Name: Chan Zhao
Major: Global Studies
Minor while at UNL: Japanese, Political Science, Human Rights & Humanitarian Affairs, Ethnic Studies
Year of graduation: 2016
Hometown: Inner Mongolia, China
What have you been up to since graduation?
I have been teaching English and studying Spanish in Latin America. I lived in Colombia for a year, now I'm a TOEFL and IELTS teacher in Mexico. My students are mostly adults. It's very common for private companies and government agencies requiring their employees to have a certain English level in Latin American countries. The agencies I worked with include Colombian National Air Force, European Commission, and United Nations Peacekeeping Forces.
What were your favorite courses and activities while at UNL?
My favorite courses were GEOG 380 Geography of Africa with Professor Victoria Alapo and POLS 272 Non-Western Politics with Professor Rula Jabbour. The professors are from Nigeria and Syria. It was very intriguing to see their points of view on these subjects.
My favorite activity was volunteering at the Women's Center. Besides helping out with office work and event planing, I also had opportunities to join discussions regarding to current social movements and attend events during Women's week and Men @ Nebraska. It was inspiring to talk and exchange ideas with other people who were also passionate about gender related issues.
Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
This fall I'm going to attend University College London in the UK for a master's degree in translation and interpreting. I plan to finish the master's degree next year, and work as a freelance translator afterwards while traveling to more places. Hopefully become fluent in Spanish too!
Advice for current Global Studies majors and minors:
Study hard in your language class! Knowing multiple languages could be a big advantage in everything from daily life in a foreign country to getting job opportunities. Being fluent in foreign languages makes you stand out instantly.
Also try not to limit yourself in one specific country or region; explore as extensively as you can and you will be fascinated by the diversity of the world and become much more open-minded.