When your name begins with an “X” (which is pronounced “szh”), you learn to go with the flow from a very young age. In my hometown of Xian, China — of course everyone knew how to say my name. But I have been fortunate to travel with the support of my very loving parents, and outside of China, very few know that phonetic. Adaptation has served me well thus far and enabled me to enjoy and grow from a wealth of experiences in a number of divergent fields.
From college forward I have sought to gain knowledge in what appear to be contrasting paths. I embarked on a double major in finance and graphic design. “Who are you?” (my friends would ask)… a banker or an artist? An analytical or a creative? An “ex” or a “szh”? I knew that only experience would answer that question, because I myself still didn’t know. Right after college, I dipped my toe in the financial waters by accepting a position with a bank. While I learned a lot about the international banking industry, in short order, I knew that this wasn’t it for me.
Seeking to expand my horizons, I decided to follow the road west and came to the U.S. to achieve my Masters degree at Pepperdine. It was a two-year marketing and entrepreneurship program which allowed me to study in Germany for 4 months, as well as Patagonia, South America and Oxford, England for a bit.
(to be continued)...
~ Xintong Li
