“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.”
“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!”
“This is my American family. The woman with a bright smile and glasses is Natalie, my American Diana. In this photo, she’s smiling softly, and if you look closely, you can see it: the quiet warmth that made her feel like home. The night I stayed over for Galentine’s Day, she taught me that ‘marrying a friend is the happiest thing in life.’ Here, sitting beside her, you can see why she’d know that. Next to her is Steve, her husband, a knight in the middle ages.’. He doesn’t say much in photos either, just sits steady and present. But behind the camera that day? He’d been the one scouting best spot for us during the interesting parade, making sure we had the best experience. That’s Steve, always doing more than he says .And then there is their son and we three Chinese teaching fellows sandwiched between them, wrapped in a Christmas sweater and something bigger: belonging. This photo was taken during our first Christmas together. You can’t see the other seasons in this frame, the Halloween when we went trick-or-treating, the spring morning we searched for Easter eggs like spoiled kids, the summer afternoon he watched over my kayak, but they’re all here, in how naturally we lean into each other. Steve cooked my favorite salmon that night. Natalie made sure everyone’s glass was full. 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.”
“This is Drake and He Rong. The last stop on my journey back from San Francisco to the East Coast was their home, and what a remarkable finale it was. Drake, a former board member of the Yale-China Association, opened his home to me, but it was the stories within those walls that truly left their mark. Walk into their study, and you’ll find yourself standing before original works by Huang Yongyua tucked quietly in a corner, as if masterpieces belong in every household here. And in a way, they do. Their home is filled with art collected across a lifetime, each piece whispering chapters of an extraordinary journey. You see, Drake and He Rong aren’t just any retirees. They are pioneers, part of the first wave of Americans who went to China after President Nixon’s historic visit. Drake lived 25 years in Hong Kong, 8 in Beijing, 3 in Taiwan. They witnessed China’s transformation up close, believed in its future before many did, and built their lives around that conviction Now, in retirement, they chose San Francisco because it’s closer to China. Even now, He Rong serves on the International Arbitration Commission, working part-time with the same dedication that defined her career. And Drake? Every day, he walks 5 kilometers along the Pacific coastline, then comes home to cook healthy American-style dinners. They are, without question, the coolest generation. In this photo, you see them in the home they built, surrounded by art, by history, by each other. But if you look closer, you’ll see something more: the courage it took to cross oceans when it wasn’t common, the confidence to bet on a country’s future, and the grace to live fully in every season of life. This isn’t just a picture of a couple in their San Francisco home. It’s a picture of a life beautifully lived across continents, through history, and always, always moving forward. ”
“This is me in North Haven - a nearby town where I went shopping one afternoon. I had just stepped out of the car when I heard little feet running across the parking lot. One of my former students from Edgewood Magnet School had spotted me from his mom’s car, jumped out before they’d even parked, and ran all the way to the store just to say hello. He had transferred schools recently, so I didn’t teach him anymore. But he still ran. Tina once joked that I’ve achieved a teacher’s honor of having students everywhere like spring blossoms. And yes, it means I have to watch my manners wherever I go in Connecticut. But this? A kid spotting me in a different town, sprinting across asphalt just to greet me? This is why we teach.”
