Her Pursuit of Truth, Justice, and the International Way

The constant change in environment had its positives; I got to meet new people, experience a variety of cultures, and was exposed to different perspectives. However, this also meant that my younger sister, Kylee, was the only consistent friend I had.

Being an expat kid means having one foot in each world. How does that shape you?

My dad is Canadian and my mom is Chinese. This means that my home is the fruition of two vastly different worlds. I think that my parents’ opposing disciplinary styles have played a large role in my upbringing. I believe it has made me a more well-rounded individual, with my mother challenging me to strive for academic excellence whilst my father encourages me to pursue interests.

What’s the best and worst thing about being an international student?

The best thing about being an international student is meeting and learning from students and teachers from around the world. Being a part of an international community, I am exposed to different viewpoints, perspectives, and cultures. I think this has allowed me to be more open-minded and respectful. Another benefit is that international schools are filled with kids who also move around a lot so I am likely to know someone when I move to a new area.

One hard thing about being an international student is a personal struggle with identity. It is hard to fit in if I’m in an environment where cliques are present. Also, it is hard to pinpoint where ‘home’ is to me, as I don’t have strong physical roots. Furthermore, moving a lot means it is hard to maintain long-lasting relationships. Despite promising to keep in touch with friends over social media, it is never quite the same as being with them in person.

What have you learned from traveling so much?

I learn something new on every trip, but I think the most important lesson I have learned is that there are a lot more similarities between cultures than differences. People will always be able to find common ground, build foundations on these similarities, and then create lasting bonds through a newfound appreciation for their differences. I believe differences should be acknowledged and celebrated, as this is what makes our world vastly diverse and interesting.

You say international school is “a springboard for excellence.” What do you mean by that?

I believe that international education is a springboard for excellence as it presents me with opportunities I would have never been able to have otherwise. For instance, interschool events such as the Shanghai One Voice Sustainability Summit allowed me to learn about sustainability, attend workshops on recycling, and even deliver workshops myself in schools across China. And subjects I take under the IB Diploma program encourage international-mindedness. We are taught to examine topics under local, national, and global lenses. It gives us an understanding of the interconnectedness of the world we live in and the complexity of seemingly simple concepts or theories.

Tell me more about the Problem Planet…

Climate change was often the topic of discussion at schools, seminars, and parliament. However, I quickly realized that I actually could not explicitly explain why global warming is horrible and what specific negative impacts it would have. I realized that the first step to implementing change is to raise awareness that a problem exists in the first place. At the same time, I noticed a rise in popularity for retro games, such as the card game UNO and Minecraft. The idea clicked to combine education and entertainment by creating a multiple-choice trivia-style question card game that teaches the players about the problems the planet is facing today, hence the name Problem Planet.

Why do you want to study law?

I noticed laws were vastly different across borders, and sometimes even affected by the quality of life in the area. I wanted to understand why, so I began to read about law and even took an introductory law course in Oxford. I learned that the legal system is a key apparatus for change, and that law is ever-changing to better suit the needs of a rapidly evolving society. I hope that I will be able to push for laws in the mental health and environmental sectors for better societal guidelines.

What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies?

I am very passionate about basketball. In Year 10 I made the basketball varsity team! But I suffered a hip injury and had to sit out the season.

I returned the following year but was placed on the junior-varsity team. I worked hard and in mid-season, I rejoined varsity. As a squad, we won a regional ISAC tournament, and at the end of the year, I was bestowed with the ‘Girls’ Basketball MVP Award,’ ‘Sportsmanship Award,’ and ‘Female Athlete of the Year.’ This year, I am the Varsity Team Captain and currently mentor younger players.