I’m currently in Beijing working for a non-profit / charity organization called Lotus Educational Foundation.
I went to Columbine Elementary, Centennial Middle School, Boulder High School and graduated in ‘04. During my senior year of high school I was also a Daily Camera Pacesetter (2004) in the Youth category. I’m honored to be able to help the Daily Camera with its Olympic coverage.
I just graduated from Occidental College this May, majoring in Diplomacy and World Affairs with an emphasis on East Asia and a minor in Chinese. I attended Nanjing University and Beijing Language and Culture University and am gaining fluency in Mandarin Chinese (definitely not there yet.) I’ve spent over a year in China. I conducted two research project in Beijing, one on Buddhism and Communism, and one titled “Massive Online Gaming: An Overlooked Forum for Political Discussion?” I have traveled to many places in China, including Tibet with Tom Gray (another Boulderite) last year to teach English at an orphanage (http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020277&l=3ecd2&id=14500792).
This was through the non-profit I work for now. If you are interested in coming to China for travel or study I highly recommend this program, Lotus Educational Foundation. You get to stay with a homestay family and learn about authentic Chinese culture. They are good people with a good mission. I also have a stint acting for a state-owned TV program teaching Beijing dialect, every night at 9:58 PM on CETV 3.
I’ll be here in Beijing till the 19th, then head to Taiwan for grad school. I’ll try to keep Boulder posted on the happenings during the Olympics and my impressions.
