Ruiqi Wei

With my root in Sichuan near Tibet in China, the magnetism in intertwined nature of Sino-Japanese relations got me in APU, a school renowned in Japan for its cultural inclusiveness, for a B.A. in IRPS at the age of 17.

Tormented with my everlasting itch for things remote, I was nominated for the fulfillment of global inclusions as an exchange student from Oita to Oklahoma with the aspiration not only through my efforts to make the west understand the east better across both geological and cultural distance but also for the enlightenment in various disciplines through dialogues from diverse perspectives.

As a trilinguist equally at home with Mandarin, Japanese and English, through my communications with some displaced persons suffering from civil wars and even one escapee to Japan from the political horror of North Korea, I have come to realize the magnitude of peace-building in a globalized context.

In my younger and more vulnerable years, I loitered around the economic imbalance of the world. With a soul doused in wanderlust, I traveled to Southeastern Asia from Malaysia all the way to Laos, marking a highlight in life as my focus shifted from International relations to developmental study.

As Oscar Wilde said nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. Education happens more outside the classrooms. It is in the bigger world my self-perception is constantly being shaped and in change in a more inclusive way, as my reluctance to label myself indicates.

Reflections should be done regarding sustainable development, conflict-resolutions and equality not only on the behalf of the institutions but also for the welfare of the people, for everyone in this global community to live an equally fulfilling life.