Hi everyone, I’m Chen Xiao — but you can also call me Scarlett!

I’ve been learning English since I was 13, but for a long time it was the classic “silent English” — lots of books, almost no speaking. That’s why I’m here. I want to get more confident, think less in Chinese, and actually talk to people from different countries.

I grew up speaking a southern Chinese dialect, not Mandarin, so switching languages isn’t new to me. Back in school, even writing in standard Chinese felt tough because my brain always defaulted to my dialect. But after years of practice and living in different cities, Mandarin eventually became completely natural. So I’m hoping English will follow the same path — slowly becoming part of my daily life.

Right now I’m based in Shenzhen, super close to Hong Kong. I used to work as a data engineer, and whenever I wasn’t working, I was traveling. I’ve been around more than ten provinces in China — sometimes by bike, sometimes driving, sometimes just taking whatever public transport existed. I also know Shenzhen and Hong Kong really well.

If anyone here is thinking about visiting China, feel free to reach out. I’d love to help plan your trip for free. And if you ever need any remote help, I’m always happy to lend a hand.

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