Today we’d like to introduce you to Ming Ming.
Hi Ming, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My Journey started about 10 years ago when I packed my whole life into two suitcases and moved across the globe from Beijing to San Antonio. I came here for graduate school at UTSA.
My entire family said I would never make it and tried to convinced me not to come. My single mom gave me all of his retirement as my tuition. She saw online that Texas is a beautiful place with big sunshine and thought it would be a great opportunity for me.
After my Master’s degree, I faced many choices. I could go home, continue my studies for a Ph.D., or try to find a job. My mom said there was no way she could afford another degree of mine in the U.S., and I would have to rely on my own. I am so grateful that UTSA graduate school offered me a fellowship to cover my tuition, a stipend to help with my living expenses, and a job for me to earn a salary.
During my Ph.D. program, not only did I learn academic and research skills, I also improved my English proficiency, learned about the social cultural aspects of San Antonio, met my now husband, and started my YouTube channel.
There were many insecurities along the way — I was worried that I wouldn’t blend in socially; I was worried that my English was not good enough; I was worried that my accent would be laughable to others; I was concerned that I was too nerdy and not interesting enough for a social presence… The list was endless.
But at the end of the day, I have achieved so many things that even my own family didn’t believe that I could achieve. Even with these insecurities, I would still try and try to exceed expectations of myself and others.
Now I am happily married, paid back my mom for my tuition, become a house owner, found a full-time job, become a yoga teacher to serve my community back, and continue to create content on my YouTube channel to share my journey and life to my lovely community.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
A lot of times, the challenges in our lives become the biggest motivators for us to come through.
It is hard to be alone in a completely foreign country speaking a totally different language. But to me, it is not a new concept. Since my dad was never around and never provided any financial support, my mom and I were separated since I was 2. She worked in Beijing, a big city where she could make money. I lived in a small town with my grandparents who were recovering from stage III cancer and thrombosis. So I was very independent since I could ever remember.
When I first moved to Beijing with my mom, we lived in a “she shed” that belonged to my aunt. We had to use public restrooms and showers, even during the coldest freezing temperature in winter.
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.
When I first came to San Antonio, I didn’t speak much English. I didn’t know how to drive. I didn’t have many friends other than the ones I met in school. I didn’t know how to use my medical insurance, how to set up appointments, how to do any basic errands in life. Because it is so different from China. But I met so many great people from the community who were so helpful. They taught me how to drive and showed me how to get around the city.
I would say I was lucky that I chose to come to San Antonio. Because people here are so warm-hearted, friendly, and eager to help.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I wish I could select multiple items in the dropdown!
First, I am a professional employee. After I got my PhD, I use my research and data analysis skills as a data analyst.
In addition, I continue to conduct research and analysis as a part-time post-doc research fellow at UTSA.
Third, I am also a content creator. I create videos sharing my food adventures, vlogs, lifestyle finds, and my experience with small businesses on my YouTube channel. I love the creative aspects of YouTube and the entrepreneurship behind it. I also love to use my channel as a platform to support small businesses as well!
Fourth, I am also an individual contractor as a Yoga Teacher. During my PhD studies, I discovered power yoga. Through yoga practice, I have strengthened my body and my mind. I learned when to push through and when to let it go. I love to give back to my yoga community through teaching yoga.
What sets me apart from others is that I love continuous learning and education, whether it is yoga, filming, editing, teaching, research and philosophy. This list continues as I am curious about the world and people around me. I like to use all my skills together, such as making yoga videos, education videos, food videos, writing blogs about learning and productivity.
I am grateful for all the help I received when I first moved here. Now it is my privilege to give back to my community by serving others through my creativity and education.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
What is surprising to me was that most people didn’t know that I am an immigrant. Often times, Asians carry the term “model minority”. It can be hard that sometimes people hold high expectations of me just because I am “the model minority”. My successes are not celebrated and my failures were not acceptable.
People assume I was born rich in the USA with parents being doctors and accountants. I guess because I tried so hard to speak good English, my accent became light and sometimes unnoticeable.
Ironically, my dad was a doctor in China, but he quit his job really early and disappeared in my life.
Also ironically, my mom is an accountant, but she doesn’t even have a college degree and made very little throughout here life until now. Accountants don’t make that much in China, especially the ones who only went to vocational school ( my mom) and worked at startups.
During 2020, there was definitely a lot of Asian hate going on. My husband received a hate call for his business, and I got some hateful comments on my YouTube channel. But even before 2020, there were mean people comment online saying my English is too weird and my husband and I were “idiots”. But at the end of the day, when you put yourself out there, you got to be prepared for both the good and bad.
Pricing:
- $80 Private Yoga Class
- Content Business Collaboration (email for rates)
- $50/hr Mandarin Chinese Tutor
Contact Info:
- Email: MsMingInfluencer@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msminglifestyle/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/msminglifestyle | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGdIFgXODPUOTKk8iZ_jo2A | https://www.youtube.com/c/learnchinesewithmsming
- Other: https://medium.com/@drming
