The school year is wrapping up, and for many, instead of traveling and taking the summer to veg out, they’re going out into the world and getting some real-life work experience. I highly recommend summer internships. They not only give you first-hand experience in an industry you’re interested in, they also give you a whole new perspective on life and connections with adults and other teens outside of your usual network.

But before you land your internship, or even get that interview, you need to prepare a stellar résumé (also known as a CV or curriculum vitae) that’s fit for a high schooler.

So what should a high schooler’s CV look like?

Your CV is your résumé. When we apply for a job, it’s what we send to the person doing the hiring, along with a cover letter, that’ll give them an overview of our experience.

For adults, along with the basic information, our CV should include where we went to school, our majors, GPA, awards and accomplishments, and our previous job, along with the name and contact information of our references (usually our previous bosses). But what if this is your first job? You’ve got to start somewhere, right?

Start by organizing your CV into sections. There should be one section for your basic information, one for education, one for previous employment (if you have any), one for awards and accomplishments, and one for hobbies or extracurricular activities.

Here’s what you should include in your CV:

Start with the basic information.
– Your first and last name
– Nationality
– Date of birth
– Contact information (usually phone number, WeChat, email, and address. Only share your address if you’re comfortable with people knowing where you live. It’s not mandatory to include it in CVs).
– Photo. If you’re going to include a photo of yourself, choose one that represents yourself in a professional manner. Avoid selfies and cute filters. You don’t need to go to a professional photo studio to take these photos. Finding a friend or parent to take a well-lit, waist-up photo in front of a not-too-busy background is perfect.

Since you’re still in high school, the education section should include your education information dating back to middle school. You don’t need to go back as far as elementary school.
– Name of your school
– Graduation year
– GPA if you’re keen on sharing. It’s not necessary, but if you’ve got a high GPA, I would recommend including it.

The previous employment section can include any previous jobs where you’ve worked and internships you’ve taken part in in the past.
– Name of the company
– Start and end date(s) of your work experience
– Your duties. List out what you were responsible for doing at this job.

Awards and accomplishments is where you can let your future employer know all the hard work you’ve put into your academic career.
– Name of the award and the year you received it

Finally, the hobbies and extracurricular section is where you showcase your interests, and allow your employer to get to know you a bit more outside of your academics.
– List out your hobbies and how many years you’ve been at them.
– List out your language abilities and your level of proficiency. Ex: Arabic – Fluent

If you’d like to add a reference section at the end, be sure to let these people know in advance so they’re not confused when they get contacted about you. List their name, job title, relationship to you (Ex: parent or previous employer), and a way to get in touch with them, whether it’s email, phone, or WeChat.

How should you prepare for the interview?

The night before, plan out some questions that you’re most likely to be asked and what answers you’d like to give. Answers that cite specific examples are also better than generic stuff.

What you might be asked:
– Why are you interested in this job?
– Why do you want to spend your summer interning instead of relaxing?
– What previous work experience do you have? Now this is a tricky one for teens. Many wouldn’t have had any work experience, but that doesn’t mean you can’t answer this question. Were you a part of a club or organization at school? Cite the work you did there. It’s the same type of communication, organization, planning, and drive that employers look for.
– What’s your career goal? Don’t lie and say you want to work in that industry if it’s not what you’re looking for. Be honest. Teens should try out all their interests and it’s perfectly normal and expected to hear a teen say that they’re curious about an industry but have not yet decided on their future career path.

And finally, during the interview, don’t leave without asking questions. You’ll always be asked “Do you have any questions for us?” at the end of an interview, and the worst possible answer is “No, I’m good.” Always ask questions! It can be something as simple as what a typical workday is like or how your interviewer finds working at the company. But leaving without asking a single question comes across as you don’t really care about the job and that you’re a bit basic. Remember, they’re not only interviewing you for the job, you’re also interviewing the company to see whether you want to spend your time there.

Images: Pexels

The application period for the annual jingkids Summer Internship is open. This year we’re breaking the internship time period down into two 2-week sessions.

This year’s summer internship will be broken down into two 2-week sessions:
Jun 20-Jul 1 (application deadline: Mon, Jun 16)
Jul 4-15 (application deadline: Mon, Jun 27)

You’ll be expected to be in the office Monday-Friday from 10am to 3pm with a lunch break in the middle. This two-week intensive training will give you the skills you’ll need to become an efficient writer who knows how to pinpoint the needs and interests of your readers.

