Every month, Take 5 sees a PRD resident answer five questions on whatever our editors feel like asking.
From sheltered childhood to stock-trading globe trotter, Jordan Taylor has led an interesting life, most recently bringing 100,000-or-so YouTube subscribers along for the ride as she turned Shenzhen into her home base.
With 150 videos and 12 million views under her belt, Taylor spoke to That’s about handling Internet trolls, the surprising popularity of her China-based vids and the strangest thing she ever had to deal with while filming in the Middle Kingdom.
Your ‘I Moved to China’ video has more than 700,000 views - why do you think it is so popular?
People are interested in the initial culture shock that a first-timer will have in China, and it was the first thing I filmed when I got here. I think it captured my excitement and those moments where I had no idea what was going on - but still decided to embrace it! Click here to watch 'I Moved to China' on YouTube.
What's the strangest situation you've had to deal with when filming in China?
On the way to the Great Wall, a group of guys asked for RMB1,800 for a train ticket we knew cost RMB6! It was so ridiculous, my friend and I burst out laughing. We ended up becoming friends with those guys and did some silly film shots with them along with ‘talking’ via translation apps – resulting in some hilarious mistranslations.
Some of the YouTube comments can get pretty negative, how do you deal with that?
While they're wasting their time writing negative comments, I'm wandering ancient ruins, exploring mountains that look like movie sets and eating the best hot pot in the world.
What has been your favorite part of China to explore?
Meizhou, about a five-hour drive outside Shenzhen. I stayed with a family and a friend showed me a temple, a park with waterfalls and another park where you literally walk in the clouds – right on the sides of mountains.
You've been invited to explore other parts of China based on your videos. How did you find those opportunities?
I get emails from people all over China and sometimes they invite me to visit their hometowns. I love opportunities like this, because you're not just going somewhere as a tourist - you're going there to see someone's hometown.
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[Image via Jordan Taylor]
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