About Me

One of the first words that I learned in Chinese was "开心" (kāixīn) which means "to feel happy". However, the characters separately roughly translate to "开“ meaning "open" and "心“ meaning "heart" or "mind". While this word is one of the easiest for me to pronounce with its flat tones, it became my favorite because of what it means to me. Living in China and studying Chinese has allowed me to open both my heart and my mind. Finding a new way to communicate with the world in another language gave me a voice that I never knew was missing.

Prior to living abroad, I often struggled to find my passion. Stressing over what I thought I was "meant" to do led me in 10 different directions at once, all while standing still. With an aptitude for science and a knack for communication, becoming a science educator seemed like the most logical choice. However, working in international education opened my eyes to an entirely new set of perspectives and a world that was previously unknown to me. As I taught my students chemistry and biology during the week, I was taught about Chinese language and culture through exploring and traveling. Journaling these experiences became my favorite hobby and soon my stories became something that I wanted to share.

I soon realized that I was no longer chasing my passion, because I had found what was important to me. Keeping an open mind and an open heart allowed me to let in new experiences and an entirely new language. My own sense of 开心 has continued to transform my life into new and beautiful ways that I could have never predicted. Sharing my essays about education, travel, and language is what keeps me motivated and moving forward.

Love always,

Kayla