Katie Crossing Cultures: An Asian American In Fiji

Discover the remarkable tale of Katie Zhao, an Asian American volunteer dedicated to the Peace Corps mission, in our feature series “Crossing Cultures: Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage volunteers in the Peace Corps.” As we commemorate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we shine a spotlight on Katie’s journey. Coming from a Chinese American background, Katie is serving in Fiji. Join us as we dive into Katie’s motivations, her impactful initiatives during her service, her community contributions, personal development, and insights for aspiring volunteers.

Introduction:

Can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Katie Zhao. I am currently a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) working in the Community Economic Development (CED) sector in Fiji, working in a rural, iTaukei village in the Naitasiri Province. Before the Peace Corps, I spent my prior five years as a digital strategy and transformation consultant based out of San Francisco, California. I studied Economics and minored in Consumer Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. I have also lived in Michigan, New York, and Maryland.

Motivation and Inspiration:

What inspired you to become a Peace Corps volunteer?

I feel the most fulfilled when building meaningful relationships with people in a way that leads to growth, impact, and change. From volunteering in school to mentoring and coaching at my previous job, I have always looked for opportunities to support and empower others. Through these opportunities, I have continued to learn and grow both personally and professionally. I have always wanted to live and work in another culture and country as well. With my work experience, I wanted to make a positive impact at a local level. The CED sector within the Peace Corps seemed like the right fit for me in this phase of my life, and I got placed in Fiji when I selected “Go Where Needed Most.”

Every woman and person of color in leadership who I have been lucky enough to learn from and/or call my mentor has inspired me and strengthened my interest in making a positive impact wherever I go. I am where I am today because of the support I have gotten and the representation I have seen, both as a child in school and as an adult in the workplace.

The Peace Corps’ focus in Fiji is the Community Economic Empowerment Project (CEEP). I am seven months into my time in Fiji and five months into my two-year service. I support my community in Fiji with economic development projects and trainings on Project Design Management (PDM), Income Generating Activities (IGA), and Personal Money Management (PMM). I work closely with my village mayor (the Turaga ni Koro) as well as the Village Development Committee, Women’s Group, and Youth Group. 

Service Experience:

In what ways do you think your cultural background has shaped your service?

Ethnicity, culture, and gender have greatly impacted my service experience here in Fiji. The present-day Fijian culture has been influenced by the indigenous iTaukei culture, a history of colonization, Christianity, and much more. I think cultural background and gender are intertwined and often difficult to separate, and I have experienced gender norms and challenges based on the different cultural values that are here in Fiji. Expectations and responsibilities differ significantly based on gender, especially in rural, iTaukei villages. I continue to work on finding the right balance between my own beliefs/values and Fijian/iTaukei gender and cultural norms.

I feel so thankful to have my Chinese culture and background along with my American culture and background. Fiji has an existing Chinese population which has been a source of comfort and familiarity for me here. Communalism, filial piety, and unity are all core values in Chinese culture that I have seen reflected in the indigenous iTaukei culture. This has been both a comfort and a challenge; while I am used to certain aspects of these cultural values, I have often found them challenging to embrace and at odds with the more Western values that I have internalized. 

Challenges and Triumphs:

What challenges have you faced during your service, especially as someone with an Asian heritage?

Based on Hollywood media and the type of information that makes it out across the world, there are stereotypes and assumptions about what America and Americans are like. It is an ongoing conversation and discussion point to share that I am Chinese American. My parents were born and raised in China before immigrating to the United States; I was born and raised in the United States. I am not from China, but I am of Chinese ethnicity and descent. There can be microaggressions or racist actions that come from a lack of knowledge and exposure rather than malice. I try to respond in an upfront and direct but patient way. 

Empowerment and Impact:

How do you believe your presence as an Asian heritage volunteer positively has impacted the community?

It has been a joy to share my Chinese culture with my community. We celebrated Lunar New Year in my village on February 10th this year. Traditionally, I make dumplings every year on Lunar New Year – with my family and family friends as a child, and with my friends as an adult. I was so thankful to continue that tradition while in Fiji, to be able to buy all of the ingredients needed to make dumplings and to also use local Fijian produce while cooking. I taught my village how to make dumplings from scratch, and I was also able to share the meaning and history behind Lunar New Year. 

Throughout my months in the community so far, I reference aspects of Asian and Chinese culture just as regularly as I mention American culture, as I see myself as both “Chinese” and “American.”

Personal Growth:

In what ways do you think your service is contributing to your growth?

I think my Peace Corps service is contributing to my personal and professional growth in every way. From gaining new perspective, to building patience, tolerance, flexibility, resilience and more, I have greatly appreciated every aspect of what this opportunity has given me. Learning a new language, integrating into a new culture, and immersing myself into a different society and lifestyle has been enriching and eye-opening. 

Advice for Aspiring Volunteers:

What advice would you give to other people with an Asian heritage considering joining the Peace Corps?

Recognize and be cognizant of how culture, religion, colonization, history, and more have all led to the varied norms and values we see across the world. Women and minorities across generations and throughout different countries face challenges and difficulties more nuanced than what may first meet the eye. It can be hard to not immediately form opinions and make judgments based on our own perspective, life experience, and the culture and values that we have grown up with. 

Be patient and consider everything with an open mind. Women empowerment and minority representation can and will look different depending on your community and the country you serve in. You can contribute in ways that may seem obvious – through your projects and clear, upfront action. You can also contribute in ways that may be more subtle and may not be immediately impactful. This is advice that I am still working on internalizing myself.

Legacy and Impact:

Reflecting on your time in the Peace Corps so far, what do you hope your legacy will be in the community?

I hope there is sustainability in development in my community. I hope that the new perspective and growth that I think I have gained so far is reflected within my community as well. I hope my community feels more empowered to continue leading and driving growth, and I hope there continues to be positive change both individually for people as well as together as a community. 

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The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.