An Inspiring expat: Mary Peng, a pioneer2009-11-02
This month, we hear from Mary Peng, Co-Founder, International Center for Veterinary Services; Communications Coordinator and Member of the Board, International Newcomers’ Network (INN)
INSPIRED: "When, from where, and why did you move to Beijing?"
Mary: I first came in China in 1980, right after it became possible for Americans to obtain visas to visit the PRC. I moved to China in 1991 from New York City originally as an expatriate director for a multinational advertising agency, Dentsu, Young & Rubicam, to help establish the agency’s offices in Shanghai and Beijing. It was then that I adopted my cat, Boo Boo, who is still with me today in Beijing!
INSPIRED: How would you describe your first 6 months in China?
Mary: It was a mind-opening experience. In 1991, China was not as “cosmopolitan” as it is today. The expatriate community here at the time was very small and you would meet most of them at the few western bars and restaurants or shopping at the Friendship Store making purchases with Foreign Exchange Certificates (FEC).
It was a very big cultural adjustment as I had grown up in the USA thinking how “Chinese” I was. After moving to China, I realized how “American” I really was. Since then, I’ve been able to find a very happy balance between my “Western” and “Asian” identities. It’s great to be a part of both these cultures.
INSPIRED: How has your professional identity changed while living in China?
Mary: After a career in advertising across Asia and North America, I went back to school and graduated with an MBA in 2001 from Columbia University. I joined McKinsey & Company as a management consultant in New York after business school and moved back to Beijing with the firm in 2002. Throughout this entire period, I was accompanied by my beloved cat, Boo Boo, that I had brought with me from China to the USA and back to China! When I returned to China in 2002, I thought surely there must by now be a world-class animal hospital in Beijing to help take care of all the beloved pets in our city. Unfortunately, small companion animal health care was still very new in China and the focus of veterinary medicine was still on large agricultural livestock animals. I realized that if I wanted to have a world-class animal health care and pet care facility for our pets, I would have to create a permanent mission to help raise the standards of animal health care and animal welfare in China for all pets.
I was presented with an opportunity to make a real contribution to China by helping to establish the premier full-service, international best practice animal hospital and pet care facility. The International Center for Veterinary Services (ICVS) officially opened in 2007 and is the result of that mission and vision. We continue our work every day to provide the best in animal health care, pet owner education, regulatory information and all other pet care services including adoption services, boarding, grooming, and pet import/export counseling. It’s a wonderful way to encourage responsible pet ownership and to strengthen and celebrate the human-animal bond – all of which helps to enrich us as a society.
INSPIRED: After living in China for so long, how have your perspectives changed?
Mary: My two favorite maxims about China also provides insight into how I have learned to adapt myself and to accept the differences between China and the rest of the world: “You don’t change China, China changes you” and “The more you know about China the less you understand.”
China has given me the gift of perspective and has taught me to be very flexible and patient. These traits have helped me to adapt and to thrive in China and in every country I’ve had the fortunate opportunity of living and working in. At ICVS, I work with people from more than 150 countries and cultures and operate in a completely bilingual environment. Living in China and working at ICVS has helped me to grow both personally and professionally. I feel so fortunate to be able to do what I love most, working with the pets and their people, and am rewarded daily with the satisfaction that I, together with the ICVS team, have helped to make a positive difference in their lives.
INSPIRED: With both you work and your contributions to the International Newcomers' Network, you are so involved in the community. Why is that so important for you?
Mary: It makes me happy. I believe strongly that giving of yourself to your community will all come back to you through the great pleasure of knowing that you have made a real and positive impact on the lives of those around you.
I’ve made so many deep friendships through my work with the International Newcomers’ Network (INN) and it’s enriched my life in more ways than I can recount. I realized I had all this stored-up knowledge about living and working in China and overseas and that this was actually quite helpful information for many of the newcomers that relocate to China. Together with ICVS, I also helped create the first structured and internationally recognized Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program to help alleviate the pet overpopulation crisis in Beijing. ICVS and I are committed to providing humane solutions to the pet overpopulation and pet abandonment crises by raising awareness of these issues, sharing knowledge with animal care providers and providing safe, low-cost neuter/spay surgeries and legal rabies vaccinations through our community programs.
Thank you Mary, for sharing your story and passions with us!
