What am I up to MOST recently?

In March, 2007, I moved to Manhattan (NYC) after more than four years abroad. I am currently looking for work in Information Technology, and once I find a job I will get my own apartment.

From 2003 to 2006, I lived in China. I studied in universities in Kunming and Qingdao for my first two years, worked in Shanghai at two Chinese companies in 2005, and in 2006 worked for Microsoft in Beijing.

My identical twin brother, Jonathan, got married at the end of 2006, and I was the best man.

I am excited to be back home in the US and NYC. I had a good time abroad, but it is nice to be back and be able to spend more time with my family, to watch the NBA, and use English! I haven't really lived in NYC since graduating from high school, and I am curious how it will go. I am optimistic.

Why I went to China

When I was 25, I started to think about living abroad. Some of my friends had done it, and I thought it sounded exciting – an experience I wanted to have. I thought about different countries, and my heart set on China. It sounded so foreign, like such a challenge, and fun. It was two years until I finally did it, though during that time I took two trips to China to check it out and started to study Chinese on my own. Career opportunities and relationships played a role in my waiting two years before making the move. But finally the conditions were right – I ended a relationship that was not working out, quit my job, and booked my ticket to China. I arrived in Beijing (after a few days in Hong Kong) in mid-January, 2003. I originally had planned to stay for a year, but this was far from set in stone. After my first year, I liked China and Chinese too much to leave, and still wanted to improve my Chinese, which I had a passion for, similar to my passion for computers and sports.

After studying for two years, I felt I was not getting enough out of language school, and wanted to try the real world. I found a job in a Chinese law firm which was a great fit for what I was looking for, as it was a Chinese company, a Chinese work environment, and the job was language-related, as much of it was translating documents and doing translation during meeting, all while giving me exposure to the Chinese business world and culture. However, this was less of a career move than an educational one. I never wanted to live in China permanently, and never seriously considered leaving IT, which was my specialty before going to China.

I had an opportunity to do a business development role for another company in Shanghai. It was something new and a unique opportunity, so I tried it out, but it wasn't something I was interested in enough to keep me in China. I was ready to leave China. But between the time I gave my notice to leave this job and my last day on the job, I received a phone call from Microsoft, who I had interviewed with a month earlier. They gave me an offer for a Program Manager position in Beijing, and it was too exciting an opportunity to pass up. For this job, I moved from Shanghai to Beijing, and as expected, learned a lot in my time at Microsoft.

At the end of 2006, I finally decided to leave China, and thus, leave my job at Microsoft.

My life

This is for those who don't know me well. I am an identical twin. My brother's name is Jonathan. I grew up in NYC, and lived there till I was 18. What mattered most to me was playing baseball and for awhile I wanted to be a professional baseball player, but I think early on I realized that could not happen, I wasn't close to good enough. Still, baseball remained a key part of my life until I was 20, when I quit my college team.

My first term in high school, I did above average but not great, an 88 average. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw my report card for the second term my Freshman year. My average was 95, quite good! In addition, during the first term, I had tested into the honor's math program. I remember one of my classmates saying to me before we took the test that it was ridiculous that I thought I could get into "Honor's math." It was around this time that I realized I could do well in school and decided to not just to do my homework but to try to get good grades. And I did! I found out for myself that I was intelligent. I did not cut one class in High School and did not miss one day due to being sick, I think that says something about who I am. I did not have much free time after school, as I played three sports in high school - baseball, cross-country running and swimming.

After graduating High School, I went to MIT. I loved physics and math so I majored in mechanical engineering, which I now consider to be a mistake. In the summer after my sophomore year, I got a part-time job at the computer help desk and loved it. I continued to pursue my interests in computers by taking some classes in programming as well as a professional night class outside of MIT, obtaining a certification (CNE) by passing seven tests.

When I graduated I worked for the IT (Information Technology) department a large corporation, CIGNA, for three years and then for Aelita Software for two and a half years. I enjoyed my work. While working for CIGNA I got my master's degree in Computer Science from Drexel University (this took three years), which I really enjoyed a lot.

For most of that time I lived in Philadelphia (which I consider my second home). I also lived in Delaware for nine months, worked in Malaysia for two months, and lived in NYC for six months while in transition, right before moving to China.

After working for five and a half years, I quit my job to go to China and study Chinese. It was a great experience in many ways, and you can read all about it here.

My personality and interests

I love roller blading, staying in good shape (push-ups and jogging, lifting weights, stationary bike), playing sports like basketball and tennis, watching basketball on TV, reading sports news and gossip. I am also well-traveled, and like traveling in the right dosages. I am independent and like my space. I prefer wine to beer. I like helping people and I love sweets, especially chocolate.

Travel

I have traveled to about twenty countries.

Europe - England, France, Italy, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Russia

Africa - Kenya

Asia - China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, India, Israel, Cambodia, Laos, Tibet (part of China)

America - Venezuela, Canada

One-day trips: Sweden, Korea

Places I want to go: Vietnam, Nepal, Taiwan, Australia

Places I want to go in mainland China: Guizhou, Hainan,

Places I will happily go back to: Thailand