My name is 咏剑 (Yǒng Jiàn). Poetic Sword/Warrior. My parents wanted me to be equally eloquent and artistic, and at the same time a courageous warrior who does not compromise on doing the right thing and strives to make the world a better place.

I spent the first nine years of my life in the northern Chinese town of Jinan, Shandong. Growing up, I begged my grandpa would take me on the back of his bike to explore the city. We would jump on random bus lines and I would gaze outside the bus window and probe my grandpa about fascinating stories of his childhood in his native Jinan.

More than a decade later, the childhood curiosity has taken me to different places and given me countless heartwarming experiences. I am a language lover, traveler, amateur chef, and storyteller. In my everyday life and travels, I strive to connect hearts through cultures, languages and food.

Stanford M.A. in Latin American Studies | Princeton in Asia Fellow, KIMEP University, Almaty Kazakhstan

Check out my travel photos and stories on https://www.instagram.com/chamantzin/