Today we’d like to introduce you to Carina Zhang.
Carina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am an international student from China. I came to Long Island New York for high school by myself when I was fourteen years old. I was lucky enough to join the school’s theatre program and found my passion in acting. I gained my confidence in my second year in the theatre class. It was my fourth performance, but before that, I had only played small roles such as French maids. After that audition, when I took the chance and fought for myself, I got the lead of the musical for that season. It was my first time playing leading roles in a show, it was my first time singing along on stage and it was my first time getting into a musical.
I was thrilled and from that moment, I see the approval from my teacher and at the same time, as an Asian international student, I see approval from the American’s eyes. I realized that it is possible for me to actually become an actor, in the U.S. Luckily, I was supported by my parents and my music teacher from high school. Emerson College was not my first choice, however, getting here and starting school here are things I will not regret. Now studying as an actor, I learned not only to act but also things that make me a better human being. From the first day of class, I have been having the thought that the things we learn as actors, should never be only taught in art schools, everyone should learn about them, because the essence is to be kind and understand.
Has it been a smooth road?
I have to say that I am a super lucky person. My road of coming to where I am now today could not be more smooth but it is something that can never be separated from all the support that I had gotten. I had the support from my parents, I had the support from my self-less music teacher from high school who treated me better than any words that I could put into sentences and now when I am in college, I still have all my friends and people who support my work bringing me opportunities and giving me recommendation. I appreciate all the care and love that I had ever received. It is gracious more than I could ever imagine. Leaving home at age 14 and coming into the United States sounds like a brave move and challenge for a lot of people.
I admit the flight alone coming to the U.S. was something I could never forget in my life. I could never forget when I said goodbye and hugged my mom before walking into the checkpoint. There was a long walk straight between the checkpoint to a descending escalator. I was so scared to look back. Tear was in my eyes and I could not control them from pouring over my face, but I managed not to cry when I was facing my parents. I don’t have the courage to look back, that road was one of the longest roads I had ever walked on. Now, it has been 6 years. I still have to walk on that road each time leaving home. However, now, I am able to walk on that road with a smile on my face and I am able to give a comment or two on people who are new to the separating process at the checkpoint.
I can look at them and understand exactly what they are going through and I know, one day, they will become me today, walking through the same road with a smiley face. First several years, I spent my time in host families and another luck thing about me is that all the families I stayed with are more than sweet, except the last one was not quite pleasant but at the time I was able to stand up and take care of myself. I spend one year and a half with my second host family which is composed by a single mom, two adopted daughter from China, 5 cats and one dog. I was treated better than when I was home. My host mom would get everything I like to eat for me. When I have to rehearse five days a week at school, she always picks me up with no complain.
Although her company is 40 mins drive to school and school is another an hour to home, she never refused to come and pick me up. I believe that if without her caring and love, my experience would be very different.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Emerson College – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am a student at Emerson College, majoring in Theatre and Performance. I am proud of my experience of becoming an actor. Just as I had stated before, becoming an actor taught me not only how to act, but also how to become a better human being and how to look at the world and others with a caring and understanding mind. It is the process of learning how to be a good actor taught me to stop and notice the color in the world. I learned to appreciate everything, people, trees, the world around me. Acting adds color to my life.
I also hold my own blog, Cvoyagez on Instagram. From there, I share all my work, my traveling experience and the best food I find. I am a traveler, I insist to travel at least once a month if time allowed. I am now preparing to open a YouTube channel to share my life and the goodie’s I find. I am also a foodie. I would pay anything to get good food. People once said to me that I get more excited talking about food than when I talk about acting.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
To be honest, I disliked Boston a lot when I first came. The first several months I had been swearing every day that I will leave as soon as I could. I spent four years in New York and suddenly coming into a new city did not make me happy. However, after my first winter break, I was on a taxi from the airport to my dorm in downtown Boston. When I looked outside the window over to Boston Common, I suddenly felt a sense of joy and happiness. I suddenly had the thought to myself that I am back and I am home.
From that point, I realized that this is my home. I belong to Boston now. I kept to hang myself up with the past. However, things go quickly and I need to realize that who is around me now and where I am at the moment. The part I hate about Boston the most is the humidity in August and September. I used to complain that if you(Boston) are colder than NY in the winter, how could you be more humid in autumn and summer! Now I find Boston as my home.
My friends are here and my life is here. I love the puffs from Beard Papa which I can not get any from New York. I like the curry noodle from the Malaysian restaurant from Penang. I like the mango and cream from the Sweet Kingdom. What I like the most is also that almost all the restaurants in Chinatown open until 2-4am in the morning. I like public garden’s classic view in the spring and walking on the icy lake in winter. When I stand on the frozen lake in January 2018, I felt so proud of myself that I told myself, “this is Boston, this is the Boston I love”.
Contact Info:
- Email: yijunzhang27@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cvoyagez/
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