Your Yale-China Stories
Your stories and experiences reflect the depth and breadth of relationships we've built around the globe for 125 years. From classroom exchanges to medical collaborations, from cultural programs to lifelong friendships, these connections continue to strengthen ties between our people around the globe. You can read your fellow community members' stories here and see the remarkable ways Yale-China has shaped lives and careers across generations.
For me, the two years I spent living and teaching at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (1991-1993) transformed my world view. I grew up in a suburb of Rochester, New York, and had only traveled overseas to Italy and England. As a white woman and native English speaker, I was accustomed to being in the majority and easily navigating the world. In Hong Kong I was exposed to an entirely new language, culture, and community. As I navigated the subway system and restaurants, I struggled to communicate. And in the New Territories, which had a much smaller international population than Hong Kong Island, I was a minority for the first time in my life. This experience was humbling and taught me to be curious and ask questions…
— Sara Romeyn, Yale China Fellow (Hong Kong 1991-'93)
The following incident stands unique among all my Yale-China experiences. It involves an interaction with a stranger. A stranger who did not approach me to practice speaking English. A stranger who did not stare at me, jaw hanging, because of my foreign face. A stranger who asked an everyday question, and taught me a lesson for a lifetime. One day in Changsha, I was going about my business on a city street. An older woman approached me, and asked if I knew where a certain street was… She reminded me not to take my good fortune for granted and to appreciate each individual for their own unique experiences. Though I never ran into this woman again, she lives forever in my memory. I am forever grateful to her.
— Jan Kleinman, Yale-China Fellow (Hunan Medical University 1983-'85)
Left: Me with young middle school English teachers who are studying at Huazhong Normal University in 1985.
Right: Me with my second-year English language students at Huazhong Normal University.
Photos submitted by Larry Grippo, Yale-China Fellow (Huazhong Normal University 1983-’85)
My parents attended Yale-in-China in the late 1930s, during the turmoil of the Japanese invasion of China. That both families chose to enroll their offspring to a missionary-founded middle school and then to Hua Chung amid ongoing conflict and economic hardship speaks to the vision of both sets of my grandparents… The years at Hua Chung had a profound and long-lasting positive influence on my parents. The classmates maintained life-long friendships—well into their elderly years—even after emigrating to the States and Europe.
— Florence Ling Myers
While I have many great memories from my time as a Yale-China Fellow in Xiuning, I am still especially moved when I think about our musical performances at the Haiyang Theater. Watching the students give their all on stage, surrounded by the joy of their family and friends, gave me a deep sense of pride in the mission of the fellowship and in the camaraderie among my co-fellows. Months of planning and rehearsal gave way to a few evenings each year when it felt as if the entire local community had come together, with parents filling the seats and isles to watch their children perform. I feel fortunate to have been a part of it. If I may say anything to future fellows, savor these moments and keep alive the tradition of the post-musical celebratory BBQ. And to my co-fellows, thank you for the memories.
— Tyler Hayward, Yale-China Fellow (Xiuning 2022-'24)
“Edmund (Ed) Henry Worthy, Jr. – educator, non-profit leader, and museum executive – died on March 27, 2021 from metastatic cancer.”
This is the beginning of the obituary written by Mr. Worthy himself.
In the fall of 1963, at New Asia College, (part of the Chinese University of Hong Kong), I met Mr. Edmund H. Worthy, who assisted me to overcome my language challenges as a Freshman in the English Department. My encounter with Mr. Worthy not only changed my dismal outlook on my future study in the Department, but also inspired me with the meanings of volunteerism in everyone’s life…
— Shiu-Fong (Ng, née) Tse
My story reflects on how Yale China has been a force for increasing American knowledge about China. As a Yale senior, I had a problem. I had developed an interest in Chinese history, and was thinking about graduate school. But I had never been to China. Yale China was the obvious solution. Not only did I get to China, I got to live there for 2 years, interact with many friends, students and colleagues, but I got a solid language foundation. To make a story short, I came back, went to graduate school, got a teaching position and, over the next 33 years taught about 5000 undergraduates, and about 15 Ph.D. students. I couldn't be more grateful to Yale China.
