First, introductions...

Hello! I'm a 19 year-old sophomore studying abroad at the National University of Singapore for the Spring 2020 semester. My home university is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!). Currently, I am double majoring in Environmental Science and Computer Science, but I'm mostly taking geography and statistics classes at NUS.

Thanks for visiting. I hope this introduction can sufficiently paint an elementary image of me in your mind.

Sending best wishes from a cozy dorm room in Singapore,

Iris Chien

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More about me:

I'm passionate about anything to do with sustainability, whether it's the Impossible burger, bifacial solar panels, or bicycle lanes. Additionally, I believe that tech is one of the most efficient and quickest ways we can improve society, leading to my decision to double major. My dream job is one at the intersection of tech, data and urban planning (smart cities exemplify all three!)

In my free time, I play volleyball, carefully curate Spotify playlists, journal and listen to podcasts -- ask for recommendations! Adjectives that describe me are Taiwanese-American, avid learner, tall and empathetic. I love matcha, cities and experiencing new perspectives. Oh and, my least favorite color is orange, and I have a unreasonable fear of birds.

Why blog?

In writing this blog, I hope to not only share my journey with friends back home but to also archive my thoughts abroad for me to read when I feel sentimental back home! I believe journaling/blogging is my meditative outlet for self-reflection, which is super crucial for personal growth. This project requires me to be more vulnerable than usual. But as someone once said, there is no growth in the comfort zone. I would love to hear what you think of my travels or if you have any recommendations on where I should go to in Southeast Asia.