By LONG Yun & BI Weizi

Mr. Parker Trevathan. (COURTESY PHOTO)

Thirteen years ago, an American teacher and music enthusiast, Parker Trevathan, embarked on an extraordinary journey in China.

Following his heart

Trevathan became deeply immersed in Beijing's vibrant music scene while pursuing a career in education after first arriving in China. "I never planned to focus solely on music as a profession. It's more just something I truly love to do,” he said.

Over the years in Beijing, he grew to enjoy teaching, especially working in a university environment.

Currently, Trevathan is an English lecturer at Tianjin University (TJU). He explained that the decision to move to Tianjin was a natural one, driven by personal connections. “As my fiancée was living in Tianjin, and I had made many trips here over the years and grown to like it, it seemed like a perfect choice to move here."

Reflecting on his years in China, Trevathan acknowledges the remarkable changes he's witnessed. “It is hard to pinpoint exactly [the most important changes], but there have, of course, been a multitude of them. A specific change is the improvement in air quality," he said.

Trevathan also noticed the profound impact of science and technology on China's development. "It has undoubtedly affected everyone's life in China, including how we travel, work, make purchases, and engage with various institutions,” he said. In addition he highlighted China's status as the most significant contributor to top scientific journals, emphasizing the nation's focus on training young scientists for global engagement.

Using language as a bridge

As a believer in the power of language to be a cultural bridge, and having been involved in teaching English for many years, Trevathan emphasized its pivotal role in a "sharing culture."

"It is a massive benefit for my students to improve their English skills to better interact with the international scientific community, thereby promoting exchanges, collaboration, and development,” he said.

At the same time, he called for paying attention to Chinese learning, saying that, "Chinese has proven to be a major language on the world stage, and studying it can bring great benefit to those looking to engaging with a rich culture and many of today's brightest young minds."

He called for increasing cultural exchanges through various means, such as travel, cultural performances, festivals and art exhibits.

When asked about his future plans, Trevathan expressed a deep commitment to teaching. "My plan is to continue working in academia, engaging with bright young minds, and hopefully helping to guide them on their way to professional and personal achievement."