Shansi Snapshot: March 2026

Every spring, Shansi Fellows share “Stories from the Field.” These essays explore the joys, challenges, confusion, and successes that they experience while living and working in Asia. This year, the fellows’ stories cover everything from Japan-China relations to a taste-test of different flavors of Indomie–Indonesia’s most popular instant noodle brand.  

We invite you to learn more about the fellows’ experiences from their own words. You can check out their reflections on the Stories from the Field section of our website. You can also read a few by clicking on the descriptions below.

Yana Levy ‘24 designed and co-launched Aceh Story Lab at Syiah Kuala University. Drawing inspiration from story slams hosted by The Moth, Yana’s workshops train students to tell their own stories on their terms. Yana’s beautiful piece explores “the transformative power of speaking vulnerably and being truly heard.”

In My Taigu, Haley Sablay ‘23, who has been teaching at Shanxi Agricultural University for two and a half years, talks of the changes she’s experienced in the city she calls home. Though shifts in infrastructure, restaurants, and landscape can feel jarring, Haley explores how her connection to space is grounded in the relationships she’s fostered.

Ella Erdahl ‘25 recounts the feeling of being overwhelmed during her initial weeks in Yogyakarta. In One New Thing, she shows how simple activities—going for a walk, exploring a new store, learning to make batik—could expand her comfort zone and allow her to lean into her new surroundings in Indonesia. 

On that note, stay tuned — and remember to check out our other Fellows’ stories. We’re wishing you a sunny Spring!