Janet Hsieh Hosts Fun Asia

When I was in Hong Kong last month, I found a new TV show on the Discovery Travel and Living Channel called “Fun Asia.” Hosted by 28-year-old Janet Hsieh, Fun Asia takes viewers to cities such as Bangkok, Palau, Okinawa, Boracay and Macau.

Born and raised in Texas, the 100% Taiwanese host picked up the violin when she was five, and at 10, was invited to perform at the White House for then American president George Bush. Janet is also a former professional model, appearing in over over 20 commercials and magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, GQ and Vogue.

Then there’s the brainy side of Janet. She graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in humanities and biology, and speaks five languages: English, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Spanish and French. Before she hits 30, she aims to pick up either Japanese, German or Cantonese.

Hosting Fun Asia has given her numerous opportunities to discover the beauty of Asia and its people.

“I begin to really appreciate the simple things in life. Each time I eat an oyster omelet, I think that each one of those little oysters was hand-dug by a farmer who had to dive under water,” says Janet.

The great thing about Fun Asia is that it introduces amazing spots that are relatively easy to visit. The only sad thing is that I’m unable to get the channel here in the States.