Earth Day: Reflecting on Winter Break in Thailand

Student blogger Brandy Darling (HNC Certificate '20 + SAIS MA '21) reflects on her nature-filled winter break trip to Thailand in light of Earth Day 2020. 

Earth Day 2020. The 50th year anniversary of a new environmental revolution. People all around the world participate in a movement to create a healthier and cleaner world. In 2012, more than 100,000 people rode bikes in China to reduce CO2 emissions. I enjoy being in nature, and being in a big city makes me crave alone time in a scenic place. Even though there are a great number of big cities in China, there are many scenic destinations across the country, such as the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, the beautiful beach of Yalong Bay in Hainan, and even the parks on Chongming Island near Shanghai. Holidays and weekends at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center are great times to explore nearby Chinese cities and towns. For this past Winter Break, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to travel to another Asian country: Thailand. Flights from China to other Asian countries are cheaper than if you were to fly from the United States. 

(Left) The natural beauty of Phuket, Thailand.
(Right) Sunset on Patong Beach.

For two weeks, I took a solo trip to Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand. Phuket is the largest island in Thailand and Patong Beach is the biggest tourist attraction of the thirty-six beaches that span the entire island. The opportunities to enjoy nature in Phuket were endless, especially because 70% of Phuket is covered in mountains. My favorite days were the trips that included traveling to smaller islands. There, I could partake in water sports like parasailing and jet skiing without the crowds. Thailand is made up of over one-thousand islands, and many of these islands are within a 30-minute boat ride of Phuket and are home to diverse species of animals and plants.

Enjoying Thailand from the sky
while parasailing.

I traveled to many different islands, such as Racha Island, Phang Nga Bay, and Naka Island. One island that left a deep impression on me was Coral Island. Before we got off the boat, the crew said: “This will be one of the most beautiful islands you visit, however, you cannot swim or snorkel here.” He explained to us that in 2004 a tsunami destroyed all the beautiful coral and deposited rocks, so it is very dangerous to swim or snorkel. Many researchers thought that the coral would heal itself and be fully revived in a few years, but it has never grown back. This could be due to the debris pulled into the ocean from the tsunami, or overfishing which is destructive to coral. Protests and awareness through Earth Day are for this reason: for people to take action. We could take measures, such as cleaning beaches and using safer fishing practices, to save coral reefs which are important marine ecosystems. 

Due to my interest in environmental protection, I am currently taking African Development and Environment in Chinese, and the Economic Instruments of Pollution Control in English. The African Development and Environment class is especially interesting because we talk about how tourism in African countries are largely dependent on the natural world. However, climate change is rapidly changing ecosystems and depleting important resources. As a result, many African countries are struggling to turn to more diverse, sustainable ways of developing. Unfortunately, environmental control is very political. One way we can genuinely make the Earth cleaner is by appreciating her and taking steps in our individual lives to reduce waste. My trip to Thailand was filled with breaths of fresh air and calm blue seas. Once we learn how to work to make the environment cleaner, the Earth will share the rewards back with us. 

(Left) Taking in the view on Coral Island.
(Right) Boaters and beachgoers at Raya Island.

Written by Brandy Darling, HNC Certificate '20 + SAIS MA '21 

Student Profile: Morgan Brown

Name: Morgan Brown (HNC '20)

Program: Master of Arts International Studies, China Studies concentration

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of Colorado Boulder; Chinese Language and Literature, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

How did you become interested in China? Have you had any prior experiences here?

I happened to stumble upon China during my Sophomore year of high school when I saw a poster advertising an exchange program with a sister school in Chengdu. They needed more people to host students who were visiting from China for 10 days and I volunteered to help. We then had the opportunity to reverse exchange, traveling to Chengdu for 10 days on a scholarship provided by my school to stay with the same people who we had hosted. Traveling to China for the first time was an amazing experience, and completely changed my life. My host family tried to give me the real China experience and I was blown away by the food, culture, sense of history, and kindness I received there. My host family invited me back to live with them for the summer and from that time on my interest was sparked. I ended up taking Mandarin starting my Junior year of high school, majoring in Chinese Language and Literature, and traveling to Nanjing to study abroad during my senior year of college before coming to the HNC.

What professional experiences have you had between undergrad and HNC?

