Miao Kuo shuo About Me!

Hello everyone! My name is Miao Kuo shuo, and I am currently in my final year of university in Beijing. I was born in 1908 in a small town just outside of Beijing, and lived there for my entire life. I am the oldest of four children, I have two younger brothers and a younger sister. My little brothers are intelligent, but quite rambunctious and my little sister is my best friend and will hopefully follow in my footsteps and attend university as well. My family is not extremely wealthy by any means, but my parents are well-off enough to support our educational and professional endeavors rather than solely pushing us towards early marriages, like many of my childhood friends. My father is a merchant, and makes a steady living in the trade. My mother does an excellent job running our household and helping my father with his business. She is also an extremely talented artist, creating and selling pottery. My mother did not attend school, but she was educated by her mother, a tradition in her family. They desired that I have a traditional education, the same as my brothers could have and encouraged me to attend university. Though my paternal grandparents are a little more traditional, they have realized it is no use to tell me to settle down and find a husband right now. They’ve instead directed that focus towards my younger sister (not if I can help it!). 

 

At university I am studying political science, with an emphasis on foreign languages. I have become proficient in French and German, and am trying to learn a little English on the side. I have loved learning about the education systems in other nations, and am interested in seeing how similar ideals could be applied in more rural areas of my country, particularly for young women. I accepted this job because I’m entering my final year of university and feel that I need more experience to take into the real world upon receiving my diploma. I’ve been financing my education through my job at a grocery store, but this will provide me the opportunity to put my education to use. I understand that we live in a tumultuous time, and it is especially dangerous for a young woman to report on controversial issues, but these stories need to be told.