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Lina Xiao

Is the Road Really That Long?

Is the Road Really That Long?

Beijing’s evening breeze, good friends, and a feast that challenges every diet plan. Join me as I navigate weight struggles, laughter, and friendship—proving that with great company, even the longest road feels a little shorter.

Uneven Pathways: A Comparative Study of Early Childhood Education Policies for Marginalized Communities in China and Singapore

Uneven Pathways: A Comparative Study of Early Childhood Education Policies for Marginalized Communities in China and Singapore

This study compares how Singapore and China support early childhood education for marginalized groups. Despite shared goals, both face challenges that Singapore with equity gaps for low-income and minority children, and China with regional disparities and systemic barriers to access.

Rainbow After Coffee: Notes from 35,000 Feet and a Toasted Bun

Rainbow After Coffee: Notes from 35,000 Feet and a Toasted Bun

I was sitting in a second-floor café, sipping a jet-black kopi-o and munching on a slab of charcoal-grilled kaya toast. The toast? Crispy like it had ambitions of becoming a cracker. The kaya? Thick, fragrant, made of coconut milk, eggs, and sweet dreams. There was also a cold slab of

The Last Light of the Book Fair

The Last Light of the Book Fair

On the final day of the book fair, most of the publishers’ meetings had wrapped up. Editors arranged to meet with freelance illustrators, making the day lively with greetings and goodbyes and plenty to discuss. The exhibition hall was packed with independent illustrators carrying their portfolios, recommending themselves based on

A Night in Bologna

A Night in Bologna

After the first day of the book fair, we drove 15 minutes to the Amelia Hotel parking lot, just a ten-minute walk from Bologna’s old town. We chose this spot partly because the hotel’s name matched our company VP’s name—Amelia. Playfully, the whole team gathered around

One Day in Florence: Springtime, Books, and Butter Croissants

One Day in Florence: Springtime, Books, and Butter Croissants

Waking up in the small town of Castenaso, just 12 kilometers from the center of Bologna, feels like a blessing. Mornings here are simple and fresh. Somewhere in the distance, a donkey’s lazy steps echo softly from a nearby farm. All around are sprawling green fields, dotted with medieval

Dear Traveler

Dear Traveler

To travel is not always to escape — sometimes, it is how we return to ourselves. In Dear Traveler, the world is seen not in grand landmarks, but in glances, gestures, and gentle meals shared across time zones. From slurping soy sauce chicken in a humid Singapore street stall, to sweeping