Tell us about being a fellow with the Institute of Current World Affairs (ICWA) in Bangdong, Yunnan.It’s almost too good to be true. ICWA asks you what you would do if you could pursue any personal and professional development opportunity for two years. My answer was to understand rural China. I’m familiar with China’s massive urban centers after living in them for over a decade. But roughly 40% of China’s population still lives in rural areas - a big number when you’re talking about the world’s most populous country. And it’s a critical demographic to understand if you want to grasp where China is coming from and where it’s going. So I’m living in a small village - I mean "350 people small" - in rural Yunnan trying to understand rural perspectives on life, China, and the world.
What’s been the most rewarding aspect of your research? The most challenging?
It’s such an honor to hear people’s stories. Before leaving the U.S. I was counseled by Jeanne Barnett (wife of A. Doak Barnett, a Johns Hopkins SAIS professor and former ICWA fellow), “Doak would talk to everyone. You should too.” And I’ve quickly learned that everyone has a story to tell and new perspectives to share. Almost every day I have conversations that challenge my preconceived notions of how people think or see the world. And the relationships that are built over those conversations are so rewarding.
That said, the loneliness is real. I’m the only foreigner and English-speaker for miles and miles and miles. The cultural barriers are significant and the depth of relationship that can be formed even over two years is limited. My neighbors all grew up together, have raised their kids together, and buried parents together. There’s nothing more for them to talk about. As a newcomer it’s hard to enter into the community and enjoy the depth of relationship that they already share or that I have experienced elsewhere in the world. That’s challenging but also so rewarding when I do see progress.
You have worked in Mainland China and Taiwan for nearly a decade with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Critical Language Scholarship Program, and CET Academic Programs, among others. Do you see yourself continuing your career in China?
My career will continue with China, though I’m not sure on which side of the Pacific. In China, you see something every day that you just don’t see every day. The sense of novelty and opportunity are still going strong. But my career decisions are driven by personal interest and opportunity for learning. So far, these have all kept me China-side, but I could see that shifting sometime. I know my mom hopes that shifts sometime.
How did your time at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and Johns Hopkins SAIS prepare you for your career and current research?
I got the best of both worlds with the Hopkins-Nanjing Center-Johns Hopkins SAIS combo. The Hopkins-Nanjing Center really strengthened my Chinese language (think academic reading and research papers) and ability to build cross-cultural relationships (see memorable moment response below). The Hopkins-Nanjing Center and Chase Bank also funded a one-month internship with a microfinance org in rural Sichuan, which piqued my interest in rural China. Then Johns Hopkins SAIS threw me into the thick of international relations gurus and development practitioners in DC coupled with an academically rigorous environment. (Econ is hard!) Johns Hopkins SAIS also organized a study trip for International Development and China Studies students to Beijing and Yunnan to better understand China’s development trajectory. It gave me access to and insights into layers of China I hadn’t explored before. And those layers are what I’m still researching and writing about now eight years later. Coincidence?
What drew you to apply to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and Johns Hopkins SAIS?
缘分吧 - destiny. I was working in Nanjing and applying to law school when I more or less stumbled upon the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. I got way more excited about studying in an environment like the Hopkins-Nanjing Center’s and potentially continuing at Johns Hopkins SAIS than I did about law school. A mentor challenged me at the time: how many people get to take two years of their life and learn deeply in an area of interest? His point: pursue your interests to the best of your ability and the rest will follow. So I did. And what I found at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and Johns Hopkins SAIS were communities of very capable people with diverse interests, international backgrounds, and language skills who were trying to forge a career path out of it all. I knew I’d made the right choice.
What was your most memorable moment when you were at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center?
My roommate and I were intentional about developing our friendship. We always included the other in social events. We alternated Chinese-English language days so we’d both improve. And we resolved our conflicts well (i.e.: he learned that a shower curtain is used so you don't get the entire bathroom soaking wet, and I learned that when he’s in the room studying is not the best time to practice my KTV repertoire). I remember we celebrated the end of the year by going out for a meal at The Golden Hans (金汉斯), just the two of us at one of those all-you-can-eat meat BBQ places where they bring the shanks of meat to your table and slice it directly onto your plate. That restaurant was a great idea! We ate far too much. But the memorable moment was laughing over memories from the year, reminiscing over the challenges, and realizing I had a new lifelong friend. No longer was it contrived based on win-win language arrangements or social obligations - it just was. Friendship. I’ve been in China a long time and have yet to find a setting that fosters that type of trust-based, intercultural friendship. In some ways it's hard even within the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. But with time and intentionality, it can happen. And it can continue, even ten years later.
What advice would you give current or future students?
Talk to everyone. Each person at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center has a unique story, including teachers and staff. Get a coffee or share some dumplings with every single one of them. Hear their stories. Find out what makes them tick. Discover their dreams. Honor them by sharing yours. Those relationships are one of the most meaningful and valuable takeaways from your experience at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center. And they last the rest of your life.