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.
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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)
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)
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)
…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)
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)