Meet Our New Intern: Noor Chang

On my sixth, Barney the Dinosaur-themed birthday party in our small, but festive, house in Damascus, a close friend of mine named Sarah gifted me my first ever English book— every six-year-old’s dream. A fairytale book for every day of the year that her mom had probably picked out, it had a light pink hardcover filled with knights, princesses, dragons, and castles. As a little girl who just wanted some Barbie’s and Build-A-Bears, I was a little disappointed by such an underwhelming, educational present. But now, almost 16 years later, that gift is the only one I remember and the one I am most grateful for.

My traditional Korean father was always busy when we lived in Syria: he constantly had to travel to Asia for his fabric business, so he would usually be gone for three to four weeks at a time. Yet he never missed any of my birthdays, and my sixth was no exception. We spent, without a doubt and without any excuses, every day from my sixth to seventh birthday reading a fairytale out of Sarah’s book. Even though each story was relatively short and simple (almost half a page), it took me hours to read because my English vocabulary had not yet been developed. With the help of my father, I learnt a lot of big words in 2008 like “immediately”, “specifically,” and “nonetheless,” just to name a few. From that year onward, I picked up English much more easily than my Syrian peers.

Because of Bashar Al-Assad’s dictatorship and the war in 2011, my family and I were forced to relocate to Cairo for two years before moving again to Jeddah in 2014. In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as a confused and angsty teenager, my love for books really grew and I was able to find what I gravitated toward as a reader and writer. I loved read anything and everything. Even more than that, I loved talking and arguing about anything and everything. I would spend lunch time in my social studies teacher’s room (thanks Mr. Daniel) with my three best friends talking to him about the world, books, the school system, and anything that came to mind. My inquisitive and curious quality that was fostered in that classroom has been a core part of me as an adult. I was devastated to have to say goodbye to him in 2017.

In high school, my father advised me to begin reading Camus, Sartre, Dostoevsky, and Kierkegaard, sparking my love for literature and philosophy. These authors inspired me to write more, and I began exploring my creative and artistic side, joining art classes, choir, and even picking up where I left off with playing piano. I was able to truly discover my two passions, literature and music, and chose to pursue them at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. I am grateful for the opportunity to do what I love at Sundress Publications, and I am excited about what life has to offer me.

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Noor Chang is a writer and aspiring editor with a rich, multicultural background. Half-Syrian and half-Korean, she spent most of her life in the Middle East, specifically Syria, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates before moving to Knoxville, Tennessee, to pursue higher education. She is a student at the University of Tennessee, double majoring in English Literature and Jazz Studies. Noor’s diverse upbringing has shaped her perspective and fueled her passion for storytelling, leading her to explore a variety of creative avenues, including writing, music, and cultural exploration. An avid pianist, Noor enjoys playing music with friends and immersing herself in different genres. Her love for travel allows her to experience new cultures and she hopes to continue traveling for the rest of her life. In her free time, Noor is often found with a good book, making music, or working out to stay active and grounded.