As you may know, both of us are new high schoolers. Life is changing for us. There are so many sports and clubs to explore, new friends to make, and other new responsibilities. We’re both juggling so many commitments, and sometimes, begin to question the purpose of our busy lives.

We, therefore, invite a few University of Michigan students to this podcast to share their high school experiences. Some focused on sports, while some took time to explore various possibilities in a young life. They all navigated through their own uniquely different paths, but all came to (or stayed in!) Ann Arbor for college. We’re hoping to gain more insight as to how to traverse through these young years from people with first-hand experience.

Our first guest Selina is a freshman at the University of Michigan. She is multi-talented in music and an outstanding athlete who has spent thousands of hours on the ice in her high school years. She holds the Guinness World Record of most figure skating sit spin rotations in one minute!

If we, Maya and Zach, have one thing in common, it’s that we’re both dog lovers. Maya’s beautiful Havanese dog, Allie, has been with the family since Maya was nine. Today we brought Allie to her birthplace, up north to Alger, Michigan, where Connie and Tom Diehl live in a secluded home with a separate lake, cabin . . . and lots of teeny tiny, wriggly, freaking adorable puppies.

In today’s interview, Connie will be sharing the ins and outs of dog breeding: her relationship with her dogs, and what a huge responsibility it is to be a dog breeder. Out of love and continuous learning, the business has grown into more than just a business, but a loving home.

Welcome to part two of the interview we did with Kim Yam! Ms. Yam is a survivor of the Cambodian genocide, and now runs a bakery called DJ’s Bakery in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Today, we’re going to be talking about how she appreciates the life she built in America and her donut empire. Her answer about American dreams might surprise you, so grab your donuts and coffee, and enjoy the episode.

Right now, we’re in DJ’s Bakery, enjoying the smell of fresh donuts. We’re interviewing the bakery owner, Kim Yam. Mrs. Yam grew up during a time of horrific war and mass murder: the Cambodian genocide.

The Cambodian genocide happened in 1975, which was the systematic persecution and killing of Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge under the leadership of Pol Pot. During that time, any educated people were slaughtered, and even children were forced to work in rice fields. This resulted in the deaths of 1.5 to 2 million people from 1975 to 1979, nearly a quarter of Cambodia’s population at the time.

In this episode, you will hear how Kim Yam and her family fled from the country when she was only seven. After escaping to the U.S. as a refugee, although the family-owned nothing, she was still grateful for everything that she did have.

There is freedom waiting for you,

On the breezes of the sky,

And you ask "What if I fall?"

Oh but my darling,

What if you fly?

~ Erin Hanson

Recently we talked to my neighbor Patty. She is a mom of three young children, just like any other mom you meet every day in a suburban neighborhood. But what surprised us was we found out that she had an adventurous life when she was young in the ’90s.

Patty shared stories of how she flew airplanes as a hobby in the old-time without a GPS and other dangerous activities she challenged. She took full advantage of being a young person, knowing that you’re only young once, and being so is a privilege. She understood that there are so many things to do in the world, and leaped at any chance to try something new.

I’ve been flying to say this to you: oh for flying out loud, time will simply fly by. So please, buckle up. We’re ready to take off...

Today, we’re interviewing none other than my dear old mother, Yangwei Situ. She left her home in China to come to Boston when she was only in middle school. Later, she would receive terrific musical training from the New England Conservatory of Music, and become a piano teacher. She wants to share several stories I’ve never heard before from her childhood, all relating to the importance of being vulnerable and asking for help. We found them fascinating, and can’t wait to share them with you guys!

Meet Mrs. Baker, our writing teacher. She’s a Princeton, Harvard, and Michigan graduate who lived in China for several years and is entirely fluent in Mandarin. She’s extraordinarily kind and compassionate, but one of the traits you’ll notice immediately about her throughout this interview is the fact that she believes family to be the most important, which is something that influenced many aspects of her life.

Meet us, Maya and Zach, as we start our journey with "This Person I Met." In this intro episode, we'll share how this all started, and you're invited to walk, run, or jump along! We'd love to be the people you meet today, so welcome and stay awhile!