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relations between the US and other CREATIVE COMMONS PHOTO into the crowds. Protesters were clubbed,
countries. Through this program, China shot and even crushed by tanks. Countries
could send scholars and professionals A Chinese policeman stands before the around the world responded to the
to America for special training and entrance of Beijing’s Forbidden City as Chinese government’s brutal actions with
education, and in return America could a giant portrait of Mao looks on. horror and condemnation, and the story
send its scholars and professionals for the dominated international news coverage
same purposes. minor in American Studies as well. It for months.
was now 1989. Li-Hua’s original plan had
In 1984, Li-Hua was hired as a Teaching been to return to China, PhD in hand, Following Tiananmen, Chinese J-1
Assistant. Her stipend was $590 per and teach Modern American Culture. But visas holders appealed to President
month, which was just enough to cover China was in the midst of great political George Herbert Walker Bush to consider
room and board. When Li-Hua left China, and cultural change. On May 15, 1989, granting them green card eligibility.
citizens were only allowed to hold no more Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met Issuing an executive order, President
than $200 U.S. dollars. Thus, her parents with Chinese party leaders in Beijing, Bush approved the request, allowing
sent her off to America with $200 cash in marking the end of more than thirty more than 400,000 visiting student/
hand – and not a penny more. Because years of silence between the two nations. teachers to obtain work and apply
J-1 visitors did not receive any kind of Overshadowing this meeting, however, for legal citizenship status. Li-Hua
subsidies, Li-Hua took out a loan which were the student demonstrations taking began her job search with enthusiasm,
deducted monthly debt service payments place outside. The Tiananmen Square receiving firm offers from the University
from her teaching stipend. Though she protests drew international attention to of Hawaii and College of Lake County.
had been doing quite well as a teacher in social unrest and resentment over China’s Although Hawaii appeared to be
China, Li-Hua knew that she would need failed economic policies, which had the most compelling from a salary
to obtain advanced degrees if she wished precipitated a 54 percent inflation rate. On standpoint, the College of Lake County
to progress in her career. May 20, party leaders declared martial won out. Li-Hua was pleased to join their
law. Satellite transmissions to foreign faculty as a professor in the Sociology
That first year at Bowling Green State broadcasters were cut off and foreign Department. The college is located about
was tough. Though she had learned journalists were harassed, blacklisted 28 miles from Chicago, an important
English as a student in China and scored and expelled. More than 300,000 troops cultural center to her, even today.
exceedingly high on her Graduate Record were deployed to Beijing. When civilians
Exam, once stateside Li-Hua quickly attempted to block the advancing army After many fruitful years as a professor,
realized that American English would by obstructing their routes, soldiers fired Li-Hua and her husband, David Smith,
be an entirely different challenge. Li-Hua PhD, also a former professor, split their
had been taught “highbrow” English - she time between their downtown Chicago
could discuss D.H. Lawrence, but she had condominium and Sun City. Today,
no clue who Michael Jackson was. It was David is a docent in Chicago, leading
a steep learning curve and the pressures tours for the Chicago Architecture
caused her to lose a lot of weight. There Foundation. Li-Hua teaches a Senior
were many mornings where Li-Hua would University course on the evolution of
find a milkshake left on her desk by one of modern-day China. Covering cultural
her many new friends – a token of concern topics such as the role of women,
about her sudden weight loss. family values, the one-child policy and
Chinese-American relations, her class is
Within one year, Li-Hua was settling in immensely popular, with well over 100
and feeling comfortable living in America. students registering each semester. We
Helpful people, colleagues on the faculty, are fortunate to have Dr. Li-Hua Yu and
secretaries and neighbors formed her Dr. David Smith as our neighbors in Sun
warm and supportive community. Within City; their generous contribution to the
five years, this tremendously driven young cultural enrichment of our community
woman not only achieved her master’s is deeply appreciated.
degree, but a doctorate in sociology and
JUNE 2017 SUNRAYS | 55
ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG
