Marco Brundelre

I came to China after graduating from the Berklee College of Music to immerse myself in a lifelong love of the Far East. Before my departure from the US, I had studied various aspects of Chinese culture including Kung Fu (Jow family style, Tai Qi), Chinese music (Guqin), Chinese literature, Taoist philosphy and meditation, and Mandarin. While, originally anticipating only to stay for a year, I settled in Beijing (quite by accident) and decided I enjoyed the city and the expat lifestyle too much to return to the US.

After continuing my studies in both Mandarin and Kung Fu, I worked in the Financial Sales & Services industry, and co-founded a company helping US expats to remain in compliancy with their US taxes. I now work in the IT field as a Business Development Manager for 4USystems.

While the pollution in Beijing has definitely been quite a challenge, I have decided that I am not ready to leave the Chinese capital (Stokholm Syndrome perhaps?). Maybe it's because when the weather is right, the skies are blue and the air clean, a stroll through the Hutongs makes you fall in love with city all over again.

Oh, and the food's pretty good too.