"It's a small world, after all" - Parts 1 & 2

Part 1: The lyrics of that familiar Disney song keep ringing in my ears...as does the phrase, "There are no coincidences." The day I met Bob and Lorraine I learned how "connected" we are to each other and thought I'd share that now.

It's interesting to talk with other Western teachers and discover how circumstances aligned to bring them to Wuhan. (Clearly it's the first question one asks as I've explained most of my colleagues' arrival paths in this blog) Such was the nature of my first conversation with Lorraine.

They came to Wuhan as a result of the President of their university, Spring Arbor University in Michigan, talking with his father (or is it father-in-law?), Dr. Haggan, also a professor, at none other than George Fox University. He provided the connection that gave them the opportunity to move to Wuhan and teach for a year. To my family and friends, you see the connection...George Fox is the university where I will begin my doctorate in management studies this coming May.

Another aspect to this 'connection' is that, unbeknown to me until I learned it from Lorraine here in Wuhan, the English Department at George Fox University has had a relationship with Wuhan University of Technology since 1997.

Part 2: Given the info above, add another fact: I spent Christmas Day with two George Fox University graduates.

One graduated some time ago—Marilyn, a native Newberg, Oregonian, taught in the North Slope Borough in Alaska for 19 years and has taught here 6 years. Becky, a GFU grad in International Studies, has taught here for three years. Both owe their introduction to China and reason for being in Wuhan to Dr. Haggan. In fact, Marilyn lives in the university apartment he and his wife vacated when they went to start a GFU program in...Kenya. It's my understanding he just returned to Newberg; I MUST meet this man!

"It's a small world after all."