At first thought, I was not quite sure I wanted to be in Kentucky when selected to join the Yale-China Association’s Chinese Teaching Fellowship. Yet, the more I thought about it, the more excited I got. Why? I could not think of any possibility to ever be thinking of, let alone be residing in Kentucky, if not for the Fellowship. Given the choice to choose between the teaching locations, I will still pick Kentucky.

I often brag to new friends about the Southern Hospitality experienced in Kentucky. The bonds formed with the people during my time in Kentucky are invaluable--their warmth can still be immensely felt today! Many thanks to the kindness and generosity of the local community, I got to travel to other cities and states with them. Also, I do not think I would have ended up attending graduate school without the experience of being a Chinese Teaching Fellow and the support received from YCA, CUHK, teachers and students I collaborated with. They were very encouraging with my teaching and academic aspirations throughout.

As an educator, I think it is important to be constantly open to new experiences and knowledge so that I can transfer them to others. The Teaching Fellowship has not only allowed me to see a different part of the United States (outside New York City and San Francisco, which are often portrayed in popular media), but also provided me opportunities to develop myself both personally and professionally. I hope more CUHK students/graduates will benefit from the Teaching Fellowship, as I am positive that by the end of the program, like me, they would be able to call Kentucky their old home.

Khoo May Yee
Chinese Teaching Fellow 2015-2016

Celebrating Lunar New Year at Yale-China Association

Teaching a class on Chinese Culture

Students were learning to use chopsticks in a Chinese Culture class

With Greg Fischer (middle), Mayor of Louisville, and Ivy Chan (another Chinese Teaching Fellow 2015-16) at a local event