INTRODUCING PiA’S NEWEST TEAM MEMBER: MEGHANA NERURKAR

大家好! My name is Meghana Nerurkar, and I am thrilled to be a new Program Director for Princeton in Asia.

Where did my journey to PiA begin? Maybe with the bedtime classics of my childhood. Adventure stories are resonant, none more so than one in which a humble hobbit who loves food and cheer feels a sudden calling to see the wide world. That calling became mine. It led me to study Chinese politics and culture in university, to study abroad in Beijing, and to accept a PiA fellowship at University of Macau.

The fellowship immersed me in Macau’s vibrant blend of cultures and languages. The island is a global city that feels like a small town: the casinos may outdo Las Vegas, but you’ll always run into friends at the grocery store or the milk tea stand. Coming into a dense metropolis, I was constantly struck by how generous our Macau community was, wholeheartedly inviting my co-fellow and me into their busy lives. Their kindness and wisdom saw me through cultural misunderstandings, bouts of homesickness, and the occasional typhoon. With so many supporters, I simply had to learn more, share more, do more, and of course, eat more.

My journey is bringing me back to my Jersey roots, but all wanderers return home with new perspective. I cherish the bagels and fall colors here more deeply, but I also long for Portuguese cafes and giant spreads of mouthwatering dim sum. Most of all, I miss my friends, both those in Macau and the wonderful PiAers who I met across Asia. I’m so glad my path led me to you.

FEATURE: 50 YEARS IN INDONESIA: A RETROSPECTIVE

FEATURE: 50 YEARS IN INDONESIA: A RETROSPECTIVE