In early May, Rosa and I set out from our home in Anaheim, California, on a special trip to the East Coast. From May 8 to 12, we visited the small, scenic city of Ithaca, New York—our first time ever setting foot in this quiet corner of upstate New York.
The purpose of our journey was deeply personal. Rosa’s younger sister, Changqing and her husband Shoubin, had traveled all the way from China to see their daughter Haiyan, who lives and works in Ithaca. We came to join them—to share in a rare and precious family reunion.
Ithaca, though modest in size, is full of charm. Nestled at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake, it’s known for its natural beauty, gorges, and waterfalls. The city is also home to Cornell University, one of the Ivy League’s finest. Among the local Chinese community, Ithaca is affectionately nicknamed “The Kang Village,” a playful homage to the Chinese pronunciation of “Cornell” (康奈尔, Kāngnài’ěr).
To the Chinese, Cornell University has some special charms. Hu Shih, a prominent Chinese scholar who also was ambassador to the U.S. in the 1940s, earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University in 1914. He was honored by Cornell University with Hu Shih Hall, a residence hall for first-year students, and the Hu Shih Professorship and Hu Shih Distinguished Lecture.
Hu contributed to Chinese liberalism and language reform, and was a leading advocate for the use of written vernacular Chinese. He participated in the May Fourth Movement and China’s New Culture Movement. He was also president of Peking University and Academia Sinica.
To me, Hu Shih was my country fellow who was born in a small town only dozens of miles away from my hometown in Huizhou, Anhui Province, China.
Another person known to the Chinese was Lee Teng-hui, who earned his Ph.D in agricultural economics from Cornell University in 1968. Lee once was the top leader in Taiwan.
Haiyan and her husband Haitao welcomed us warmly and served as our gracious guides. One of the highlights of our stay was the visit to Cornell University. The campus is stunning—perched on hills overlooking the lake, with historic stone buildings and sweeping green lawns. As we walked through the university grounds with Haiyan and Haitao, we felt not just like tourists, but like family being embraced by a place that holds great meaning for them.
Throughout our days in Ithaca, we enjoyed long conversations, shared meals, and the quiet happiness that comes with being together. It was a joyful and memorable time, made all the more special by the simple beauty of the surroundings and the closeness of family.
As we left Ithaca, we carried with us more than photos and memories. We brought home a renewed sense of connection—with Rosa’s sister, with the new generation building their lives abroad, and with a corner of America that, in its own quiet way, had begun to feel like home.