From United StatesLiving in Irvine, United States (01:20 UTC-08:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Sep 6, 2021
InterestsWritingHistoryReadingFilms & TV SeriesTravel
I'm a proud Asian-American (specifically an American-born Chinese) who loves to learn new languages and teach conversational English to all those who would like to learn/practise.
I don't teach children (i.e., anyone less than 18 years of age). 我不教小孩子的 (只要是超过十八岁的人都可以).
Besides learning new languages, I'm a foodie who loves to travel, read, visit museums, and I highly enjoy watching crime TV shows, movies, and anime. Lastly, I enjoy conversing with others about a plethora of topics.
Me as a Teacher
I've been informally teaching English for over 10 years, starting from the time I was a freshman at college/university (age 18). The first time I ever taught English informally was when I studied abroad for a month in China; my fellow companions and I taught English for 2 days in Zhucheng, Shandong Province, and then conversed/taught students for 2 weeks at Peking University (aka. Bei Da 北大).
Since I'm not a professional teacher, I like to assist people with their conversation and comprehension skills.
My lessons & teaching style
As I'm teaching informally, I don't have any official lessons planned. My teaching style is very casual and all about helping people improve their conversation and comprehension skills. I am very good with both vernacular and formal vocabulary.
My teaching material
Articles and news
PDF file
Image files
Video files
Education
2010 - 2014
Bachelor’s - International RelationsUniversity of RedlandsB.A. (Bachelor's of Arts) in International Relations - unlike other majors, we were required to take 3 years (instead of just 1) of a foreign language. I took Mandarin.
Work Experience
2022 - Current
Litigation Clerk/ParalegalK.M.O.B. - Irvine, United States
2019 - 2020
Regulatory Affairs AnalystApplied Medical Resources - Rancho Santa Margarita, United StatesCustomer Satisfaction Dept. (complaint intake).
4.9
Rating
218
Students
768
Lessons
99%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate
4.9
Rating
218
Students
768
Lessons
99%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate
English Lessons
Trial Lesson
116 lessons completed
USD 5.00+
Conversation Practice (Intermediate to Advanced)
B1 - C1Conversation77 lessons completed
USD 11.00+
Package with 15% off
Free Talk
A2 - C2Conversation536 lessons completed
USD 9.00+
Package with 29% off
Grammar, Spelling, and Writing
A1 - C2Language Essentials39 lessons completed
USD 10.75+
Package with 28% off
Availability
Based on your timezone (UTC+00:00)
51 Reviews
Thomas
25 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
Teacher Zhuang is very patient and kind.She can always explain what I can't understand.I like to talk to her.
Oct 24, 2023
好好学习_
13 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
姐好厉害!非常博学:-)
Mar 1, 2022
Astra
1 English lesson
a kind,responsible and patient person, a good teacher.pretty pretty good
Feb 14, 2026
Ash Coronado
5 English lessons
Teacher’s pick
Excellent chat as always, Cynthia is pretty engaging, outgoing and has a lot of interesting conversation topics, in addition she is super chill and doesn't rush to end the conversation abruptly even when our time is up with is a massive plus. Highly recommended as a conversation tutor if your English is already in the upper intermediate level or better.
Dec 5, 2022
Lucy Lee
3 English lessons
I felt like my English was getting rusty and not improving since I wasn’t speaking it much, so meeting Cynthia came at the perfect time. We can talk about pretty much anything without feeling restricted to certain topics. It doesn’t feel like a typical teacher-student dynamic. It feels more like talking to a friend, which makes me feel comfortable and open. She is smart and genuinely curious about so many different cultures, so our conversations are always interesting and full of fun perspectives. I always look forward to our sessions.
Feb 24, 2026
SalahMayumi
1 English lesson
First of all, she didn’t introduce herself. Even though I had watched her YouTube videos, this was my first trial lesson, so I expected her to do so. I also expected her to ask about my situation and my goals, but she didn’t.
Additionally, she was snacking while we were talking. The teacher spoke most of the time and didn’t give me much opportunity to speak.