I am first and foremost a traveler. I ended up in China because in 2004 I spent four months studying in Beijing on a high school exchange trip. I was a student at the Jingshan School (景山学校). Living in Beijing during that first trip made it clear to me that I wanted to continue coming back China and be a part of everything happening here. When I started my undergraduate studies (first at Kalamazoo college then later the University of Vermont) I decided to major in East Asian studies.
During the summer of 2005 I returned to Beijing for 6 weeks of study at the famous BLCU (Beijing Language and Culture University 北京语言文化大学). And then two years later during the summer and fall of 2006 I lived and studied in the city of Kunming, in Yunnan province. I was a student at the Yunnan Normal University（云南师范大学）and studied with many amazing people. It was then that I started this blog.
For the 2008-2009 school year I was a volunteer high school English teacher in the Western part of Hunan province in the city of Huaihua. It was great year and my first time living in a third tier Chinese city. I still miss Hunan terribly but try to visit Changsha when I can.
Since August, 2009 I have been living in Shanghai surrounded by foreigners and yuppies galore. I am currently working for a foreign-owned law firm dealing in corporate business and international trade.
Besides China and it’s culture, language, people, and politics, I love cooking and photography.
Thanks for stopping by.
Jonathan
何德
jcrowder8 (at) gmail (dot) com
Jonathan,
A friend turned me on to your blog. My husband and I are now living in Shanghai, went to UVM, AND lived in Kunming too (1996). Would love to connect with you in real life.
We hang out at Time Passage every Friday night from 6:30 to 8:30 – where my husband plays guitar and we visit with friends from VT and around the world. Stop by some time!
Hope to meet another UVMer in Shanghai soon!
Hi…Jonathan,
It was GREAT I get to visit your blog here. You konw during 2006 i was also study at Yunnan Normal University（云南师范大学), and then i transferred to Thailand, so untill now I’m still thinking of if we meet somewhere in Kunming with those amazing friends you might know. By the way, I am 中国人.
Email me,
Hope to talk to you soon.
Jonathan,
I stumbled on your blog googling “Baijiu” punch, haha. Anyway, I just spent two hours looking at your entries and I have to say that I am so jealous your work. As a fellow young expat in China, I wish I was diligent enough to blog in such a candid/honest, yet not condescending manner. Yeah, so keep it up, I will be checking you out in the future.
Oh, and feel free to email me any suggestions for our holiday Baijiu punch.
~Jake