To apply, send a CV and at least two writing samples to minayan@beijing-kids.com or Wilhelmina87 on WeChat. Please specify which session you’d like to attend. We can’t wait to work on this issue with you!

So what should a high schooler’s CV look like?

Your CV is your résumé. When we apply for a job, it’s what we send to the person doing the hiring, along with a cover letter, that’ll give them an overview of our experience.

For adults, along with the basic information our CV should include where we went to school, our majors, GPA, awards and accomplishments, and our previous job, along with the name and contact information of our references (usually our previous bosses). But what if this is your first job? You’ve got to start somewhere right?

Start by organizing your CV into sections. There should be one section for your basic information, one for education, one for previous employment (if you have any), one for awards and accomplishments, and one for hobbies or extracurricular activities.

Here’s what you should include in your CV:

Start with the basic information.
– Your first and last name
– Nationality
– Date of birth
– Contact information (usually phone number, WeChat, email, and address. Only share your address if you’re comfortable with people knowing where you live. It’s not mandatory to include it in CVs)
– Photo. If you’re going to include a photo of yourself, choose one that represents yourself in a professional manner. Ex: Avoid the selfies and cute filters. You don’t need to go to a professional photo studio to take these photos. Finding a friend or parent to take a well-lit, waist up photo in front of a not-too-busy background is perfect.

Since you’re still in high school, the education section should include your education information dating back to middle school. You don’t need to go back as far as elementary school.
– Name of your school
– Graduation year
– GPA if you’re keen on sharing. It’s not necessary, but if you’ve got a high GPA, I would recommend including it.

The previous employment section can include any previous jobs where you’ve worked and internships you’ve taken part in in the past.
– Name of the company
– Start and end date(s) of your work experience
– Your duties. List out what you were responsible for doing at this job.

Awards and accomplishments is where you can let your future employer know all the hard work you’ve put into your academic career.
– Name of the award and the year you received it.

Finally, the hobbies and extracurricular section is where you showcase your interests, and allows your employer to get to know you a bit more outside of your academics.
– List out your hobbies and how many years you’ve been at them.
– List out your language abilities and the level of proficiency. Ex: Arabic – Fluent

If you’ve like to add a reference section at the end, be sure to let these people know in advance so they’re not confused when they get contacted about you.
– List their name, job title, relationship to you (Ex: Parent or Previous employer), and a way to get in touch with them, whether it’s email, phone, or WeChat.

Crafting a professional CV is an essential life skill that every teen needs to learn. This, along with many other real-life on-the-job experiences is what you’ll walk away with at the end of your internship with jingkids.

We hope to see you in the office this summer!

Images: Pexels

Are you starting to feel a bit helpless in the face of COVID-19? We’re quarantined at home and it’s been over a month since life in Beijing has been normal.

While medical professionals have traveled to Wuhan to fight COVID-19 on the frontlines, not all of us have the option to help out in such a way. Recently though, United Nations has started looking for online volunteers, giving those of us in quarantine a place where we can do our part in the fight against this devastating disease.

Their website states, “The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Online volunteering allows organizations and volunteers to team up to address sustainable development challenges – anywhere in the world, from any device. Online volunteering is fast, easy, and most of all, effective. When skilled, passionate individuals join forces online with great organizations working toward sustainable development goals, everyone wins.”

Areas where they’re looking for volunteers include:

• Writing and editing
• Translation
• Research
• Project development and management
• Outreach advocacy
• Teaching and training
• Technology development
• Art and design
• Leadership and strategy
• Community organizing
• Healthcare services
• Administration
• Event organization
• Manual labor and skilled trade

The United Nations volunteer program works with over 12,000 online volunteers engaging in 187 different countries a year. To learn more about becoming a United Nations Volunteer, visit their website.

Source: www.onlinevolunteering.org/en
Photos: speakactchange.com, onlinevolunteering.org, www.onlinevolunteering.org/en

“You don’t have enough experience”. No fresh graduate wants to hear those dreaded words. Employers today are not only looking at your educational background but also how much practical work experience you can bring to the table. Do I think that it’s fair to expect someone who just received their diploma to know the ins and outs of the workforce? No. But the market is competitive and flooded with new graduates that landing a great first job has become a serious challenge.

