About Me
My name is Lu. I joined this company several months ago, and I’ve spent that time getting used to how everything works around here.
A little about myself: I’m originally from Taiwan and immigrated to California when I was young. I spent much of my life there, but I also worked overseas for a while in Europe and Southeast Asia. After returning to the States, I worked in other cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle. All of this gave me extensive exposure to new ideas, cultures, and languages.

Food, Travel, and Good Company
I love traveling and experiencing new cultures through food, and it’s been a driving force in my life. There’s a saying, “I live to eat, not eat to live,” and I’ve followed it for most of my life. Food is also how I meet people who share my passion, especially in bars, and they come from all walks of life. Their stories are always intriguing, because their circumstances vary depending on what they have experienced in life. Spend enough evenings in small bars and you realize the drinks are only half the reason people come; the other half is each other. Behind the counter is usually an owner with a story of their own, whether they inherited the place, left another career behind, or simply wanted a room where people could talk. The regulars have their usual seat and their usual drink, and they’re often the first to tell a newcomer what to order. Travelers wander in curious and a little unsure, finding a glimpse of everyday local life that no guidebook can offer, while bringing stories from home that the regulars love to hear. Then there’s the salaryman, Japan’s classic office worker, tie loosened after a long day, unwinding before the last train or, if you believe his jokes, putting off going home to his wife for one more round. Side by side at the same counter, strangers become drinking companions, and that’s why I keep going back: the best thing in the bar is never on the menu.

Hobbies Over the Years
I’ve tried quite a few hobbies over my lifetime, and one turned into a business in college: a small computer-building outfit I ran out of the frat-house room I rented from the dean. That business, along with bartending on weekends, helped me pay off my college expenses.
I also practiced Judo and Kendo alongside weightlifting. I competed in Judo and took third place, but I injured my knee trying to wrestle a 190 cm tall Russian named Serge.
My most notable achievement is my three years as swim captain in high school, competing at the regional level. The training and strict diet were punishing. At one point, I ate nothing but vegetables and chicken breast, which dropped me to 10% body fat after a year. Winter was definitely not fun, but in the summer at the beach I got looks, and ladies would even come up to ask for my contact info, which I never expected.

Summers in Corsica and Sicily
My most cherished memory is my time in Corsica and Sicily, which felt like a summer dream.
Corsica feels like a secret the Mediterranean kept for itself: wild mountains falling into turquoise water, air that smells of rosemary and myrtle, and sunsets that turn the cliffs to fire.
Sicily, on the other hand, is romantic like a long Italian dinner: golden stone, lemon-scented air, a volcano on the horizon, and the sense that no one is in a hurry to leave.

Getting Back on Track
Another big hobby I’d like to resume is my weekend track days. My friends and I modified a Kia Stinger with a twin-turbo V6 over the years, from suspension to tuning, until I sold it when I moved to Japan. All told, I have over six years of track and mountain-run experience.
I started the hobby in my early college years, running touge in the mountains, and then joined a car community where everyone supported each other. My first track day was an open race day at Sonoma Raceway. It was crowded, but I still placed third out of 100-plus cars.
I drove a manual Datsun 280Z, my first car, which I slowly restored over four years in high school while working as an executive assistant to a real estate CEO. I sold it to an interested buyer before I started college and got an ND Miata, which was heavily modified with a supercharger kit, KW coilovers, and other bits.
My most successful run was at the Miata open-event day at Laguna Seca, where I placed second against 50-plus other cars. That was when I realized I had a talent for going fast. I want to nurture that talent, but I know it will cost a ton of money, so it will take some planning. Lately, I’ve had the itch to go fast again, and I’m currently one test away from getting my Japanese driver’s license.

Taking to the Skies
I’ve carried one dream with me for as long as I can remember: earning my pilot’s license. This one isn’t about speed. It’s about feeling free like a bird, lifted off the ground with the whole sky around me.
Someday, I want to cross the Pacific on my own, with nothing but open water below and the horizon ahead. My ultimate bucket-list item goes even higher. I want to see Earth from the edge of space and photograph it, so everyone can share in a view that very few people ever get to see.

Building a Family
Closer to home, my most important short- to medium-term goal is to find a good partner and start a family. I’ve recently started meeting people through a matchmaking program here in Japan, and I’m hopeful that everything goes well.

Living Without Regrets
Looking back, every place I’ve lived, every meal I’ve shared, and every hobby I’ve picked up has added another layer of experience to who I am. From building computers in a frat house room to racing at Laguna Seca, and from the cliffs of Corsica to a new life in Japan, each chapter has taught me something I couldn’t have learned any other way.
I don’t plan on stopping here. I want to keep adding to those layers, keep exploring, and keep pushing myself to try new things. Above all, I want to live a life I won’t regret living and experience it to the fullest.