About

I'm Meng Ya.

• I started cooking in 2014. I'm a free spirit who wants to try every cuisine, and I like digging into where ingredients come from and tasting things that are kind to the environment. Also a diehard fan of Italian pizza.
• I started climbing in 2017. I used to work part-time at a climbing gym, and I was a rookie route setter.
• I like unplanned outdoor activities and getting close to the land. I especially like birds, and I follow ecology issues. I once kept worms for two years to eat our kitchen scraps. I'm not great with plants: so far I've only managed to keep green onions and basil alive.
• I like reading (though I've read less in recent years). Once I read, I end up thinking, and then I need to write. I still have way too many notes I never turned into articles.
• I like learning, getting to know and understand all kinds of possibilities, and sorting through a complicated world to work out my own values.
  Stay hungry, stay humble.
• I care about all kinds of social issues, but I tend to feel powerless and keep my distance. I hope that through small everyday actions I can build up enough moral courage to stand up for the values I believe in, without fear.

An unconventional freelancer of five years.

I'm good at breaking problems down and researching them. I don't rush into making things: I first understand what's needed and find the real pain points, then decide what to make and how. If my knowledge and skills fit, I can offer a full service, from analysis to planning to production.

Most of the organisations and projects I work with are about humanities and history, ecology and the environment, policy, or non-profits. The results take many forms: management systems, themed websites, event planning, handbooks, videos and more.

You can see what I offer and the projects I've done at Understory, or just write to me for a chat.