Diversity: Cultural Kaleidoscope

When I first came to America for my education, I found myself at a small college in Eastern Pennsylvania where I was the only Chinese student at the school. As such, I became an unexpected ambassador for Asian culture, learning about the idyllic life of Pennsylvanian Dutch and Amish countries while reciprocally sharing information about China, Japan, and other eastern nations. As a stranger from a foreign land, I found all these cultural differences very intriguing, but perhaps the most satisfying thing was the many similarities in places I would never expect.

Today, that appreciation of diversity carries into my work life, and continues to enrich it. These are values and thoughts that are subtly portrayed in the way people talk:  idioms, body language, and gestures to name a few. As well-educated people, we respect our differences in wisdom and experience. Yet, when people come to a spontaneous agreement, nothing feels better than the warmth of a mutual understanding and trust. It’s the moment you realize that there are fewer walls between individuals than you originally thought, despite the physical distance that may separate hometowns or home countries.

I’ve only been at ZL a relatively short time since those college days. Here, we all look different, come from different corners of the world, have different interests, and speak many different languages. At work, I have had the opportunity to encounter many things I had never heard of: tales from distant places, unique food, music, and sports I had never seen or experienced in person. However, we are united here to work on a common goal: a goal where we aim to better ourselves, improving our product and personal expertise for a greater experience for our customers. It’s this sense of the unknown combined with our open, no-walls working environment that makes me anticipate each day as they come. Here, the difference of nationality and language was not a complication: it makes communication more valuable.

There is no doubt that America is a great nation, and I think the beauty of diversity largely contributes towards it both in our work and personal lives. I think it is the unknown in life that brings the excitement and gives me the satisfaction that “we shall overcome.”

As I continue my journey in the technology world, I hope I get to meet more different people at ZL in the future and get to know them well. Together, we have – and will continue to -- make ZL a better place.

communication culture ZL Team

Born with a passion to languages - be it human or machine - I am working as a support and service engineer while learning foreign languages during my free time. My goal is to become an experienced software developer as well as to travel around the world while learning about different cultures. ZL has provided me the platform for both, where I obtain technical knowledge in a culturally-diverse environment, which has expanded my horizon. I love stargazing and bird-watching, to appreciate the nature's beauty in moments of zen.