About

NOW

Last updated: May 16, 2023

I just finished cycling down to Gainesville, FL, from King of Prussia, PA. I will bike the Pacific Coast in late summer/early fall 2023, then cycle in New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

Me in One Minute

Made in China and assembled in the United States. Currently, I live in a suburb outside of Philadelphia.

  • 1984 to 1995: Born. Lived in the Hepingli neighborhood in Beijing, China, with my grandma and grandpa. Attended elementary school up to the fifth grade.
  • 1995 to 2003: Moved to the United States. Lived in Madison, NJ. Went to public schools. Spent the summer of 2003 traveling around the United States for 45 days on Greyhound buses.
  • 2003 to 2006: Went to the University of Rochester in upstate New York and graduated with a BA in chemistry, pre-med, and a certificate of management.
  • 2003 to 2018: Held photography and art exhibitions in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. Taught myself web development off and on.
  • 2011 to 2013: Went to Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville, PA, for ten classes in computer science and web development. Didn't receive a degree.
  • 2014 to 2015: Returned to University of Rochester, this time at the Simon Business School. Obtained a MS in finance degree.
  • 2015 to 2016: Briefly moved to New York City for an unpaid internship. Couldn't find a job in finance and didn't pass the first actuary exam. Traveled to Europe for the first time. Completed a summer architecture program at Harvard Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, MA.
  • 2016 to 2018: Worked as a web application developer in Fort Washington, PA. Bicycled across America in 100 days from April to July 2018.
  • 2019 to 2023: Started my second web developer job. Hated it and quit after four months. Worked at Vanguard as an application engineer for 3+ years.

Me in an Afternoon

My biography: "Zhaoism - The Autobiography of Hiatt Zhao: The First 25 Years" (Kindle ebook and paperback from Amazon: US, UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, BR, CA, MX, AU, IN)

Manifesto

I think everyone should write a manifesto to live a life they want. Here's mine.

I am an explorer of life, both in the physical space and in the mental realm. I seek riches. They are memories, experiences, talents, knowledge, and wisdom.

To achieve these things I need to learn, travel, and experience as much as I can in life and know what is enough. Thus, I grant myself to have imperfections and to celebrate my wins.

I also know that my emotions are subjective, so enjoying every single moment is the key to a beautiful life.

I must do what I love and do them often. I must share with the world with what I have. And I must help others when I can. Because I want to leave a better world than the one I arrived.

Remember that I'm capable of much more than I think.

And do good. Always.

Favorite Posts

My most meaningful cycling memories and thoughts about certain things.

Social

  • Facebook - This is my personal account for friends. I also belong to these groups:
    • Long Distance Cyclists
    • Bicycle Travellers
    • Warmshowers.org
    • Priority Bicycles Riders and Friends
  • Instagram - Where I post photos from my cycling trip
  • photos.hiattzhao.com - My photography portfolio over the past 20 years or so

Contact

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