Where are you from?
I was born in Beijing, the capital of China. There are a lot of places for entertainment and nice restaurants. The part I miss most in China is Chinese food, I went out for dinner almost everyday when I go back to China.
What brought you to Cleveland?
I got an offer from Case Western Reserve University and I think it is a pretty cool city to stay.
What were you first thoughts about coming to the United States of America?
My first stop in America is East Lansing in Michigan where is totally different with my hometown. My hometown has large population while I never saw crowd of people in the street here.
What challenges did you face as an immigrant transitioning here?
I was not good at speaking English before I came to United State. So language is probably the most difficult part for me at that time, but as time goes by, I feel much more comfortable to stay here, and language does not bother me anymore.
What is you occupation?
Student in CWRU.
How have other Clevelanders made you feel welcomed?
I joined several volunteer events in Cleveland and get to know many people live here. They were all glad to introduce me some nice places to go and some of them invited me to join them for hiking.
What traditions or customs do you continue to practice?
I cooked Chinese food a lot at home.
What do you love about Cleveland?
I love the Cleveland Orchestra here! I am a classic music fan and I played piano since I was a child, so I went to see their performance once a month.
Why is it important to welcome immigrants and refugees?
I believe that people from different countries will bring some new ideas based on their own cultures and backgrounds and it is a good thing for the development of U.S.
Why is it important to travel abroad?
Broaden your point of view. Get to know new people, know different cultures and learn from them.
