About Us: The Unfamiliar Journey
At Unfamiliar China, we are no experts at anything. We started with a vision of bringing more information about China to the world outside this country, and we got to work. We started from history, culture, food, and drinks, yet we strive to provide the most neutral and accurate information about China in all aspects.
Just like you, we want to peek into this mysterious ancient country and understand her, and we invite you with us on this adventurous expedition.
To prepare for this trip, we packed a few things in our backpack:
- a curious mind that won't stop asking why
- an unparalleled stubbornness that will dig up every piece of fascinating story and unheard ancient history
- a diligent work habit that allows us to research, record, edit, and share with you what we found every day
- an open-mindedness to listen to your suggestions of how to continually improve your experience with us
We started as amateurs, and we are still beginners in this pursuit. However, we are determined. So, bear with us. Together, we are part of this unfamiliar journey of becoming something great.
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Contributors
Charlotte
Born and raised in Wuhan, China, Charlotte first came to Canada in 2008. Later, she lived in Toronto and Montreal, pursued her Finance degree through London School of Economics, and now lives in Calgary with two very disobedient dogs.
As someone who embraced biculturalism, she launched Unfamiliar China in September 2017, utilizing her unique understanding of both Chinese culture and western audiences. During the day, she is a passionate Search Strategist at Critical Mass, an advertising agency serving some of the world’s largest brands.
Daryn
After years of traveling the world, Daryn decided to keep his feet planted in Calgary, Canada. He is a musician at heart (and almost became a professional guitar player in Japan). Creative with an entrepreneurial spirit, Daryn had always pursued different business adventures throughout his 20s. By day he is a sales professional, during his free time, he’s the one who is making Unfamiliar China a better experience for everyone.
Brian
Brian is a BPO industry professional for more than ten years. He has left the corporate world and established a proprietary business working at the comfort of his home. He has furthered his skills in web development and now catering to international clients. His absolute pleasure is spending quality time with his family and, most especially, playing with his 1-year old son Jazriel.
Brian is also the dedicated programmer who made unfamiliarchina.com possible. He is a key member who helps to bring the website live in front of our audiences. Also, he’s probably the most patient person on the team (just ask him how many times Charlotte and Daryn changed their mind after he spent hours implementing something).
Thomas
Thomas is an American translator living in China. He initially studied painting in New York and San Francisco. After working in the art industry for a few years, Thomas decided to pursue his love of language and literature by immersing himself in Chinese and translation. He is currently working with various publishers and media organizations helping introduce Chinese culture to the west.
Thomas is also one of our translators who turns our original Chinese research into English, and a crucial member to help provide high-quality content on the website.
Casey
Casey has always had a passion for learning new things, and most of all enjoys the challenge of learning a new language. Growing up in Cape Town South Africa, he learned to speak Afrikaans while also teaching himself conversational Russian and Japanese. After succumbing to a lifelong desire to visit the far East, Casey embarked on a journey to Beijing, China where he both worked as an English teacher and studied Mandarin. Casey was able to achieve a solid proficiency across all four skills but ultimately recognizes that learning Mandarin is a lifelong process.
Casey is also our expert on learning Mandarin, and our partner to provide more resources and support to our readers who are undertaking the challenge of mastering this beautiful language.
Brad
Brad studied Chinese language and mechanical engineering at Michigan State University (’15), and currently works as an engineer in the automotive industry. In his spare time, you are likely to find him out for a run, playing his guitar, watching The Office, or spending some quality time with his 3-year-old husky, Luka. Brad is from Farmington, Michigan – and currently resides there, too.
At Unfamiliar China, Brad has been one of the contributors to help translate Chinese literature and research into English.