About
About Me
The person behind this site is Lance Zhang.
Mini Bio
I grew up in Huanggang, Hubei—a city famous for a local high school whose rigorous exam prep materials have haunted generations of students. My educational journey took me to Nanning, Guangxi, for my undergraduate studies, and later to Chongqing for my Master’s. Today, I live in Dongguan, the manufacturing hub where my family relocated when I was fourteen.
Although I earned a degree in English Linguistics and Literature from Guangxi University in 2021, my relationship with the language was complicated. Like many students in China, English was a classroom subject rather than a tool for communication. I didn’t even speak with a foreigner until college. The reality check came just before graduation, when I worked as an overseas salesman for a medical equipment company in Guilin. I vividly remember trying to guide a foreign client through equipment remotely over a terrible phone connection. I barely understood a word he was saying, but I politely replied, “Okay, okay,” and hoped for the best. That experience and a general sense of confusion about my future—led me back to the safety of campus life.
I pursued a Master of Interpreting and Translation (MIT) at Southwest University. The highlight was my supervisor, a PhD student under the renowned philosopher Chen Jiaying. Having the privilege of representing my classmates to present flowers to Professor Chen during his visit to Chongqing remains one of the most memorable moments of my academic life.
However, my graduate years weren’t just about academia. Right before moving to Chongqing, I met my wife in Dongguan, and we married shortly after. Starting a marriage at that age was unusual among my peers, and it brought immediate responsibilities, especially as my family was struggling with significant debt. I spent my first year of grad school balancing my studies with part-time teaching jobs just to make ends meet, eventually transitioning into an internship at XDF.
After graduating, my interest for technology led me to join Cowell, a company in Apple’s supply chain. I was thrilled to enter the world of hardware manufacturing, but the experience was short-lived. My manager left the company two months after I joined, and shortly after, my entire small team was dissolved. Though I was let go before my probation ended, the experience gave me a fascinating, firsthand look at the inner workings of one of the world’s most complex supply chains.
For a long time, my family pushed me toward the stability of the civil service exams. I dedicated myself to preparing for them, but success has remained elusive. Currently, I am teaching part-time while continuing my preparation for the next attempt.
Online Presence
I have Wechat, Weibo, Rednote, X, mastodon and Bluesky accounts, but i never post anything in those places. i intend to use this place as my online home.
I welcome emails (preferably written by humans) at hi(at)lancez.org.
Personalities & Views
Generally, i am a introverted person. i don’t like talking to people and enjoy the ease the being alone. However, currently, i am changing.
Blieve in universal values.
Gears
Hardware:
- Computer: MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
- Phone: iPhone 13 mini
- Audio: EarPods, Danu Titan S2
Software:
- OS: macOS
- Browser: Safari
- Editor: VS Code
- Terminal: the integrated xterm.js in VS Code, iTerm
- RSS: NetNewsWire
- Podcast: Overcast
- Notes & tasks: taskpaper, Apple Calendar, Apple Reminder, markdown files, folds on desktop, stick notes.
Subscription
- iCloud
- ChatGPT Plus
- Google One
- Kagi Search
- Microsoft Office 365
- Youtube Premium
- VPN