Zack Fox from New Jersey, USA, has a Chinese name, Fang Zairui, and is known as "Xiaofang" among his friends. Having previously lived in Beijing, he has now come to Nanjing to pursue his master’s degree in the International Relations program at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies. His Chinese proficiency is not gained by rote memorization from textbooks, but rooted in real-life language lessons: hanging out in parks, watching elderly locals play Chinese chess, and chatting casually with people around. As he puts it, "Life never comes with subtitles." Living in China has gradually deepened his understanding of Chinese society, history and language. When asked about his learning experience at the center, he summed it up in one word: "Open" — a place that embraces the clash of ideas and encourages free exploration. By getting to know China in Nanjing, Xiaofang has presented us with a more authentic example of Sino-American exchanges. Come and listen to Xiaofang share his "story of studying across the ocean" in fluent Chinese! Filmed & Edited by Zhu Shaoting, Class of 2025 Certificate Program