When I started high school I was told that I should start looking into internships in my junior year. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in the future and choosing a company that would both interest me (and would want an inexperienced teen) wasn’t an easy task. I was naive and wanted to choose a company that looked good, sounded good, and let me do things that I was genuinely interested in. Hindsight is always 20/20 and looking back, I wish I would have taken the time to train in different industries and learn from multiple leaders.

While dining at one of my favorite restaurants in Beijing I was surprised to learn that the beautiful waitress who spoke both English and Chinese fluently was the daughter of the restaurant owner. Everyone in the F&B industry in this city knows who Ignace Lecleir is. The owner/founder of the TRB Group that owns TRB Hutong, TRB Forbidden City, Copper, Hulu, and Merci is known for his attention to detail and his staff is known for their impeccable service.

I found it interesting that his daughter Paris Lecleir happily waiting tables, without any sense of special privilege at her family business. I sat down for a chat with Lecleir. He built a successful restaurant group here in Beijing and I definitely wanted to hear his thoughts on teen internships.

Is this Paris’ first internship?
IL: Definitely not. Paris has been working in TRB since she was 11 years old. It wasn’t a full-time job since she was so young but she’d work 4 hours a day during the summer. Her younger brothers have also worked in the restaurants. Last summer the boys worked at Hulu washing dishes. It’s important to me that they start from the bottom.

Did you intern when you were a teen?
IL: I didn’t intern as a teen. I started working in a restaurant when I was 14 years old. I enjoyed learning the value of money and having the financial freedom. I was lucky enough to have discovered my passion at a young age.

How old do you think kids need to be before they intern?
IL: I think as long as you feel comfortable with it, why not? Back in Europe I knew people whose kids started working on simple things as young as seven.

What do you think having an internship teaches?
IL: Internships teach kids to respect money. When we first moved to Beijing from New York, Paris wanted to buy a new iPhone. Back then the latest model was an iPhone 6 or 7, I can’t remember. She wasn’t asking to have her first phone. By then she had already broken two brand new iPhones so my wife and I decided that we would buy her a regular phone so that we can keep in touch, but if she wanted to have an iPhone she would need to work and pay for it herself. She was 11 at the time and I gave her a job working at TRB for RMB 10 an hour. She worked for four hours and asked me to take her to buy an iPhone. Of course it wasn’t anywhere close to enough for one, but it was then that she began to understand the value of money.

Take a scroll through any job search website and you’re bound to see an ad looking for “qualified interns” offering nothing but experience in return. While it is important to gain some real work experience, unfortunately experience doesn’t pay the bills.

Should interns be paid?
IL: Yes. The purpose of an internship isn’t only about making money. It’s about learning real life experience, but real life experience also involves being paid for your work. I don’t believe in forcing my kids to behave a certain way. I want them to express themselves however they want. By working, they gain an appreciation for the value of money and their time. They enjoy working.

The idea of interning at your own family’s business may seem like a breeze. If your dad is the boss you automatically get special treatment, right? Not in this case. Lecleir firmly believes in keeping work and family separate. It gives his kids an authentic internship experience with no special treatment, and it gives his staff the privacy and respect they deserve. No one wants to feel like the boss’s kid is there to spy on them.

Do you think your staff treated her differently?
IL: For Paris the staff treated her the same as any other employee and I made a point to remind the managers of this. I try to be hands off. With my sons who are 10 and 11 years old, they need to learn that if they get in trouble they need to take responsibility for it.

Did she bring home any interesting work stories to share with the family?
IL: We really don’t talk about her work. I don’t want to talk about work with Paris so my staff feels confident that what happens at work stays here.

Is it important to intern even if she chooses to work in another industry in the future?
IL: One of the things about working in the restaurant business is that you learn teamwork and how to interact with different personalities. This is a kind of skill set that is important regardless of what industry you work. When my kids were little they worked in the back of house because back of house is very structured, like a military. It’s good for them to see that kind of hierarchy and discipline. I have no desire for them to take over the business. Their internship is more about them learning implant life and people skills.

