain, Puli, Taichung, Sun Moon Lake, Chiayi, Kaohsiung, Xiaoliuqiu, and Kenting. Exploring Taiwan outside of Taipei was an incredibly memorable experience. Traveling at the end of my study abroad gave me a deeper appreciation for the incredible diversity in Taiwan.

Next year, I will return to Taiwan on a Princeton in Asia fellowship. I'll be working at a Taiwanese startup incubator, helping startup companies with product development, research, event planning, and international expansion. I'll also have the opportunity to speak Chinese in my workplace and explore questions of what comes next, whether it be graduate school, working in the private sector, or working in diplomacy. My fellowship will help me continue to pursue my passions that have developed throughout my time at St. Olaf: community building and cultural exchange. 

I will be forever grateful to the faculty in the Chinese and Asian Studies departments for their support along this incredible journey. They have encouraged me to stay curious and pursue my interdisciplinary interests. They have helped me discern my path for next year and supported me through writing letters of recommendation and offering advice. They are committed to building a welcoming community of language learners, one that has supported me throughout my time at St. Olaf. Working in the Chinese department has equipped me to be an interculturally competent and compassionate leader, preparing me for my future endeavors next year and beyond.