My name is Yue Wen Deng, and I’m a rising junior majoring in Biology and minoring in Global Health. Besides my love for all things genetics and molecular biology, I am interested in public health as well, in particular health disparities and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Having grown up in the U.S., I chose the Public Health in China program because I really want to learn more about the country that most of my family calls home. The last time I visited China was years ago, and returning there to be a student in Beijing will definitely be a different experience compared to my grandfather’s small town in southern China.
I’m not going to lie; I’m looking forward to the food the most. I’d like to think I’m familiar with popular meals like hot pot and congee, but I know there’s a lot more waiting to surprise me. While food is at the top of my radar, I also want to experience living in a big city in general, with a focus on Beijing’s healthcare infrastructure. China’s healthcare system is so different from that of the United States, with health policy dynamics informed by its rich cultural and political history. I look forward to studying these processes closely through courses and excursions. (The herb-picking trip in the mountains sounds especially fun!) By learning about how health and healthcare is unfolding in the Chinese context, I hope to gain new insight on how the U.S. system can be evaluated or improved. Finally, I’m excited about the Chinese course instruction, as I hope to tackle the long-overdue task of improving my reading, writing, and speaking skills. Overall, I just want the long plane ride to be over, and I can’t wait for the program to start!