Wang Jiexi

The Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, the United States, are quite the polar opposite of the buzzing metropolis of Shenzhen. Yet Jordan Dotson, an American from Appalachia with strong country roots, has found a new home in the city.

Although content with life in Shenzhen, he still feels that "Virginia is the best place in the world, the most beautiful. You feel more alive when you are there." Balancing this love for his hometown and his new life in Shenzhen is tough, although frequent visits back home and regular contact with his family and friends keep the connection strong.

Dotson's move to China was not premeditated. As a Creative Writing student at the University of Virginia, he came across Chinese poetry for the first time in his senior year and "immediately fell in love with it."

This prompted his move to China, and he arrived in 2005 to teach English at Shenzhen Foreign Language School in Yantian. Although he found that teaching teaching was not for him, teaching a creative writing class for his students was one of the highlights of his time there. He was amazed at the quality of their writing, comparing it with university graduate levels.

After his first year, a scholarship for an MFA program and a teaching assistant position awaited him in America. However, it was not a hard decision to stay in China, saying, "Creatively, it's been amazing for my work." Since then, he's worked for an educational consulting company and a global sourcing firm, learning "an amazing amount of information about how business works."

Dotson has big plans on the horizon. Along with a Chinese partner, he has created a company, Ivy League Club, which aims to assist young Chinese students applying to overseas universities. Aghast at the level of corruption within the industry, and feeling that Chinese students are being taken advantage of, Dotson is aiming to provide a valuable service to "special students who can really accomplish something in the world." His first client has just been accepted into law school in Hong Kong.

Thus far, Dotson and his partner have two books in the works. The first, a guide to writing academic essays in English, tailored for Chinese students, is the first of its kind in China. The second is a comprehensive guide to the university application process and overseas education. Dotson and his partner also provide consultations, advice on essays, and other educational services.

This work allows Dotson to pursue both of his passions: helping students and writing. Although previously entrenched in poetry, he now finds himself enamored with fiction and has a number of projects planned for publication in both English and Chinese.