Photo: Mina Yan, Hulu

For the uninitiated, navigating the bureaucratic systems in China carries a certain degree of challenge. Differences in language and legal system alone will make contracts unfamiliar and intimidating for most foreign residents, increasing the risk that the average expat will sign without a full understanding of the terms of the agreement, or is left without much recourse should terms be violated. To avoid the headache of common contract problems, here’s a basic primer.

The Basics

• Language: Contract language can be chosen by both parties, meaning that you have the option of Mandarin or English. If the contract has an English and Chinese version, only the Chinese version is legally binding. This feature can leave foreigners who do not speak Chinese in a vulnerable position, as terms may differ in the Chinese language version, so if possible, ask to have the contract written in English only.
• Structure: Chinese contracts tend to use simple language and are generally shorter than in most Western legal systems.
• Key provisions: When crafting a business contract with a Chinese counterpart, make sure to include an amendment for damages with the correct business name. Preventing any confusion and clearly establishing legal penalties will save time in the event of a conflict.

Rental Agreements

• Contract length: Rental agreements are quite variable in length and highly subject to a case-by-case negotiation. While you might pay month to month, paying in installments of three to six months is more common.
• Deposit: Landlords may mandate two months’ rent in an upfront deposit. When paying your deposit, avoid paying in cash when possible. Creating a paper trail will help protect you in the event of a dispute.
• Disputes: Renters, whether foreign nationals or PRC citizens, have limited recourse in the event of a rental dispute. In recognition of the challenges faced by renters, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development rolled nationwide laws to clarify the obligations of landlords and protect the rights of tenants in spring 2017. These stipulations prohibited landlords from arbitrarily evicting their tenants, and instituted fines for raising rents prior to the end of lease agreements. Should you need to dispute your rental contract with your landlord, you can take the case to Chinese court. However, expect the process to be lengthy and unlikely to gain a favorable resolution. To save yourself the headache later on, ask for feedback from previous tenants when possible.

READ: How to Find and Rent an Apartment in Beijing: Everything You Need to Know

Work Contracts

• Length: Most contracts for foreigners in China are for one year only and are designed to align with yearly work visa renewal requirements.
• Probation and termination: Inclusion of a probationary period is common, within this timeframe either you or your employer are able to terminate the contract without penalty. When negotiating your contract, pay attention to termination terms. When possible, make sure your employer is mandated to give you at least 30 days’ notice.
• Annual leave: Under Chinese law, workers are guaranteed mandatory annual leave. For more than one year and less than 10 years of work experience in China, you are guaranteed five days of vacation in addition to national holidays. If you have worked for less than a year in China, you are not legally guaranteed any additional leave.

Want to Work for Us? The Beijinger is Hiring!

Phone Contracts

• Key players: the largest mobile companies in China are China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom. While you will receive similar service with all providers, there are a few differences worthy of note. China Mobile has the largest market share of the three, so will provide the most options for service no matter where you travel domestically. China Unicom is the only provider that offers 3G services for phones purchased outside of China. China Telecom, in contrast, will not work with any phones bought internationally.
• Getting service: The most common option for foreigners purchasing phones in China is to buy a pre-paid SIM card with a set amount of data and minutes and then top up as needed. If you will be in China for a longer period, monthly service contracts (referred to as “set meals,” or 包月套餐 bāoyuè tàocān in Mandarin) will automatically deduct funds for a set number of minutes and data per month.
• Location: Whenever you purchase your SIM card determines your location restrictions. Although your phone will work in other parts of China, you may need to purchase additional data when traveling domestically.

READ: Everything You Need to Know About How to Get the Elusive Chinese Green Card

Image: talkingconstruction.com

We moms, we do it all. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, your job is never done and it’s completely safe to say that our job is a 24/7 one!

For mommies who would like to carve out some extra time to hang out with the kids, enjoy self-care time, or even cook with a glass of wine in your hand rather than a milk bottle and a baby on your hip, these productivity tips will help you not only work better and get more things done, but also live the mantra of the day – work hard and play even harder.

Learn to say “no”

I find this incredibly difficult and feel like if I’m not doing a thousand and one things than I’m not being the modern woman of today, who can exude and demonstrate almighty physical and mental capabilities to do it all and then some. This one is at the top of the list because that’s exactly where it belongs. It should be a priority for busy moms and dads. Your family comes first.

