Hi Jess, welcome to Steemit. So many nick name you have, but I still prefer to call by your name Jess since it's easier to remember. Probably you have a lot of questions about it and the easiest way to get proper answer is from reading the Official website FAQ: (https://steemit.com/faq.html).
You are ambitious and willing to learn Chinese languages is really mind blowing. Take one step at a time to learn and share it here. Good luck in getting your Ph.D too.
Have fun exploring and posting your experiences in Steemit. Enjoy!