The Longest Shortest Time

EPISODE #236: Elise Hu on Sharks, Cheeseburgers, and Raising Kids Abroad

Elise Hu is the daughter of immigrants. Her mother is from Taiwan — and her father is a refugee from China who swam through shark-infested waters to reach freedom before settling in St. Louis.

When Elise was in third grade, a letdown at her St. Louis public school sparked her determination to become a journalist — reporting from the heart of the action, out in the field.

Elise did grow up to be a journalist, and eventually launched NPR’s first-ever Northeast Asia bureau, covering Japan and the Koreas. She moved to Seoul from DC when her first daughter was two, and gave birth to her two younger daughters while living in Korea.

Tune in to hear how Elise navigated parenting in a foreign country — and, of course, details on the sharks and cheeseburger.

More by Elise

You might know Elise’s voice from NPR, Forever 35, or TED Talks Daily.

• Now she’s hosting a new parenting podcast from A Kid’s Co. called Raising Us
• She also wrote a book about Korean beauty culture called Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital
• Find out more about Elise’s work at her website