I was really burned out after my undergraduate experience and wanted to get a taste of professional life, so I ended up working for three years before coming to the HNC. I worked for a localization company called TransPerfect Translations where I managed the localization strategies of two of our Fortune 500 enterprise clients. Although I didn’t use my Mandarin during these three years, I think it was a really important time for me. Not only did it help me figure out what I was looking for in a professional career, but I was able to gain the maturity and perspective I wanted before continuing my education.

What encouraged you to apply to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center? What’s your focus here?

I was inspired to apply to the HNC after someone came to introduce the program to my language class during Junior year of Undergrad. I thought the program sounded really cool because I wanted a more extended experience in China (not just a study abroad program) and I wanted the opportunity to solidify my Mandarin. Although during undergrad and study abroad I was taking classes in Mandarin, they were primarily focused on learning the language. I wanted the chance to solidify my fluency by taking classes from Chinese Professors about varying topics that already assumed you had the language background necessary. I was also really excited about the opportunity to write, research, and defend a master’s thesis in Mandarin, which to me felt like it would prove that I had done what I set out to do. Although I wasn’t ready to move on to my graduate studies right after graduating, I always kept this program in the back of my mind, and it was something I knew I would do someday. When I applied for graduate school, I actually only applied to the HNC because I knew it was the right fit for me. Here at the HNC, my focus has been on China Studies, culminating in a thesis looking at the how post-1949 government policy and digitization has affected social capital and feelings of trust between Chinese citizens.

What do you hope to do after you graduate?

After graduation, I want to make a difference in Sino-US relations. Ideally, I would love to work in the political cone as a Foreign Service Officer of the State Department posted in either China or Taiwan. That being said, there are so many great ways to make this impact either through the federal government, think tanks, consulting firms, etc., so I’m excited to see where I decide to go!

Student Life in the Time of COVID-19

COVID-19 has impacted students all around the world. Cady Deck, HNC Certificate '19 + SAIS MA '20, interviewed current HNC students about adjusting to online classes and stay-at-home orders. 

Contributors
Joe (HNC Certificate to MAIS): Guizhou, China

Dwight (2nd year MAIS): Nanjing, China

Morgan (2nd year MAIS): Washington, DC

Randall (HNC Certificate + SAIS MA, China Studies): South Carolina

Alex (HNC Certificate + SAIS MA, International Development): Washington, DC

Ryan (HNC Certificate + SAIS MA, China Studies): Washington, DC

Empty Metro station in Washington, DC.

How is the adjustment to online classes going?

Morgan: The adjustment to online classes hasn't been too bad. Luckily, I took nearly all of my classes at the HNC during my first 3 semesters. This semester I am only taking one class so I can focus on writing my thesis. The class I’m taking, 全球环境基础 (Global Environmental Fundamentals), has been as good as can be expected! Professor 张海燕 (Zhang Haiyan) is really great and has worked hard to make the transition as smooth as possible. I’m happy to report that all of her graphs are legible, her microphone always works, and we don't seem to have any technology-related issues. She has been extremely understanding of the challenges people are facing during this time.

A meme that sums up Ryan's
experience.

Ryan: The transition to online classes has been relatively smooth. I think all of my professors realize the gravity of the situation and as a result made some pretty important adjustments to class requirements and expectations that made it more manageable with moving online. I do find that it’s easier to stay engaged in my classes that do weekly Zoom calls compared to my two classes that do pre-recorded lectures.

Randall: Adjusting to online classes has been a challenge. I am a creature of habit who is used to arriving at the classroom early to find a front-row seat, then finding a quiet spot in the library to study, and finally going home to cook and unwind. Now that these three places have been combined into one, it has been a challenge to switch between mindsets I had associated with different physical locations. Along with that comes plenty of distractions, including having so many blinking faces on my computer screen when class is in session!

How has your internship been affected by the transition online?

Alex: At my internship with the China-Africa Research Initiative (CARI) we have weekly Zoom meetings, and I work with my partner on a 6-hour Zoom call which replicates pre-shelter-in-place conditions pretty well. I also have a summer internship lined up that’s gone through some pretty drastic changes. Originally, I was slated to spend 10 weeks in Zambia working on a lessons learned report for a project taking place there, and while I’ll still be writing that report it will now be based on video interviews and information passed along from colleagues on the ground in Zambia.