Saying no applies to a number of situations. This month alone, I have been invited out at least twice a week to socialize and several other times to join my husband on account of his own personal invitations. Social obligations, invitations, to extra time-consuming, and on occasion, soul-sucking projects calls for you to set clear boundaries. The husband or partner needs your attention, along with the kids, work, friends, family, and then usually your needs get left at the bottom of the pile.

Don’t feel obligated to say yes – say no and carve out some time and space for yourself. You’ll be surprised how much time you’ll free up.

Give your 100 percent focus

Moms (and dads) are painfully familiar with the need to multitask when you have a family. However, in order to get the most out of the time you spend on the plethora of items on your to-do list, learn to give 100 percent focus to whatever task you’re completing. This means that the likelihood of you having to return to unfinished tasks decreases, the quality of your commitment means that you churn out awesome results, and if dedicating time to kid and partner-focused activities, your family will feel that you are both mentally and physically present.

Do the hardest thing first

Don’t procrastinate. I used to be the champion of procrastination. Over the course of the past few years I’ve really been working on this and realize that the idea of addressing an incomplete task is a lot more overwhelming than the actual process of just doing it. Once you get started you’ll be amazed how easily and quickly you will be able to tick off items on your get-done list, especially when you apply the 100 percent rule above. Do the hardest thing on your list first and be amazed by how easy it can be and enjoy no longer having to face it.

Use countdown timers

This is one of my favorite hacks for being more productive, although admittedly I have failed to remain consistent with it (something else to add to my own personal productivity list), but much like we encourage kids to complete tasks by turning them into a game, we can do the same and speed up the process of getting things done! Boost your everyday productivity by keep track of your time, when cleaning the house, returning emails, writing that draft, or prepping that meal.

Prep Meals

Speaking of prepping meals, feeding the family with delicious and wholesome meals can take time. Prepping and pre-cooking meals for the entire week will help save at least half of that time. First thing to tackle is a weekly meal plan. I sat down with hubby and selected five of our favorite meals that are easy to shop ingredients for, and easy to prep. Make your weekly plan fun by incorporating weekly themes, such as Taco Tuesdays, Fajita Fridays, or Three-bean Thursdays. Prepare as much as possible and rope in the Ayi if you happen to have one. Cooking and freezing broths and grains, slicing and portioning veggies, searing meats, etc., can all help with productivity during the week and involves simply dishing out, heating up, and enjoying.

Finally. Let it go

No, I’m not quoting Disney’s Frozen– but the soundtrack instantly came to mind. Learn to let go. Allow me to draw upon the mantra given to when me when I was growing up: accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Stress less over the little details and think about the bigger picture – this is particularly a necessity for expats living in China who are acclimatizing to a new culture and way of life. There’s no such thing as perfection. Be imperfectly perfect and be you.

Photos: courtesy of Pixabay

Staying at home with the kids, working full time, or working like I do from home with an occasional visit to the office are easily the biggest and toughest decisions that a couple has to take on. Being a working couple means juggling a number of stress-inducing issues. My husband and I are a typical working couple but to add to the mix we are also both completing masters degrees while caring for our 9-month-old son. It gets busy.

The reality is all kinds of work-life-parenting options are challenging but below are some insights into the financial and emotional factors that need to be considered when choosing whether to stay at home and work or stay at home and look after the kids.

You will need to plan for medical care

Perks associated with corporate full-time employment in our home countries concerning medical insurance and the like may not be accessible at the best of times while working in Beijing, never mind when starting a family and choosing to stay at home. Quitting your job will reflect directly on your medical insurance, particularly if your current job offers insurance for the entire family. So, if you choose to give up your job and stay home, carefully study the impact of medical insurance on the family.

This is as equally as important when working from home. Medical insurance varies from job to job and the type of insurance you have access to may be affected by the number of your contractual hours when working part-time and or whether or not you’re working from the privacy of your home.

Your savings will be impacted

Suddenly turning into a single-income family can affect your savings in a major way. Even with adjustments in lifestyle, savings will take a hit. As a freelancer and business owner, this was ever more true for my family and me. While a lot of it will depend on how big the second income that you are foregoing is, anything earned between RMB 16,000 and RMB 20,000 could impact savings by 40 -50 percent. Consider cutting down on certain amenities to save money.

