My friendship with Zhangzhou began 35 years ago when I came over every weekend from Xiamen to teach the English Class of 1981 of Zhangzhou Spare-time College. "Cultural Revolution" was over, and a lot of lost time had to catch up. My students were eager and thirsty for knowledge, and they became the best students I'd ever known. The school and the students were very kind to me and my wife. On one particular trip to Zhangzhou when my wife was keeping me company, we had oyster for lunch, and allergy struck her real bad. As she was returning to the hotel, she dropped to the ground and lost consciousness. School officials were notified and they called me in my classroom. I hurried back to the hotel, with my whole class following me. There, with attention from the doctor and the school official, my wife had recovered. It was a false alarm, but I was deeply overwhelmed by the city and the people.

In the 30 years or so after my wife and me left the country, any time we came back for a visit, my former students would come to see us, or invite us over. Only in China, in particular Zhangzhou, can you find your former students of 35 years ago still treat their former teacher so kindly and warmly. I just wish that they would all quit smoking, would refrain from drinking, would exercise and would take annual physical examinations seriously (so that no one else is going to die like Shu Yi from belated treatments).

teaching in Xiamen U.

跟漳州的情谊始于35年前，那时我应邀在每个周末从厦门到漳州给漳州业大英语81级授课。那正是劫难刚过，万废待兴的时刻。学生们如饥似渴，努力学习，十分看顾我。记得有一次我带丽卿去漳州玩，她吃海蛎过敏，昏昏沉沉走回招待所，一头栽倒在地。招待所报告给业大。一通电话到教室，我连忙赶回招待所，同学们紧紧跟着后面。在我的客房里，学校的教务长和请来的医生都在，丽卿也已经醒了。算是一场虚惊，但漳州和漳州人的殷勤好客从此给我留下深深的印象。

时光流逝，我和妻子离开厦大离开中国近三十年了。每次我们回国，我的前学生们都来看我们，或请我们去漳州。只有在中国，特别漳州，才有学生们35年如一日地尊敬爱护他们的老师。就希望大家多锻炼多保重，少喝酒不抽烟，并及时作体检（真可惜舒艺没有及早查到病变）。

厦大教书