About Me

Welcome to my newsletter! I'm Timothy Ulrich, the writer and curator behind this project.

My interest in the world started before I started school. I would study maps, learning the names of countries and their flags. Little did I know how much international experience I would gain. It started when my family moved to South Africa. I was in primary education, attending a public school in Johannesburg. There, I made friends from many walks of life, developing a global consciousness at a young age.

After graduating with a journalism degree, I moved to China. 2016 was the first of many years spent in Qingdao while interning at a culture magazine catering to foreigners. The seaside city, famous for its fresh seafood and eponymously named beer, was where I hit the ground running learning Chinese. I also began to crack the surface regarding the country's complexities.

Continuing my interest in China, I pursued my Master's in International Communications at the University of Nottingham's campus in another port city, Ningbo. Immersing myself in Chinese during my studies satiated my interest in learning more about the culture.

My academic curiosity led me to seek a firsthand understanding of Chinese media. After graduation, I was offered a job with state media at the suggestion of my former editor in Qingdao. The role was with China Global Television Network, or CGTN, working for broadcast news. I had no experience in television or radio, but I jumped at the chance, as I could learn more about China while keeping my academic interests in my back pocket. I saw it as a unique opportunity to understand Chinese state media directly.

Four years later, I left the position as a trusted employee. I was elevated from copy editor to associate producer and liaison with the assignment desk and chief editors. My mentor—a veteran radio and broadcast reporter and producer—taught me much about using compelling pictures and writing sharp copy. The experience sharpened my writing and honed my breaking news production, script editing, and international reporting skills. It allowed me to thrive in a newsroom and study China from a new perspective.

My fascination with the world continues to inspire me every day. While there is so much distressing and despairing news, the spirit of humanity is indomitable. We'll see a glimmer of hope if we look beyond our horizons. I also believe in letting those voices be heard, and that's my main goal with Simulations & Hallucinations. These experiences have shaped how I view the world and led me to create Simulations & Hallucinations.