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TOP COATS
TOP 9 Power Pieces for Outerwear Compiled by Vanessa Jencks COATS
Thanks to tasteful textures and updated cuts, these classic overcoats and traditional Chinese outerwear are transformed into delicious styles for the modern workplace.
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LIJIANG
A Major Minority Destination p22
Mile High P20 Hospitality Highlight P21
STARTING OVER AT 31
An XJTLU alumnus shares his unconventional journey to a BSc in his 30s and landing a job at Daimler, one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world
In his early 20s, Christopher Champion, a young American, started his bachelors degree in French at Eastern Michigan University. However, unsure of what he wanted from his future career, he dropped out.
At the age of 31, Champion became a student again on the other side of the globe – China.
“Don’t worry if you need more time than someone else for something,” he says. “Keep at it and usually, life finds a way of working things out.”
After three years of hard work, Champion graduated from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University’s BSc Information and Computing Science programme at the School of Advanced Technology.
Armed with his degree, Champion recently got a job as a Business Developer at Daimler Group Services Berlin, a subsidiary of the Daimler Corporation, which owns renowned car companies such as MercedesBenz.
The journey to XJTLU A few months after leaving Eastern Michigan University, Champion moved to Germany and enrolled in a three-year programme on software development.
After working at a German software company for a while, he thought about going back to university.
“I believe in lifelong education, especially in my field. It’s constantly developing, and you really can’t stop technological advancement, but if you’re interested in research and development, China is a really special place.”
Challenging yet rewarding Champion says the international environment and integration of Eastern and Western education at XJTLU are huge draws for students.
“It exposed me to Chinese language and Chinese culture, but I was still able to study in my native language, English, and obtain a degree that’s internationally recognised,” he adds.
The study environment at XJTLU had many advantages for Champion, but the academic workload could be challenging.
“The programme covers a lot of things in a limited time, and the teaching is more self-guided than spoon-fed,” he says. “But if I hadn’t had gone through it, I might not have had the confidence to apply for my current job.”
Learn more about XJTLU’s programmes at our upcoming virtual open week. For more info, scan the QR code below.
learning,” Champion says.
He first heard about XJTLU from a friend and decided to move to China to pursue his studies in 2017.
“China is one of the most exciting places to study in the technology field,” Champion says. “It’s at the forefront of innovation in terms of e-commerce and mobile applications.
“You don’t have to be interested in computer science to enjoy
ROLLER COASTER
It’s one thing for COVID-19 prevention and control measures to limit seating and operating hours for a restaurant. But the last thing an owner wants is to hear that two confirmed cases just dined in their establishment. On October 17, two tourists visiting from Shanghai tested positive for the virus after dining at a restaurant in Xi’an, Sha’anxi province the day before. The restaurant was shuttered and all the staff were taken into quarantine. To add insult to injury, the same thing happened to the very same restaurant at the end of July.
Chinese netizens, however, came to the rescue. The hashtag ‘Xian noodle restaurant visited by confirmed cases twice in three months’ has been viewed 150 million times on Weibo. Many users commented that it must be special and that they would be sure to visit when the pandemic retreats. Respiratory expert Zhong Nanshan recently laid down a condition which China must meet in order for its borders to be re-opened.
Zhong said that the Chinese mainland must have 80-85% of its 1.4 billion population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, something he expects to happen before the end of this year, according to The Standard.
As of October 6, 2021, China has administered 2.2 billion vaccine doses, according to Our World in Data. However, there is no data regarding how many of those constitute first and second doses.
Even if the 80-85% target is met, international travelers will likely have to wait until next year for things to return to normal.
A Wall Street Journal article published on June 22, 2021 suggested that border restrictions would remain in place until after a calendar of sensitive events. This includes the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, which take place in February and March next year.
Nonetheless, more and more countries are re-opening international borders as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to ease.
The fact that Zhong Nanshan believes vaccination targets will be met before the end of this year is cause for optimism. However, there’s still some way to go before a return to normality.
MILE HIGH Will China Re-Open Its Border Once 80% of Population Vaccinated?