You will need to cut down your entertainment and holiday budget

Apart from savings, travel, and vacations make a huge dent in any budget. These are luxuries that unfortunately may need to be shifted to the back burner of your priority list. However, a single-income doesn’t mean hibernating at home, doing nothing; there are a number of adjustments that can be made.

– Pay more attention to the fine print on your plastic and take advantage of travel deals and freebies that you and the family can cop from your credit cards.
– Change your travel destinations and/or activities. We, for instance, have chosen cheaper destinations, staycations, and day trips.

Your future plans will see an impact

There may be a shift in your future family decisions if transitioning from a double to single income household or working part-time or full-time at home on a reduced salary. The decisions that may be impacted may include, buying a house to having another baby. Many future goals are dependent on your savings, which usually decrease when starting a family and replenishing your savings may take time.

Evaluate the cost of daycare or nanny versus keeping a second income

When I first contemplated returning to work while being pregnant, it was difficult to quantify being away from my newborn. Fortunately for many expats in Beijing, the prohibitive day costs in many of our home countries, as well as the cost of a nanny, are factors that are not typically problems for families, because of the affordable child-care options here.

An ayi (nanny) typically costs less than half the amount it would to hire someone full-time for care for your child in your home country and can provide flexibility for you to slowly return back to part-time or full-time employment, when the dust has settled and you’ve found the ideal ayi for you and your family.

However, depending on the amount of the second income you may be trying to maintain, it may not be worth hiring a full-time stay-in-helper for your child. These are very personal decisions and dependent on family structures. Think about the incurring expenses once you get pregnant and alternative options such as smaller side jobs that can provide extra income while taking a hiatus from a full-time job.

Photo: Pixabay

Writer-type moms, dads, or teachers interested in part-time or full-time work are encouraged to apply for two of our most flexible positions, Shunyi Correspondent and Web Editor. Both positions can be expanded to forty hours (full-time) or reduced to twenty hours (part-time).

The part-time contracts work well for responsible freelancers with a few projects already on their plate.

We’re a great company for parents with children as our editor work hours are incredibly flexible, and arrangements can be made to work from home and out and about. Three of our current editors have children, with one currently working remotely as she just had a baby!

The Shunyi Correspondent position is inherently social as it encourages you to be a part of your community, finding the scoop on schools, events, and businesses in this popular Beijing suburb. You’ll have the chance to contribute to both the website and the magazine. Candidates for this position should have a basic understanding of online marketing and website functions (a good test is if you can easily navigate, share, and network with others through Facebook and WeChat).

The Web Editor position is for someone who enjoys marketing, social media, web technology, and has a strong proofreading eye. Writing topics will vary and contributions will be included on both the website and the magazine.

If you’d like to apply, please send your CV and a writing sample or online portfolio link to editor@beijing-kids.com.

My life in Beijing is nothing if not diverse. For the past several years, I have done a variety of jobs in this city, one of which is voice-over recording. As a singer who has recorded many albums, I have good vocal control and I know how to use a microphone. Add to that my Canadian accent (often considered the equivalent to the US media accent) and I could easily do this full-time if I wanted to.

I don’t, by the way. Once a week on average is enough for me. Even with the lucrative cash pay-out at the end of a session, it’s obviously not the kind of studio time I enjoy the most.

That being said, it’s got its advantages. Voice-over work is usually brain-numbing, which has forced me to be extremely good at splitting my focus. I have learned how to read a script and write an email on my phone at the same time, for instance. I use the studio sessions as a way to get caught up on my digital correspondence.

Occasionally, I am called in to do a part-speaking, part-singing script, which is fun (and even more lucrative). I’ve also done a few narrations for films and documentaries. Sometimes we get to do cartoon voices. Sometimes it’s pure acting through dialogues with a male voice-over partner, and this keeps us engaged too.

But the best parts of the job are a mixture of typos and cultural misunderstanding embedded in the texts: 

To date, I have dozens of these pics. One day I’ll do a comprehensive photo montage for the pure humour of it all. The texts are, of course, not written by native English speakers in the first place. The books are often already printed by the time they get to the audio component.

We voice over artists can only say one thing to the future English speakers of China: “Good luck kids!”
 

Photos: Courtesy of Ember Swift