Of all my blogger friends, Wenyu Zhang is the one I've met most recently. I still remember my first conversation with him. It was a Sunday, and we were standing in the hall after our morning church service. I started with the usual questions like, "Are you new to the area?" but he quickly skipped over the small talk and jumped right into culture, faith, and his desire to minister to immigrant Chinese Christians in the area. His enthusiasm and passion were contagious!
I soon learned that Wenyu is enthusiastic and passionate about all things in life, but most especially about his family, cooking, travel, and art. And his wife and daughter share the same enthusiasm! Whenever I am with the Zhang family, I find myself drawn into fun or thought-provoking conversations.
Which is why I was super-excited when Wenyu started a blog last October! Wander, Savor, Marvel is the perfect blend of all that Wenyu enjoys the most: if features photos from trips his family took, and includes recipes of new foods that they tried on their voyages. The blog is still in its infancy, but it's worth checking out. The photos will take your breath away (or make your mouth water!)
And now, without further ado, the interview. Meet my friend Wenyu!
1) Tell us a little about you and your family.
I was born and raised in mainland China, moved to the States for graduate school in my early twenties, and have lived here ever since. I am a chemist by trade, and like cooking, traveling, watching movies, and playing a little volleyball in my spare time.
I met a wonderful woman back in college, and have been married to her for more than 12 years. We have a 9-year-old daughter who is very sweet and enjoys everything we do together as a family.
2) What do you love most about traveling and exploring?
There is always something unexpected and exciting about a new place we go to, even if it's just the hill 5 miles from where we live. We like to dig a little deeper into the places we go to–geological features, local history, how people live their lives differently, etc. I came to realize that my perception and understanding of the world I live in are so limited. It is always eye-opening and humbling.
3) What do you love most about cooking?
Cooking relaxes me, and yields something that I can enjoy together with my family. My wife is an amazing cook, which means 1) I don't have to cook very often so it's really not a chore, and 2) even if I mess up, she will be able to use her magic to either fix it or whip up something quickly, so no pressure for me! With that stress-free mentality I get to enjoy the luxury of playing with some new materials or methods and try something on the complicated side. This satisfies my chemist side as well, since cooking essentially is a process of conducting chemical transformations on foods, and you get to eat the product of these reactions!
Lately, cooking has allowed me to spend some quality time with my daughter, as she is not only the #1 fan of Daddy's food, but also old enough and interested enough to be a really good helper.
Also, cooking is part of a culture. We are fascinated by the variety of cuisine there is, and how each vividly reflects people's life in different paces. We are adventurous and curious eaters who are open to that wide variety of food, and always try to replicate it in our kitchen.
4) What have you learned about God in your travels?
I learn so much. The wonder of God's creation unfolds through our travels. When it comes to nature, I marvel at His power that shaped that planet for us to live on, with the astonishingly wide array of geological and biological environments. Then there is history and culture, which directly points to the wisdom He has bestowed upon the human race. Finally, our inherent desire to discover and appreciate beauty enriches our lives, which is also a gift from God.
5) What have you learned about being a husband and father through your travels?
Traveling really helps me cherish my family. When we travel, we spend time with each other 24/7, and I find great joy in it. It reminds me that I need to mindfully prioritize family time on my to-do list. Sometimes, I even plan separate trips with just my wife or just my daughter. Each of these trips is a precious and unique memory.
Our destinations as well as the topic during our travels help us think about what our family value is. Since I usually get to make the travel plans, I have the privilege to set the tone for the family. God has been using the travels to remind me that joy instead of pleasure is worth pursuing.
Any fun tips for other amateur photographers, explorers, chefs, and bloggers?
Involving the entire family makes everything more fun and meaningful. If you want to make the most out of your hobbies, you may want to position them as family activities instead of just hobbies. Then maybe share the joy with people around you; it will multiply.
And there is always room to be creative, which can make these activities even more fun. Recently our family started something called "one-word" photography. We try to find unusual scenes during our travels, capture them in photos, and then use our imagination to give each of them a one-word title. The first photo was taken at the train station in Nottingham, UK, where the exterior of its parking structure was decorated with vertical panels of various colors. We called the photo "keys" as it looked like the keyboard on a piano.
1) Tell us a little about you and your family.
I was born and raised in mainland China, moved to the States for graduate school in my early twenties, and have lived here ever since. I am a chemist by trade, and like cooking, traveling, watching movies, and playing a little volleyball in my spare time.
I met a wonderful woman back in college, and have been married to her for more than 12 years. We have a 9-year-old daughter who is very sweet and enjoys everything we do together as a family.
2) What do you love most about traveling and exploring?
There is always something unexpected and exciting about a new place we go to, even if it's just the hill 5 miles from where we live. We like to dig a little deeper into the places we go to–geological features, local history, how people live their lives differently, etc. I came to realize that my perception and understanding of the world I live in are so limited. It is always eye-opening and humbling.
3) What do you love most about cooking?
Cooking relaxes me, and yields something that I can enjoy together with my family. My wife is an amazing cook, which means 1) I don't have to cook very often so it's really not a chore, and 2) even if I mess up, she will be able to use her magic to either fix it or whip up something quickly, so no pressure for me! With that stress-free mentality I get to enjoy the luxury of playing with some new materials or methods and try something on the complicated side. This satisfies my chemist side as well, since cooking essentially is a process of conducting chemical transformations on foods, and you get to eat the product of these reactions!
Lately, cooking has allowed me to spend some quality time with my daughter, as she is not only the #1 fan of Daddy's food, but also old enough and interested enough to be a really good helper.
Also, cooking is part of a culture. We are fascinated by the variety of cuisine there is, and how each vividly reflects people's life in different paces. We are adventurous and curious eaters who are open to that wide variety of food, and always try to replicate it in our kitchen.
4) What have you learned about God in your travels?
I learn so much. The wonder of God's creation unfolds through our travels. When it comes to nature, I marvel at His power that shaped that planet for us to live on, with the astonishingly wide array of geological and biological environments. Then there is history and culture, which directly points to the wisdom He has bestowed upon the human race. Finally, our inherent desire to discover and appreciate beauty enriches our lives, which is also a gift from God.
5) What have you learned about being a husband and father through your travels?
Traveling really helps me cherish my family. When we travel, we spend time with each other 24/7, and I find great joy in it. It reminds me that I need to mindfully prioritize family time on my to-do list. Sometimes, I even plan separate trips with just my wife or just my daughter. Each of these trips is a precious and unique memory.
Our destinations as well as the topic during our travels help us think about what our family value is. Since I usually get to make the travel plans, I have the privilege to set the tone for the family. God has been using the travels to remind me that joy instead of pleasure is worth pursuing.
Any fun tips for other amateur photographers, explorers, chefs, and bloggers?
Involving the entire family makes everything more fun and meaningful. If you want to make the most out of your hobbies, you may want to position them as family activities instead of just hobbies. Then maybe share the joy with people around you; it will multiply.
And there is always room to be creative, which can make these activities even more fun. Recently our family started something called "one-word" photography. We try to find unusual scenes during our travels, capture them in photos, and then use our imagination to give each of them a one-word title. The first photo was taken at the train station in Nottingham, UK, where the exterior of its parking structure was decorated with vertical panels of various colors. We called the photo "keys" as it looked like the keyboard on a piano.
Wenyu, thank you so much for taking the time to share about yourself! And again, feel free to check out his blog, Wander, Savor, Marvel. I can't wait to see more of Wenyu's photos, recipes, and writings!
That is so sweet of you, Rita! Such kind words about us :)
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