I encountered Kiwi in a Shanghai rarity: a foreign bookstore. I was staring at a row of books when she approached me and my friend, asking if we would like to come to her school’s TEDx conference. She had her bike helmet on, a great smile, and an unhesitant urge to ask us questions. She revealed her interest in anthropology, a major no one I knew ever considered, and when our conversation ended, I gained more questions than answers.
This is why I’m glad we met up to talk about her life experiences, whether it’s participating in debates, organizing TEDx conferences, or her anthropology & archeology dreams.
Why did you start cycling? What do you like about it?
My physics teacher, Jo, cycled every day and I thought it was so cool.
Another reason I cycle is because I have asthma and it’s risky for me to run, especially for long distances. Cycling is a more gentle alternative and a good way to exercise my lungs.
When I bike home during weekends and back to school on Mondays, my mind relaxes and the contrast between urban and countryside stimulates my nerve.
It was a challenge for me to cycle two 20 miles trips per week. But after half a year, it became less challenging (though getting covid made it difficult again).
I’ve biked for two years now.
How did you discover “debate”? What do you like about it?
I accidentally attended a debate summer camp after I graduated my junior year to escape from living with my parents for a while.
I like how debate encourages us to consider multiple perspectives and develop critical thinking skills. I think this is an important skill not only for pursuing my art degrees but also because I live in a time where information is influenced by authorities.
Could you describe your debate experience and what you learned?
My pet, Artemis, can run for long distances only if her feet skin is hard or her feet will bleed. It’s the same for debate. When I was a new debater, I lost every single debate. You can never imagine how it feels like to win a debate.
After about one and a half years, I broke into my first tournament and got into the semi-finals. After that, I thought “Why don’t I change my goal to be the winner? To be the number one?” And I began working toward that goal. The process was extremely difficult.
Debate taught me to embrace losing because it’s normal. We are constantly going to mess up and we need to accept that. I learned that our environment, our society, will never change for you, and the only thing we can change is usually ourselves.
The only way to alter our society, I think, is to change the understanding of people which requires great effort to accomplish. By studying anthropology and archeology and publishing my findings, I hope to tackle these invincible social problems even if the effects may be limited.
I have retired from debating now and I judged my first debate tournament last week.
Why did you become a TEDx organizer? What did you learn through this process?
A fabulous debater who’s a friend of mine organized TEDx and I initially joined because I thought this experience would boost my US college applications. Yet, when I decided to focus on UK universities, which emphasize less on extracurriculars, I continued organizing the 2nd TEDx event because the creativity of the participating teenagers shocked me and I realized the importance of providing a stage for them to communicate with the world.
My experience as an organizer taught me a valuable lesson: our dreams may seem daunting but if you never attempt to chase them, it’s truly impossible for you to achieve them. Only when you take the steps toward your impossible dream, then it could be possible for you to achieve it. Even if you don’t reach your goal in the end, you will gain something along your journey.
This is the mindset I used to approach my impossible dream of attending Oxford University. Even if the final result is not what I initially hoped for, I know the journey of trying to reach it, the work I put into my application, and the landscapes I saw along the way, are valuable too.
What led you to choose anthropology and archeology as your major?
My family often visited museums during the weekend. Museums, as my parents say, are gateways to knowledge across almost all fields; these visits helped me discover my interest in learning the truths of basic questions.
This discovery helped me narrow my focus to art subjects as they allow me to think critically and flexibly. I finally chose archeology and anthropology because of how comprehensive they are. Through these subjects, I learn about the present and the past, including primitive history, while exploring areas of the world where cities don’t exist.
What do you hope to explore through these subjects?
The historical evidence of the past two centuries is often chosen by political winners or local authorities and when I study archeology, I can study remains, which are always rare but more “primary” and trustworthy sources in comparison.
By exploring these subjects, I hope to explore why we unite across space and time, in a less politicized way, and provide more unbiased accounts of history and the past.
I’m curious how “Kiwi” became your name. What do you think of it?
My name is Kiwi because my parents were on honeymoon in Australia when they realized my existence.
On the one hand, I like it because it’s easy to remember. On the other, the name sounds too cute and can limit others’ imagination of my personality.
Looking forward, what are your plans for the future?
I hope to complete a Ph.D. degree in archeology and anthropology. But while I finish my degrees, I want to open a clinic that helps improve people’s skin. That may sound silly but art degrees often aren’t lucrative paths and I need to support myself and my passions.
By the way, my ultimate goal is to clone my dog, Artemis, so she can accompany me longer.
Thank you Kiwi for sharing her stories and growth experiences. If you’re interested in archeology, anthropology, cycling, debate, TEDx, skiing, or jazz, Kiwi would be happy to chat with you through tedxghcis@gmail.com
If you would like to share your passions, interests, or experiences, please contact us through thepvlsemagazine@outlook.com
James Z