— R. Kent Guy, Yale-China Fellow (Chinese University of Hong Kong 1970-'72)
Experiencing education and teaching in a refugee college focused primarily on Chinese students in a British colonial outpost determined both that my future career would be in education and the basic principles that would guide my approach to that career. The purpose of education is universal: to develop the individual’s capacity to think clearly, critically, and creatively; to judge wisely and act humanely and ethically, and to communicate effectively…
— Gregory Prince, Yale-China Fellow (Chinese University of Hong Kong 1961-'63), Former Trustee
I studied at The Chinese University of Hong Kong during the 1980-81 school year under the Yale-China Program. This postgraduate year redirected me to a 40+ year career involving China. Through the Yale-China Program I also was fortunate to have a local student as my roommate. Yui Mei Mei and I (see photo) have now been friends for more than 45 years. We had a reunion at the Chinese University, visiting our dorm Bethlehem Hall, in March 2025. Thank you Yale-China for cultivating deep and long lasting people to people ties.
— Beth Keck, International Student Program in Hong Kong (1980-'81)
Photos submitted by Drew Nuland, Yale-China Fellow (Hunan Medical University 1986-’88), current Trustee
This meaningful experience at Yale-China broadened my horizons in education and inspired me to explore innovative teaching models. It laid a solid foundation for carrying out similar student-centered programs in my own school and has continued to shape my educational practice.
— XIE Jie (Janice), Chinese Teaching Fellow in New Haven (2016-'17)
I was in my first year of the fellowship when COVID-19 started - and remember being stranded in Taiwan when the first quarantine in Wuhan happened. It was so challenging to do English pedagogy from abroad, but we were able to work together to do a virtual speech competition for the Yale-China kids. It was very cool and fun for everyone!
— Wayne Zhang, Yale-China Fellow (Yali 2019-'20)
Thanks to Yale-China, I know that home can be found and built wherever people choose to meet one another with openness, curiosity, and heart. I will forever treasure that rare and beautiful feeling of being held completely at ease, laughing until 2 a.m., never running out of things to say, finding comfort in people who, only weeks earlier, were strangers.
— Gillian Mui, Yale University-New Asia Exchange Program (2024-'25)
This is a second grade class I worked with. We always start our class with a simple 'ni hao' song so the kids as well as the classroom teacher were all very familiar with it. Luckily the class was taught in the music room so there were some simple instruments for the kids to work with. With the help of the music teacher, we combined Chinese class with music and it worked out great!
— LI Yu (Leah), Chinese Teaching Fellow in New Haven (2023-'24)
Joining the basketball team was the best thing I did in New Haven! Everybody in the team is super nice and friendly. We praticed, fought in games and partied at each other's places. On the last game of the team, almost all my friends in New Haven came to support me! Thank you, all my friends! … Thanks to Yale-China Association, now I have good friends all over the world! …
— FAN Cuiyu (Jade), Chinese Teaching Fellow in New Haven (2024-'25)
Thanks to Yale-China, the Judds, the Rogers and all the friends in New Haven which is always referred to as new heaven for me! Even during the Covid-19 pandemic all of them put me in the first place and sent me back to China earlier than planned for the sake of health. Even to the departure! What I have experienced in New Haven has turned me into a better person. All the thanks to Yale-China which made this wonder happen.
— XIE Yanran (Coco), Chinese Teaching Fellow in New Haven (2019-'20)
This year marks the 10th year our family has been hosts/ambassadors for the Chinese teaching Fellows and the YUNA visitors in New Haven. We have so many favorite memories of holidays and conversations and time shared. Doing so many 'firsts' like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, sledding, skiing, skating, baking, hiking and so much more. Each of the Fellows has enriched our lives and we feel like we have 25 more 'family members.' We have travelled to China for a Fellow's wedding and visits, have celebrated the birth of new babies and watched (from here) the full lives of each Fellow. Thanks to Yale China for entrusting our family all these years and for expanding our family ties around the globe. All the best on this amazing milestone anniversary -- here's to another 125!
— The Judd Family
…We exchanged thoughtful gifts, the kind that make you feel seen. And somewhere between the dinner table and this photo, I stopped being a guest and started being family. This picture shows the year they held space for me in a foreign country, the way they turned 'staying' into belonging, and how two people can make you feel so loved, so seen, so at home, just by being exactly who they are…
— HOU Lidan (Helen), Chinese Teaching Fellow in New Haven (2024-'25)
When Kim and Mike Rogers began hosting Yale-China Teaching Fellows in 2012, they expected to offer little more than a spare room and some home-cooked meals. Instead, they built lifelong bonds with dozens of Fellows, weaving them into family holidays, traditions, and trips to China. More than a decade later, the connections have grown so deep that one Fellow's daughter—born on Thanksgiving Day—calls Kim her 'American grandmother.'
— The Rogers Family
Going to the US with the help of Yale-China has been a dream coming true for me. So many good memories are shared and so many great friends made. Thanks!
— LI Xiaohong (Tina), Chinese Teaching Fellow in New Haven (2024-'25)