My name is Xiaoyang Liu. I come from Shenzhen, China, and I am currently studying in Tilburg, the Netherlands. I am a student in the Erasmus program on Children’s Literature, Media, and Culture. Before starting my master’s studies, I finished a bachelor’s degree in Chinese Language and Literature. After graduating from university, I worked as a volunteer teacher for two years in rural schools in southeastern China.

I love reading, especially picture books and graphic novels. I also enjoy manga, animation, and games, and I like watching Japanese dramas. Currently, I’m learning Japanese, and sometimes I translate videos and add subtitles myself. Although these hobbies make me seem a bit like a homebody, I also enjoy going out to find good food and explore the city.

One of my favorite museums is the Palace Museum in China. The Palace Museum is a large national museum complex housed in the Forbidden City at the core of Beijing, China. It inherited the imperial palaces from the Ming and Qing dynasties and was opened to the public in 1925. The Palace Museum is built upon ancient palaces, and visiting the museum makes me to feel the history and the passage of time that the ancient architecture evokes. I think this kind of immersive experience is quite rare.

At least in China, in my view, the biggest issue girls face is not being seen, and their voices not being valued. Due to the influence of Chinese culture, girls are often not given importance within families. Even today, many girls still suffer from violations of their rights to life and education. As girls grow up, due to the influence of education and the social environment, they may subconsciously place limitations on themselves. They may believe that they cannot do certain things or that they are not capable. I hope to share more stories of girls and showcase more female role models, and girls can see the greater possibilities that exist for themselves in this world.

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