Meet the New Staff of Our Sister Publication beijingkids

Rebirth and change come every spring, and this year our sister publication beijingkids is blooming with new staff. We've said "see you around" to former Managing Editor Aisling O'Brien, School Editor Yvette Ferrari, and Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson. Below we introduce their new editorial line-up.

Managing Editor, Vanessa Jencks
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a writer! I wrote my first “book” when I was in second grade.  My instructors, from second grade to college, frequently told me I would be one in the future. Ironically, their encouragement mixed with my fear of failure concerning this high-pressure dream delayed my pursuit until I turned twenty-five, (many serious writers start practicing in their teenage years).  I explored every other interest until then, from fashion design to web design to education.

Read Vanessa's full profile here.

Interim Managing Editor, Andrew Killeen
It seems incredible when I think that we've been in Beijing for less than eight months. So much has happened in that time: we've met so many amazing people, traveled to extraordinary places, had so many new experiences. I've made stumbling progress toward learning a new language, and have embarked on a new career with beijingkids.

Read Andrew's full profile here.
 

Senior Editor, Nimo Wanjau
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A milkmaid! (Wait, let me explain.) I love animals but some of them don’t reciprocate the feeling. My family has a farm in the highland region of Kenya, where my father hails from.The animals on the farm always fascinated me, so I would follow my parents around when they went to oversee the work being done there. I especially liked watching the cows get milked, so I declared that I wanted to be a milkmaid; my parents had other ideas.

Read Nimo's full profile here.

School Editor, Jessica Suotmaa
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Once I got over all the ideas my mom had put in head, such as becoming a lawyer (she watched too much Law & Order), I actually wanted to be a freelance journalist and writer.  I have never liked rules or authority, so being able to set my own hours and decide who I’d work for and what I’d work on was my dream. Plus, I like lazing around at home and working in bed.

Read Jessica's full profile here.
 

Shunyi Correspondent, Anjana Kainikkara
What did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child and all the way until I went to College, I wanted to be a professional Bharatnatyam Dancer (a form of Indian Classical Dance from the South of India). The sole purpose of going to college to train as a Civil Engineer was to be able use that as a fall back should my dancing career not pan out.

Read Anjana's full profile here.

Photos courtesy of the editors and correspondents