Hello! Welcome to my first ever blog! I am excited to share my story with everyone.
My name is Elena, and I am former musical theatre actor
turned director turned teacher and am now pursuing a Master of Library
Information and Sciences from Dominican University with an interest in archiving and metadata.
I must admit, I am not very technologically savvy, but I am willing to learn and grow. I do have social media accounts such as TikTok, Instagram, and Threads, but they were about my late dog, Romeo. He sadly passed away in March 2022 (a couple months shy of his 17th birthday). I still keep those accounts active though I do not post anymore.
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| Image Source: Personal Image |
In
addition to my pet social media accounts, I also have a meme account
dedicated to my favorite show "Ghosts" (BBC) on Instagram and Threads.
If you are not familiar with the show, I created a reference source
website to explain the history
behind each of the characters. Do not let the name of the show fool
you, though it is called "Ghosts," it is actually a clever comedy, and not scary!
Okay
so maybe I am a little technologically savvy, but not as much as I would
like to be. I am always interested in learning more about the field and
applying what I learn to my current needs and interests. However, before we can start any of that, I think it is best to give a breakdown of my professional background.
From Actor to Director to Teacher to Future Librarian
I have a BFA in Music Theatre and it was awesome! I got to perform in musicals, plays, television, film, and voice over. Then I graduated to directing and teaching. In fact, my next big adventure post performing was directing musicals and teaching English in China. I spent two years in Nanjing and two years in Chengdu.
Nanjing – Jiangsu Province
Nanjing, the former capital of China which roughly translates to “South Capital” whereas the current capital, Beijing, roughly translates to “North Capital.” See? Mandarin isn’t that difficult (just kidding it is.)
I really enjoyed living in Nanjing and it was a great way to be introduced to the Chinese culture and their cuisine. In fact, when I moved to Chengdu afterwards, I missed some dishes that could only be found in the Jiangsu province. For example, in Nanjing you could get spicy noodles ANYWHERE! And their street food was amazing! I especially liked the Jianbing which is a savory and spicy crepe that is usually available for breakfast. If you are interested in learning more, the link under the picture will take you to a fantastic recipe I found.
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| Image Source: Jianbing Recipe |
Chengdu – Sichuan Province
Chengdu is surrounded by beautiful mountains and occupied by the country’s national treasure: pandas. Guess what they are also known for? Yes, very spicy food. To say the food is spicy is an understatement, not only it is spicy, but the food makes your mouth numb. Though it sounds scary, it is delicious! I especially recommend hot pot if you decide to visit. Professional foodie tip: make sure to order some plum tea to cool yourself down during the meal. If you are interested in learning more about the dish, I found a wonderful recipe which is in the link under the picture.
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| Image Source: Sichuan Hot Pot Recipe |
So why a librarian?
The pandemic hit when I was going home for Christmas vacation in December 2019, so I could not go back to continue my teaching job in Chengdu. I realized this was a time to think about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I was at the point where I outgrew my childhood dream of being an actor, and I felt like I wanted to embark on a different direction. Pursuing a library degree made sense to me… I like books and stories and everything a library stands for: preserving history and helping the community.
Why the name Librarian Who?
This is a nod to the classic BBC series, “Doctor Who.” They are the only one of its kind, which honestly feels like my path. Unlike the Doctor, however, I have no idea what I am doing, but I might as well have fun enjoying the ride. As the Doctor would famously say, “Allons-y!”
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What an interesting background, Elena. Thank you for sharing your story (and recipes) with us. I haven't heard of Ghosts so your curated list will be a wonderful introduction for me. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteHi Elena, I enjoyed reading your post. It sounds like you have lived many lives and experienced many incredible things. I love learning about Nanjing and Chengdu. My boyfiend and I were born in Asia (I am from the Philippines, and he is from Hong Kong), and we adore the variety of street food there. The Jianbing photo looks mouthwatering. I will try that recipe out. I also love hotpot! If you go to Happy Lamp in Chinatown, you eat for free on your birthday. Most of the time, however, I make and eat hotpot at home. Do you have any specific ingredients that you add to the hotpot?
ReplyDeleteIt is strange how the pandemic could change our lives around. Although I wish I did something as impressive as working in China, I have an artistic background. When the pandemic hit, the art world came to a standstill. I was offered a job to work in an art gallery right before the start of the pandemic, but the offer was rescinded when the galleries closed for months. I also lost my art assistant job. In the summer of 2020, I thought, okay, I can still paint, but what else can I do outside the art field? Like you, I thought about working in a library because I love reading and books. Funny story, but I originally wanted to be a museum archivist, but I fell in love with school librarianship and changed my focus. Overall, I look forward to getting to know you more and taking this class with you.
Hello Elena,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your unique story! I really enjoyed reading along. I love learning about specific food cultures, and the variety and regionality in China is fascinating. Sichuan food is truly one of my favorite cuisines in the world, and it is definitely a dream of mine to visit Chengdu, although I am at least a little scared about how spicy it can get. What an amazing adventure.
I too am transitioning careers, following a passion for preserving history and supporting communities. This path from more creative endeavors to the world of information can absolutely be confusing and a bit overwhelming at times, but it seems like you have a great skill set and an outstanding attitude to set you up for success. I have been responsible for social media accounts before, and anyone who is able to maintain these types of accounts with regularity is absolutely tech-savvy in my book. I am excited to see how you bring your expertise and interests to the table here!