Our people

Wei Ming’s love for travel has taken her around the world; after studying in the UK, she returned to China to work for Ernst & Young before co-founding Hutong School. Today, she’s based in New York where she continues her hard work for Hutong School and seeks opportunities for development – perhaps you’ll see us state side someday soon!

Ida has lived all over the world, but it was China that drew her back with its incredibly diverse cuisine, culture and people. Since settling in Shanghai, she’s been continuously amazed by the eclectic mix of old and new that characterises the country’s most international city. As Ida says, it’s hard to put into words how fascinating China is – you simply have to see it for yourself!

Astrid’s fascination with Asia was what first brought her to China, where she began her adventure with a Hutong School internship in Beijing. She had such a good time that she later returned, this time to Shanghai, where she has since been organising study and internship programs in China for people around the world and helping them discover what it was that made her come back.

Experienced teacher Bibi helped hundreds of Hutong School students reach their Chinese learning goals before becoming our Education Manager. Today she oversees our teaching team, helping to maintain our high standard of teaching and ensure our students get as much out of their Hutong School studies as possible.

After visiting China as a child and not fully appreciating it, Megan decided to return as an adult to reconnect with her roots, be with her family and learn more about the country’s vast history and culture. She’s lived in various cities since arriving in China and is now based in Shanghai, where she works hard to help more and more people around the world discover Hutong School.

After starting her career in Wuhan, Kate headed to Shanghai in search of new opportunities. She soon found her way to Hutong School, where she now works as part of our local sales team to encourage more people to learn Chinese. As someone who values her culture and language, she enjoys helping our students learn about China and benefit from all that Shanghai has to offer.

Sonia’s post-graduation hunt for new horizons led her to Shanghai, where she decided to continue her study of Chinese after starting in France. She soon fell in love with the city, found a job and decided to stay. She joined the Hutong School Shanghai team in 2018, where she works as a Program Consultant, helping our students come to China to learn Chinese or intern.

After hearing about China through friends, Maja decided she had no choice but to experience it for herself. Shortly after graduating high school, she headed to Chengdu to study Mandarin, and she soon fell in love with the food, the culture and the people. She later moved to Beijing, where she completed an internship before finding her way to Hutong School.

After hearing a friend’s story of studying in Beijing, Amy was inspired to experience it for herself. A few months soon turned into a few years after she joined Hutong School as a Program Consultant in 2012. She’s since moved back to the UK, where she now works to help people get a taste of China in London, inspiring them to one day begin their own China adventure.

True Beijinger Sarah isn’t shy of telling people how she feels about her home city; very positively. She loves the contrast of the city’s ancient buildings and modern skyscrapers, and she never ceases to be amazed by how many foreigners can speak fluent Chinese. Sarah dreams of helping more and more people learn her language – join us in Beijing and help her realise her dream! 

Bubbly ex-professional English interpreter Nicole completed an internship in New York before joining the Hutong School family in Shanghai. She enjoys working in a multi-cultural environment and loves using her own experience of interning abroad to help our students settle in. Her friendly face is one of the first you’ll see when you enter our school and one you certainly won’t forget!

Since joining Hutong School, Karen has been working tirelessly to make sure our students have the best experience possible. Her top-notch organisational skills and passion for helping people settle in are two of the main things that make our events a success. Between planning activities and excursions, she spreads her love for Chinese culture through teaching – a true all-rounder!

The glue that binds our Shanghai school together, our office angel Chenjie ensures the smooth running of everything from finance to maintenance. When she’s not hidden behind stacks of paper, she’s sure to be running errands around the city. So, though you may not get to meet her, you can rest assured she’s playing a vital role in making your Hutong School experience a success.

As a member of our logistics team, Shanghai local and football fanatic Philip works hard to ensure our students have a safe and comfortable stay in his city. One of the first people you'll meet when you arrive, he's responsible for meeting and greeting our students at the airport, and he's always on hand to help solve any problems that arise. 

Bishuai’s passion for sharing his culture and language with curious foreigners led him to pursue a career in teaching. After completing his studies, he left his hometown in Henan for Cambodia, where he spent a year teaching Chinese before heading to Shanghai. He’s been a key member of our team ever since, putting his all into making his classes enjoyable.

An expert on Chinese character etymology, Emily has over 8 years’ experience teaching students from around the world. Since graduating, she has lived and worked in the Philippines, Singapore, Germany and Austria, helping to promote her native language and culture around the world. Today, you’ll find her in Shanghai using fun methods to help our students master the language and adapt to life in China.

Born in Wenzhou, raised in Shanghai, Chen Nanyi achieved a master’s degree in teaching Chinese as a second language before starting her full-time teaching career. She enjoys learning about her students’ cultures and challenging herself to pick up a few basic phrases in their languages - she's tried her hand at Arabic and French... will your language be next?

Xiujuan Li’s passion for teaching has taken her around the globe. She spent 8 years teaching students of various ages in Mongolia, Hungary and the US before joining us in Shanghai, where she continues to teach people of all ages and nationalities. She loves that though she’s the teacher, she never stops learning from her students, who keep her passion for travel alive through their stories! 

Throughout her studies and working life, Chi Liyan has held positions in various industries, though she found none of them as rewarding as teaching Chinese as a second language. She loves to travel both within China and overseas and has developed a good understanding of the differences between eastern and western cultures, helping her teach her students in an effective way!