For our nineteenth episode, we chat with existential wellness counselor, Michelle Mope Andersson.
Michelle brings her expertise in ministry to the ground in Yunnan, studying the history of Catholic Missionaries in Yunnan and China, by tracing the routes they took and meeting the people and structures who keep the faith in these Catholic communities alive today.
Listen to Episode 19:
Episode Overview:
- 00:38 – Introduction to Michelle Mope Andersson
- 02:13 – Michelle’s recent trips to northwest Yunnan
- 04:12 – Where is this area geographically
- 08:57 – How Michelle first became interested in China’s missionary history
- 14:39 – Michelle’s trip to the Mekong River area
- 18:34 – How did these Catholic structures first come into being
- 22:37 – WildChina’s origin story in Yunnan
- 29:29 – What does it mean to be an existential wellness counselor?
- 35:56 – Developments in transportation in western Yunnan
- 36:49 – Dali and the surrounding coffee regions
- 38:47 – Michelle’s reading recommendations
- 41:05 – Michelle and Mei’s travel recommendations
You can also listen to The China Travel Podcast on:
Places, resources and tips mentioned in the podcast:
Books/further reading mentioned/recommended by Michelle
- Recollections of a Journey Through Tartary, Thibet, and China: During the Years 1844, 1845, and 1846 by Evariste Régis Huc
- Lost Horizon by James Hilton
- Accounts of field expeditions to Cizhong (Tsékou)
- Mapping Shangrila: Contested Landscapes in the Sino-Tibetan Borderlands
Films mentioned/recommended by Michelle
Winery in Cizhong
Michelle’s Travelogues
- An Oral History of the Catholic Missionaries in the Tibetan Region
- Grace at the Table in Diamluo: Travels Along the Nu River
For more information on Michelle’s work, travels, and exhibitions, visit her website www.mopeandersson.com .



