Who is ULN?

I am Julen Madariaga, a European happily living in Shanghai.

Uln was my internet identity and I used to blog under that nickname until I decided to use my real name. If you are curious, here are the reasons for this change, and here is the old intro page where I explained the origin of Uln. For sentimental and phonetic reasons I still use the logo when I comment on the internet:

My Chinese name is Youren, like the seal reads, and this is the Chinayouren blog. Thousands of foreigners live in China today, and a fair part of them seek to extend their contracts and are in no hurry to leave. There are many reasons for us to stay, from the old dream of the billion customers to the tolerant, good-natured local people. But there is one reason that all of us share to some extent: That vague feeling that it matters, that it’s here and now that history of humanity is being written.

Hence the blog’s subtitle: Of China changing the World

In real life I am an engineer working in for industrial investments in China. My job gives me a vantage observation point at the edge of China’s head spinning development; it also effectively bars me from commenting on certain things. I do not publish here any information related to my projects.

Apart from my day job, I am also a passionate student of Chinese language and culture. I have been doing this intensively since I arrived to China, until I got the HSK level 9 last year. Since then I have abandoned formal training to focus on reading books. Part of the writing in this blog is dedicated to document the process, with a particular focus on that blurry line where culture and language meet.

I have been in China for 4 years now, enough to understand that I will never understand this country. But enough also to be completely fascinated by her. I want to share my point of view of what is going on here, and how it is affecting the rest of the World. As a citizen of the World, you are just as qualified as I am to discuss this, so please share your opinion on the comments.