"Xiomara M, a first generation Nigerian American, was born in New York to a Nigerian mother and a Trinidadian father. Her love and flair for languages was a foregone conclusion to say the least.

When she began studying Mandarin in high school, she embraced the language with such a fierce and intense passion that segments such as pinyin and characters were a breeze. Her love for art and calligraphy was also an asset. In her fast paced grasp of characters, the seed was sown, and the journey had begun.

In her junior year at BB&N, she was fortunate enough to visit Beijing for a two week exchange program and in turn, welcome a high school student into her modest inner city apartment. This unique experience propelled her passion into overdrive. For the next few years, Xiomara used this these transformative experiences to continue fueling her enthusiasm for the study of Mandarin.

As her university did not offer Mandarin, she challenged herself to launch a Mandarin program. This startup program took her back to Beijing where she participated in an intensive and immersive Mandarin learning program. The other participants in this program, students from a number of other cities and countries, took full advantage of the university facilities for lodging, dining and recreation. To provide a more intense/profound challenge for herself, Xiomara opted to spend this time abroad living with an older Chinese couple who spoke not a word of English. It was during this sojourn in China that Xiomara developed an unmistakable love for the Chinese, their culture and their lifestyle.

While living in Beijing, Xiomara worked as an ESL teacher and teacher trainer. In her travels throughout Asia, she continued to embrace and gain understanding of the rich culture around her. Not all those who study and appreciate the Chinese culture have a vocation to be Mandarin teachers. Xiomara’s powerful and passionate aptitude for language learning has continued to be an asset in her study of Mandarin." less...