Ryan: C4ADS has been very accommodating about internships moving remote. I’d previously been handed a fair bit of independence (for an intern), so I could continue working on my projects on my own with somewhat reduced communication with my supervisor. It hasn’t all been perfect though: last week I spilled coffee on my work laptop and it’s kaput! I’m now set up on my personal computer, so I can keep working! 

How are you staying focused to finish your thesis? (MAIS-specific question) 

Morgan working on her MAIS thesis.

Morgan: I find that the best way for me to stay focused during this time is to set up tasks that I need to accomplish before I can do the fun things I want to do. I have a lot of thesis deadlines this semester, so I set a daily character count that I need to reach before I can relax. 

Because my thesis partner Leilei is still in China, we message pretty much every night and send each other drafts for review. In the mornings sometimes we have calls to go over any questions we have. But we also spend a bunch of that time catching up because I miss her. It's been really great to stay connected even though we're not physically together.

How do you spend your free time?

Joe: Free time these days is spent sending out summer internship applications, doing thesis readings, going on walks, and occasionally meeting with people in the area I haven't seen in months. There hasn't been a reported case of COVID-19 here in Tongren for over a month now, so it's starting to feel like things are getting back to normal.

Joe exploring Tongren.

Dwight: I’m in Nanjing now and the city has lifted most restrictions related to travel and group gatherings. So, I’ve been able to see a few classmates who happen to be in the city. Besides that, I’ve walked all over the place and finished quite a few novels. 

Randall: I went to my grandmother's house for Spring Break and decided to stay and look after her until the situation improves. She and I have spent time together cooking, flipping through old photo albums, and sneaking out for quick walks when the coast is clear. Looking at old pictures may have rekindled my childhood passion for drawing, though, because I’ve been making pictures depicting funny things that happen each week and sending them to family and friends to make them laugh. 

A local playground in South Carolina taped off.

Alex: Schoolwork has kept me pretty busy, but in the evenings and on weekends I’ve been doing a variety of things to stay sane. My roommates and I started with the quarantine right-of-passage viewing of Contagion and we watch movies on a pretty regular basis. We also play board/card games and indulge in the occasional pancake brunch together. I’ve also gotten in touch with some friends and family that I hadn’t talked to in a while, which has been nice.

(Left) Alex playing Betrayal Legacy with his roommates.
(Right) "HNC house" pancake brunch.

Ryan: In the grand scheme of things, I haven’t had much extra free time because my workload and internship schedule have remained mostly the same. But I’m taking every chance I have now to run every day. In lieu of our weekly bar trivia, my roommates organized a group of around 15 people from undergrad to do weekly Zoom trivia! Each week, there’s a trivia host who arranges a trivia night in the same vein as any bar trivia. We split into virtual teams based on where we’re currently living (Baltimore vs. DC vs. Virginia). It’s been a lot of fun!

Sunset run over the Connecticut Avenue Bridge
in Washington, DC.

Morgan: I'm lucky to be self-isolating with 5 of my best friends from the HNC in DC so I'm honestly having a great time! We set up an events calendar for the isolation period. We've been playing a lot of Overcooked, started the board game Betrayal Legacy, did some yoga on the porch and binged a lot of Netflix/movies together. When I'm not hanging with the housemates, I've been enjoying having some free time to actually read books for fun.

(Left) Morgan and a few of her housemates enjoying an afternoon yoga session on the porch.
(Right) Morgan watching Saw VI with housemates, cookies, and popcorn.

Any final thoughts?

Randall: Having lived in Wuhan for just shy of two years before ultimately becoming a SAIS student, I have been in more frequent contact with close friends there for the past several months. Although Chinese New Year greetings via WeChat were not as cheerful as they had been in years past, fortunately everyone I know there is safe and healthy. It has been remarkable to see the city bounce back with the Wuhanese resilience I have come to know and love for the past seven years. It has also been very touching to receive messages back from friends in Wuhan and all across China checking in on me and my family during these uncertain times. Stay safe and stay healthy, everyone!

Cherry blossoms line a neighborhood street near the "HNC house" in Washington, DC.

Written by Cady Deck, Certificate '19 + Johns Hopkins SAIS MA '20.